GEORGE BERNARD SHAW: ‘PLAYING THE CLOWN’
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW: ‘PLAYING THE CLOWN’ is a new presentation from Brian Freeland described as part talk, part one-man-show. Seeing a production of Shaw's play Man and Superman at the Bristol Old Vic during the early weeks of his National Service encouraged Brian to consider the theatre as a potential career: three weeks after demobilisation he started work at the London Palladium. Large chunks of the next twenty years were spent touring abroad, usually for the British Council, often with plays by or about G B Shaw.
Wanting a more substantial Talk that might suit Arts & Literary Festivals and Arts Centres Brian conceived a presentation where he is both narrator and player, adding memories of British Council overseas tours with Shaw productions to his light-hearted chronicles of the life, the plays, the reviews, the correspondence and the complicated personal relationships of the only person ever to have been awarded both an Oscar and a Nobel Prize.
Shaw called the clown “the best part of the circus”, and wrote “all my life I have merely been playing the clown”.
Mrs Patrick Campbell always started her letters to him “Dear Joey” - a reference to that other famous clown, Joseph Grimaldi. ‘PLAYING THE CLOWN’ tells Shaw’s story with respect, with admiration and - as Shaw himself always told it - with humour.
70 minutes. Simple staging: small table, armchair and high stool (all provided) set against blacks. General front lighting,
but three or four focussed and coloured back (or top) lights. Lapel mike, please (if required) - it's quite a mobile performance.
GBS: PLAYING THE CLOWN premiered at PENZANCE LITERARY FESTIVAL, 18th July 2013.
Brian Freeland draws on his lifetime in the theatre business to present PLAYING THE CLOWN, a ‘staged biography’ of George Bernard Shaw. In his entertaining one-man show about the life, loves and writings of the prolific playwright, Brian Freeland is both narrator and player.
As himself, he starts to give a talk about his hero, but soon Shaw makes his presence known, interrupting the narrator, chatting directly to the audience, and offering impressions of his contemporaries - notably the actor Henry Irving. The Cornishman Newspaper
SHAW SOCIETY, CONWAY HALL, HOLBORN Captures the humour and spirit of Shaw in an affectionate exploration of his life, loves and foibles. A refreshing and accomplished presentation.
GUILDFORD INSTITUTE Highly entertaining and extremely informative
BARNES ARTS CENTRE I could happily sit through that again.
DAWLISH ARTS FESTIVAL Brilliant. Excellent evening.
LAUNCESTON LITERARY FESTIVAL Thanks for a great performance.
BREWHOUSE ARTS CENTRE, TAUNTON Brilliant. Most enjoyable evening.
EASTBOURNE MEADS U3A Sets a new standard for Brian’s fellow speakers.
MINEHEAD: WEST SOMERSET NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION A ‘cracker’.
EASTBOURNE MEADS LADIES CIRCLE Most enjoyable. You made Shaw alive for us.
BELFAST: LINEN HALL LIBRARY I now feel I know the real G B Shaw.
KNOLE U3A Fascinating performance. Held the audience enthralled and entertained. Excellent.
PORTSMOUTH NATIONAL TRUST CENTRE Interesting; informative; entertaining.
WHARF THEATRE, TAVISTOCK They really loved it. Please come back again soon.
TOTNES U3A Delightfully animated insight into the life of GBS. Packed house. We’ll invite him again.
WADHURST PROBUS Absolutely brilliant.
NORTH HANTS NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION One of the best speakers we’ve ever had.
WELLS U3A Excellent, inspirational talk. A real ‘tour de force’.
FRANCE GRANDE BRETAGNE ASS’N, ORLEANS Brought Shaw to life before our very eyes.
BYRE THEATRE, ST ANDREWS We learned a lot and laughed a lot. An impressive performance.
FUTURE DATES - 2015:
Tuesday 10th November for the HAMBLE VALLEY U3A
Wednesday 11th November for TORBAY U3A.
Friday 13th November: LITERARY LUNCH at BATEMANS for the NATIONAL TRUST
Friday 20th November for HURST, HASSOCKS & DITCHLING U3A
2016
Thursday 7th January for the HEADLEY SOCIETY
Wednesday 20th January for OVERTON U3A
Tuesday 16th February for SEAFORD LECTURE CLUB
Thursday 18th February for LADIES LUNCH, LANGHAM HOTEL, EASTBOURNE
Wednesday 9th March for EAST DEAN W.I.
Wednesday 1st June for WESTERHAM FINE ARTS SOCIETY
Thursday 2nd June for ASHTEAD U3A
Thursday 7th July for BATH U3A
AUTUMN IN MALVERN FESTIVAL (dates tbc).
2017 CHARROUX (FRANCE) LITERARY FESTIVAL (tbc)
This dazzling presentation gives us Shaw the well-known playwright, Shaw the national politician, Shaw the scourge of the establishment - and yet offers unexpectedly poignant glimpses of Shaw the lover and Shaw in vulnerable old age. It is a rich, multi- layered portrait, and in the course of it we learn why Brian Freeland’s unique experience of Shaw’s work makes him the perfect guide. Highly recommended. Emeritus Professor John Pick.
BUT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A STAGE . . . . .
Since announcing ‘Playing The Clown’, we have been approached by Societies who want the Shaw presentation but do not have stage or lighting facilities. For various reasons the full presentation cannot be performed from a lectern, or from behind a dining table, and does not work so well at floor level in - say - a church hall or dining room.
To satisfy them Brian has prepared a simpler, floor-level version of the presentation, lasting about 60 minutes, omitting some of the seated scenes but retaining the light- hearted canter through the life, loves and writings of one of his great heroes.
With or without a stage there is a possible Interval break after about 40 minutes, permitting sales of refreshments and ice creams. The second act would be shorter, allowing questions at the end, if required.
SHAW ON MUSIC
NEW FROM SEPTEMBER 2015
In PLAYING THE CLOWN I canter through the 94 years of Shaw’s busy life leaving very little time for any one specific activity - and this is especially frustrating when, for instance, I repeat W H Auden’s assessment of him as “perhaps the greatest music critic who ever lived”. How did a man without any formal musical education achieve this generally-accepted status so early in his career?
This new talk, SHAW ON MUSIC, will attempt to answer that question. Available for booking from September 2015, it will include selections from his published reviews; his thoughts on contemporary composers, conductors, singers and musicians; and a few musical illustrations recorded during his lifetime.
A 45-minute general interest presentation, or a longer version with coffee break for Music Festivals and Recorded Music Societies.