The Birmingham Repertory Theatre established in 1913 was the first purpose-built theatre for a repertory company in the country. Funded by the deep pockets of its director, Sir Barry Jackson, the Birmingham Rep soon established a reputation for staging experimental works, including the first productions of Shakespeare in modern dress. In this chapter, I show how Shaw became a favourite with Jackson, and analyse Jackson’s aesthetically significant productions of Candida, Heartbreak House, the British premiere of Back to Methuselah and others. This chapter’s study of the Shavian productions of the Birmingham Rep reveals a fruitful collaboration between Shaw and key figures involved in Birmingham such as Jackson, his stage director H. K. Ayliff and scenic artist, Paul Shelving, which allowed Shaw to implement some of his developing and at times controversial aesthetic theories on stage. The innovative use of colours and lighting by Ayliff and Shelving in the sets and costumes created for the productions in Birmingham were particularly suited to Shaw’s later ‘extravaganzas’ which were drastically different from some of his earlier more realistic plays. Moreover, like events in Manchester and Glasgow, the Birmingham Rep also nurtured the work of many key Shavian performers.

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Birmingham

  • Soudabeh Ananisarab

摘要

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre established in 1913 was the first purpose-built theatre for a repertory company in the country. Funded by the deep pockets of its director, Sir Barry Jackson, the Birmingham Rep soon established a reputation for staging experimental works, including the first productions of Shakespeare in modern dress. In this chapter, I show how Shaw became a favourite with Jackson, and analyse Jackson’s aesthetically significant productions of Candida, Heartbreak House, the British premiere of Back to Methuselah and others. This chapter’s study of the Shavian productions of the Birmingham Rep reveals a fruitful collaboration between Shaw and key figures involved in Birmingham such as Jackson, his stage director H. K. Ayliff and scenic artist, Paul Shelving, which allowed Shaw to implement some of his developing and at times controversial aesthetic theories on stage. The innovative use of colours and lighting by Ayliff and Shelving in the sets and costumes created for the productions in Birmingham were particularly suited to Shaw’s later ‘extravaganzas’ which were drastically different from some of his earlier more realistic plays. Moreover, like events in Manchester and Glasgow, the Birmingham Rep also nurtured the work of many key Shavian performers.