St Mary’s Academic Presents Lecture to Shaw Society

A Drama Lecturer from St Mary’s University, Twickenham recently presented a lecture and post show discussion for the Shaw Society at two separate events earlier this month. The Shaw Society is an international society that aims to provide a means for those interested in the life, times, works, and career of Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw and his circle to organize their activities and interests as well as exchanging information and ideas. Dr Michelle Paull, Senior Lecturer in Drama at St Mary's led a post-show discussion after the rehearsed reading of Bernard Shaw's first ever play Widower's Houses at the Finsbury Park Theatre directed by Michael Sargent. Dr Paull later delivered a lecture which explored Bernard Shaw’s rarely performed play to an enthusiastic audience. Both events were organised by the Shaw society. Dr Paull commented, “The play is a witty expose of exploitative landlords of the early 'Buy-to-Let' generation. Though really funny, Shaw's sense of the housing market is depressingly familiar, showing poor tenants paying high rents for slum housing.” Shaw spent his early life in London as a local councillor in St Pancras and the play draws on his based personal understanding of the lives of poor people in the city. Later this month the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond is showing a production of Widower’s Houses as part of its autumn season, showing how topical this play is once again.