Widowers’ Houses, Orange Tree Theatre
The first play by George Bernard Shaw, Widowers' Houses, is revived at the Orange Tree Theatre by artistic director Paul Miller.
rehearsal photo by Richard Hubert-Smith
In his inaugural season running the Orange Tree, Paul Miller has cemented the theatre's reputation as one the most exciting fringe venues in London. Having impressed critics and audiences this autumn with The Distance and Pomona, now Miller revives a little-known George Bernard Shaw comedy about a 19th century housing crisis— a subject that should resonate with Londoners.
Poverty, romance and housing
Shaw often wrote about the secret underbelly of London and with dark themes of poverty and depravity, Widowers' Houses was described by the playwright as one of his “unpleasant plays”. The show opens with a romance— Harry Trench has only to ask Blanche’s father for permission to marry. But Mr Sartorius turns out to be a slum landlord, pitiless and ruthless with regards to his tenants. “When people are very poor, you cannot help them,” he believes, “No matter how much you may sympathise with them.” The heartless practicality of Sartorius and his memorable dogsbody, Lickcheese proves an obstacle for lovers Harry and Blanche. Often described as a play of love and money and love of money, Shaw’s play is alive with witty and cutting observations of what Miller calls the “buy-to-let classes.”
The cast
It’s a particularly promising cast with RSC favourite Alex Waldmann as Harry— he was a wonderful Orlando in As You Like It and took the title role in King John in 2012 — and Patrick Drury as Sartorius (Drury is a mainstay of the National Theatre, starring in Strange Interlude and Major Barbara).
An overlooked classic
This makes up part of an exciting new season at the small venue. Miller has laid out a mix of modern and classical. “You have to hunt them down. Some of these plays are brand new. Some have been hiding in plain sight...a radical mix of new plays with rediscoveries.” And as the National Theatre prepares to stage an all star production of Shaw's famous Man and Superman in 2015, we are looking forward to rediscovering one of the playwright's lesser known works in the intimacy of the Orange Tree.
Poverty, romance and housing
Shaw often wrote about the secret underbelly of London and with dark themes of poverty and depravity, Widowers' Houses was described by the playwright as one of his “unpleasant plays”. The show opens with a romance— Harry Trench has only to ask Blanche’s father for permission to marry. But Mr Sartorius turns out to be a slum landlord, pitiless and ruthless with regards to his tenants. “When people are very poor, you cannot help them,” he believes, “No matter how much you may sympathise with them.” The heartless practicality of Sartorius and his memorable dogsbody, Lickcheese proves an obstacle for lovers Harry and Blanche. Often described as a play of love and money and love of money, Shaw’s play is alive with witty and cutting observations of what Miller calls the “buy-to-let classes.”
The cast
It’s a particularly promising cast with RSC favourite Alex Waldmann as Harry— he was a wonderful Orlando in As You Like It and took the title role in King John in 2012 — and Patrick Drury as Sartorius (Drury is a mainstay of the National Theatre, starring in Strange Interlude and Major Barbara).
An overlooked classic
This makes up part of an exciting new season at the small venue. Miller has laid out a mix of modern and classical. “You have to hunt them down. Some of these plays are brand new. Some have been hiding in plain sight...a radical mix of new plays with rediscoveries.” And as the National Theatre prepares to stage an all star production of Shaw's famous Man and Superman in 2015, we are looking forward to rediscovering one of the playwright's lesser known works in the intimacy of the Orange Tree.
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| What | Widowers’ Houses, Orange Tree Theatre |
| Where | Orange Tree Theatre, 1 Clarence Street , Richmond, Surrey, TW9 2SA | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Richmond (underground) |
| When |
17 Dec 14 – 31 Jan 15, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM |
| Price | £10-£20 |
| Website | Click here to book via Orange Tree Theatre |