An Ideal
Husband
By Oscar Wilde
CShaw Festival
ONNECTIONS
Study Guide
The Shaw Story 2
The Players 3
The Story 4
Who’s Who 5
The Playwright 6
Director’s Notes 7
Designer’s Notes 8
Production History 9
World of the Play 10-16
That’s Debatable 17-18
Say What? 19-20
Sources 21
, THE SHAW STORY
MANDATE
The Shaw Festival produces and presents the work of George Bernard Shaw
(1856-1950) and playwrights writing anywhere in the world during, or about,
the era of Shaw’s lifetime.
VALUES
• The Shaw Festival chooses works for presentation that are challenging,
provocative and intelligent.
• Productions engage audiences with clever, insightful, and delightful portraits
of the human condition.
• The works chosen often resonate with the wit, social commentary, and
WHAT MAKES topical relevance for which G.B. Shaw himself was well known.
SHAW SPECIAL
• The Shaw Festival is dedicated to excellence, consistency, and integrity in all
its creative and administrative practices.
• The Shaw Festival operates within a fiscally responsible and accountable
framework.
THE SHAW FESTIVAL ATTRIBUTES ITS SUCCESS TO:
The Ensemble - their talent, continuity, generosity, and collegiality fuel all of
the Festival’s efforts
The Company - their singular sense of purpose fosters mutual trust, respect,
and dedication to the Festival
The Repertory - the alternating schedule of performance serves the audience
and inspires the company
The Mandate - 1856-1950 offers a wealth of material to fascinate and delight,
Festival Theatre liberating the ensemble to explore complex questions from the safety of the
not too distant past while encouraging audiences to re-discover themselves
through the lens of historical perspective
The Shaw Festival is a crucible of progressive and provocative ideas
inspired by the brilliance, bravery, humanity, and humour of
George Bernard Shaw.
Court House Theatre
OUR THEATRES
The Shaw Festival presents plays in four distinctive theatres. The Festival
Theatre with 869 seats is The Shaw’s flagship theatre; the historic Court House
where The Shaw first began performing seats 327; and the Royal George
Theatre, modeled after an Edwardian opera house, holds 328. Our new Studio
Theatre has flexible seating and can accommodate approximately 200 seats.
THE SHAW’S COAT OF ARMS
In 1987, on the occasion of our 25th Anniversary, the Shaw Festival
became the second theatre company in the world to be granted a
Coat of Arms by the College of Heralds. A large painted sculpture of
our Coat of Arms adorns the lobby of the Festival Theatre.
Royal George Theatre
C ONNECTIONS 2
Shaw Festival Study Guide
, CStudy Guide
ONNECTIONS
THE PLAYERS
A practical, hands-on
Mr. Barford/Phipps ANTHONY BEKENN
resource for the Mason WADE BOGERT-O’BRIEN
classroom which Mrs Marchmont KRISTA COLOSIMO
contains background
information for the Sir Robert Chiltern PATRICK GALLIGAN
play and suggested Mr. Montford JONATHAN GOULD
themes for in-class Lord Caversham LORNE KENNEDY
discussions.
Lady Gertrude Chiltern CATHERINE McGREGOR
Designed by Miss Mabel Chiltern MARLA McLEAN
educators and
Vicomte de Nanjac ALI MOMEN
theatre professionals,
the themes for dis- Mrs Cheveley MOYA O’CONNELL
cussion can provide Footman/Harold KELLY PENNER
further insight into
the world of the play Lady Jane Barford CHERISSA RICHARDS
both prior to, and/or James BEN SANDERS
after attending a Viscount Goring STEVEN SUTCLIFFE
performance.
Lady Markby WENDY THATCHER
An Ideal Husband is Countess of Basildon JENNY L. WRIGHT
recommended for
students in grades 8
and higher
This guide was
written and compiled
THE ARTISTIC TEAM
by Amanda Tripp
and Suzanne Director JACKIE MAXWELL
Merriam . Additional Designer JUDITH BOWDEN
materials were
provided by Joanna Lighting Designer KEVIN LAMOTTE
Falck, Jackie Maxwell, Original Music/ JOHN GZOWSKI
and Judith Bowden. Sound Design
Cover: Claire Jullien
Photo by Shin Sugino SYNOPSIS
When a husband behaves badly, should a wife always stand by her man?
The quest for power and ambition finally catches up with a much-admired
politician one night at an elegant party when a past misdeed is revealed by
Previews: April 9 a beautiful stranger. The options are clear - public scandal or the loss his
Opens: May 26
Closes: October 31
trusting wife - but how to choose? Wilde’s play about infidelity and life in
the political area remains witty and utterly relevant more than a century
after it was first performed in 1895.
C ONNECTIONS 3
Shaw Festival Study Guide
Husband
By Oscar Wilde
CShaw Festival
ONNECTIONS
Study Guide
The Shaw Story 2
The Players 3
The Story 4
Who’s Who 5
The Playwright 6
Director’s Notes 7
Designer’s Notes 8
Production History 9
World of the Play 10-16
That’s Debatable 17-18
Say What? 19-20
Sources 21
, THE SHAW STORY
MANDATE
The Shaw Festival produces and presents the work of George Bernard Shaw
(1856-1950) and playwrights writing anywhere in the world during, or about,
the era of Shaw’s lifetime.
VALUES
• The Shaw Festival chooses works for presentation that are challenging,
provocative and intelligent.
• Productions engage audiences with clever, insightful, and delightful portraits
of the human condition.
• The works chosen often resonate with the wit, social commentary, and
WHAT MAKES topical relevance for which G.B. Shaw himself was well known.
SHAW SPECIAL
• The Shaw Festival is dedicated to excellence, consistency, and integrity in all
its creative and administrative practices.
• The Shaw Festival operates within a fiscally responsible and accountable
framework.
THE SHAW FESTIVAL ATTRIBUTES ITS SUCCESS TO:
The Ensemble - their talent, continuity, generosity, and collegiality fuel all of
the Festival’s efforts
The Company - their singular sense of purpose fosters mutual trust, respect,
and dedication to the Festival
The Repertory - the alternating schedule of performance serves the audience
and inspires the company
The Mandate - 1856-1950 offers a wealth of material to fascinate and delight,
Festival Theatre liberating the ensemble to explore complex questions from the safety of the
not too distant past while encouraging audiences to re-discover themselves
through the lens of historical perspective
The Shaw Festival is a crucible of progressive and provocative ideas
inspired by the brilliance, bravery, humanity, and humour of
George Bernard Shaw.
Court House Theatre
OUR THEATRES
The Shaw Festival presents plays in four distinctive theatres. The Festival
Theatre with 869 seats is The Shaw’s flagship theatre; the historic Court House
where The Shaw first began performing seats 327; and the Royal George
Theatre, modeled after an Edwardian opera house, holds 328. Our new Studio
Theatre has flexible seating and can accommodate approximately 200 seats.
THE SHAW’S COAT OF ARMS
In 1987, on the occasion of our 25th Anniversary, the Shaw Festival
became the second theatre company in the world to be granted a
Coat of Arms by the College of Heralds. A large painted sculpture of
our Coat of Arms adorns the lobby of the Festival Theatre.
Royal George Theatre
C ONNECTIONS 2
Shaw Festival Study Guide
, CStudy Guide
ONNECTIONS
THE PLAYERS
A practical, hands-on
Mr. Barford/Phipps ANTHONY BEKENN
resource for the Mason WADE BOGERT-O’BRIEN
classroom which Mrs Marchmont KRISTA COLOSIMO
contains background
information for the Sir Robert Chiltern PATRICK GALLIGAN
play and suggested Mr. Montford JONATHAN GOULD
themes for in-class Lord Caversham LORNE KENNEDY
discussions.
Lady Gertrude Chiltern CATHERINE McGREGOR
Designed by Miss Mabel Chiltern MARLA McLEAN
educators and
Vicomte de Nanjac ALI MOMEN
theatre professionals,
the themes for dis- Mrs Cheveley MOYA O’CONNELL
cussion can provide Footman/Harold KELLY PENNER
further insight into
the world of the play Lady Jane Barford CHERISSA RICHARDS
both prior to, and/or James BEN SANDERS
after attending a Viscount Goring STEVEN SUTCLIFFE
performance.
Lady Markby WENDY THATCHER
An Ideal Husband is Countess of Basildon JENNY L. WRIGHT
recommended for
students in grades 8
and higher
This guide was
written and compiled
THE ARTISTIC TEAM
by Amanda Tripp
and Suzanne Director JACKIE MAXWELL
Merriam . Additional Designer JUDITH BOWDEN
materials were
provided by Joanna Lighting Designer KEVIN LAMOTTE
Falck, Jackie Maxwell, Original Music/ JOHN GZOWSKI
and Judith Bowden. Sound Design
Cover: Claire Jullien
Photo by Shin Sugino SYNOPSIS
When a husband behaves badly, should a wife always stand by her man?
The quest for power and ambition finally catches up with a much-admired
politician one night at an elegant party when a past misdeed is revealed by
Previews: April 9 a beautiful stranger. The options are clear - public scandal or the loss his
Opens: May 26
Closes: October 31
trusting wife - but how to choose? Wilde’s play about infidelity and life in
the political area remains witty and utterly relevant more than a century
after it was first performed in 1895.
C ONNECTIONS 3
Shaw Festival Study Guide
