believed that no one ever has the right to dictate who or what we are or choose to be.Ĭandida was written as a response to the Victorian conventions of the 1890s, particularly as a reaction to Ibsen’s revolutionary A Doll’s house, in which Nora leaves her home, husband and children out of frustration and dissatisfaction with her life. He sought to help empower the disenfranchised, realizing that at some level that speaks to us all. He made a decision early in life to devote himself to championing human rights and free speech. We’re just more imaginatively accessorized. As with all of Shaw’s work, he writes about us: Human nature hasn’t changed since he began writing plays in 1893. It seemed particularly timely as we’re all emerging from the dark years. The play brings us a group of six people emerging from a period of their lives in which they’d shut themselves off in some way, and it’s only the configuration of this group convening on one fateful day that helps each one find their own way to forge a more personally enlightened path into their future. Candida: The name comes from the root word for light, enlightenment, candour, candle and candid. Shaw’s Candida was written to offer us the opportunity to find all of this for ourselves with the added gift of it being a comedy. We’re living in an age in desperate need of perspective, clarity and humour. It’s annoying how relevant Shaw’s work remains today. What inspired you to mount a new production of Candida in 2022? How does the play speak to today? Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.

Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Staller about the production and what audiences can expect from the new time period and location of the story. Their life is thrown into an upheaval when they welcome Marchbanks, a young poet, into their home, according to press notes. The main characters are still present and accounted for, including the Rev. For example, the original version takes place in late-19th century London, while this revival is transported to Harlem, circa 1929. Candida, which is also directed by Staller, is one of the playwright’s most famous works, but this time the company has changed things up a bit. 19.Īs a theater company, Gingold has a specific mission of focusing on human rights, freedom of speech and individual liberty - all while using the work of Shaw as their guide. The final performance is set for Saturday, Nov. The Gingold Theatrical Group, headed by founding artistic director David Staller, is finishing up its limited engagement of George Bernard Shaw’s Candida at Theatre Row in New York City. Photo courtesy of Carol Rosegg / Provided by Matt Ross PR with permission. Photo: Candida stars Avanthika Srinivasan and R.J.

Bernard shaw's candida