Plays Unpleasant (1898)

Plays Unpleasant is a collection of three ‘unpleasant’ plays by George Bernard Shaw. It was published in 1898. These plays dealt with certain issues that were deemed ‘unpleasant’ and sometimes ‘distasteful’ by the society of that time and hence the name Plays Unpleasant. This volume was published before Plays Pleasant.

The plays in this collection are Widower's Houses, The Philanderer and Mrs. Warren's Profession.

Widower's Houses and Mrs. Warren's Profession deal with serious social problems, while The Philanderer is less serious in tone and deals with contemporary social trends.

One of the main grievances Shaw seemed to have was the existence of censorship. He wrote extensively about it in his preface to the book and also to the play Mrs. Warren's Profession.

In order to avoid censorship, the book’s first play, Widower's Houses, opened at the Independent Theatre Society. The performance was for the club members only and not a commercial venture therefore in no need of censorship.

Widower's Houses shows how one can be unknowingly contributing to the very social evils that one opposes to.

Among the characters of the play I disliked Blanche Sartorious. She is another one of Shaw’s annoying heroines. Most of the time she rages and rants and stamps her feet until she gets her way. I don’t know why any man would be in love with someone like her. Most of the other characters of the play are men. I liked the characters of Mr. Lickcheese and Mr. Cokane. They have some of the wittiest dialogues of the play.

The next play of the book, The Philanderer, suffered the same fate. It took nearly a decade for it to reach the theatre stage.

The action of the play centres around the members of The Ibsen Club. Men and women can become members of the club only after proving that they are ‘unmanly’ and ‘unwomanly’ respectively. This play pokes fun at the Naturalist theatre movement which rose against the Victorian tradition of Melodrama.

In spite of its light tone, this play is somewhat disturbing. The relationship between Julia Craven and Leonard Charteris is very unhealthy. Julia desperately wanting the affections of a man who doesn’t care two straws about her, following him around and flying in to jealous rages and Charteris running way from any woman who shows even the slightest signs of love for him.

The whole poking fun at the Naturalist theatre movement and the idea of the ‘new woman’ (influenced by Ibsen’s A Doll’s House), more than a century later, feels dated.

I found the character of Julia to be very annoying. She is clingy, weepy and obstinate. Another one of Shaw’s annoying heroines! Surprisingly, the other two women in the play, Grace and Sylvia, behave sensibly and act rationally. The two elderly gentlemen, Mr. Craven and Mr. Cuthbertson, were fine as well.

The third and the last play of Plays Unpleasant is Mrs. Warren's Profession. This is by far the most modern play by Shaw that I’ve ever read.

Mrs. Warren's Profession was a highly controversial play. It was banned by the Lord Chamberlain’s office on grounds of ‘glorifying’ prostitution. It was first performed at London's New Lyric Club, a private club performance for members only and so in no need of censorship. In 1905 the whole crew and cast giving a public performance of it in New York City were arrested.

Interestingly, the play never mentions what Mrs. Warren's profession actually is. We are able to draw inferences about it from the way the other characters of the play react to her and when she herself recalls the story of her youth. The Victorian society declined to acknowledge that such people (people like Mrs. Warren and her patron Sir George Crofts) exist. Even if they do such women were not to be discussed in public.

This is definitely the most interesting play of the book. The atmosphere of the play is charged with intensity. Frank Gardner’s behaviour with Mrs. Warren and his relationship with her daughter Vivie and Sir Crofts’ attitude towards both of the Warren women are fascinating to watch.

Almost all of the characters of Mrs. Warren's Profession are interestingly complex. I didn’t really enjoy Vivie Warren’s hardhearted attitude but that is what shows how much similar and dissimilar she is to her mother.

I enjoyed Plays Unpleasant much more than Plays Pleasant. These plays provide important commentary on the society of that time and some of it may even be relevant today. Despite dealing with serious issues the plays are entertaining and at times funny. I found most the characters to be intriguing and the plots refreshing. Definitely recommended. ( )