Gabriella Sundar Singh in Major Barbara (Shaw Festival, 2025) | Photo by David Cooper

George Bernard Shaw’s didactic, argumentative style isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And though his characters are highly positional, sparring mouthpieces for his political and idealogical ruminating, I don’t consider his theatre bombastic. The people feel grounded, the situations urgent and the plays as a whole entirely playful. Major Barbara, the only play of his at the Shaw Festival this year, certainly fits the mould. And it’s a good production, where it really matters, though I did walk away scratching my head at some of director Peter Hinton-Davis’s choices. Continue Reading