George Bernard Shaw: Saint Joan
12 Jun 2010 - 13 Jun 2010
08.00 pm
Tickets: €12.50 /10
Youthful enthusiasm meets ultimate political betrayal – powerfully portrayed by the talent of the Young Gaiety Theatre Company, Cork.Saint Joan is probably the most intriguing of the Saints, shown in the numerous plays written about her, from Shakespeare to Mark Twain, and films made by such directors as Luc Besson. In 2004 she even got her own computer game. Born ca. 1420, she went out from her little village in France and changed the world, following only her inner voice. At 19 years of age, she met and made the king, and saved her home country. Sadly, she was not politically minded: when the powers to be decided that she had become too famous, they set up a desperate trial to get rid of her. Ultimately, she could only be condemned for the fact that she wore men’s clothing. On the 30th May 1431, she was burned on the stake for being a heretic. In June 1456, the trial was declared false, and Joan’s name was cleared. 464 years later, she became an official saint. The play follows Joan’s success, her courage, her passion, and her final burning at the stake.
The character of Saint Joan is traditionally played by actresses much older than the actual Joan, as it is considered one of the most challenging parts for female actors. The youthfulness of Katie Melia, Katie Oaks and Rachel Feeney in the part of Joan makes it easy to understand why the powerful leaders of the time were enchanted by her.
George Bernard Shaw's play, based on the life and trial of Joan of Arc, dramatises what is known of her life based on the substantial records of her trial. He wrote in his preface to the play:"There are no villains in the piece. Crime, like disease, is not interesting: it is something to be done away with by general consent, and that is all [there is] about it. It is what men do at their best, with good intentions, and what normal men and women find that they must and will do in spite of their intentions, that really concern us."
Contact: 086 321 5236
Gaiety School of Acting
Founded in 1986 by internationally-renowned Theatre Director Joe Dowling, The Gaiety School of Acting is now widely regarded as the country’s premier training facility for actors.
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