The Inca Of Perusalem

The Inca of Perusalem was given seven performances at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre under Barry Jackson from 7 October 1916. The cast was: Joseph A. Dodd (Archdeacon), Gertrude Kingston [from 4 November, during a revival, Isabel Thornton] (Ermyntrude), Noel Shammon (hotel manager), Cathleen Orford (the princess), William Armstrong (waiter), Felix Aylmer (the Inca); also John Drinkwater (producer) and Arthur J. Gaskin (designer) (Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson, 'Theatrical Companion to Shaw’ (London: Rockliff, 1954), p. 174). ‘Who Is He? The Repertory Theatre will spring a surprise upon its audience next Saturday night. Three new one-act plays are to be produced, the last of the trio, The Inca of Perusalem, being a new comedy by “one our leading dramatists” whose name is not to be disclosed until after the performance. This seems to offer a splendid opportunity for another Repertory innovation. Why not hold a guessing competition among the audience, each one present being permitted to guess the name of the author before the momentous announcement is made! ... Miss Gertrude Kingston will appear in the anonymous author’s comedy’ (Evening Despatch, Thursday 5 October 1916). 'Since the beginning of the European war the English theatre has failed utterly to represent the spirit of English life; even more than before it has offered either idle diversion and frivolity, or the exposition of affairs and social conditions which have altered these two years … Therefore, without declaring an agreement with the philosophies of the three short plays produced at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre for the first time on any stage, it must be recognised that each in its own way is a sincere criticism and interpretation of the life of the hour. The Sweeps of Ninety-eight, John Masefield; The God of Quiet, by John Drinkwater; and The Inca of Perusalem, are three contributions of importance - of relative importance - to the English theatre. Only one man in England could have written the “almost historical comedietta” called The Inca of Perusalem, but it is part of the game that the anonymity of this ultra modest “member of the Royal Society” should respected. It is a very witty and amusing satire upon the arrogant person whom Barrie exposed so heavily and so gloomily in Der Tag, but it is also a satire upon more rulers than one and more peoples than one. Its chief situation is an interview between the Highest of All and lady - a negotiation and personal inspection in view of an alliance by marriage between two royal houses. The lady is the daughter of an English archdeacon and widow of an American millionaire. She engages herself as lady’s maid to a certain princess - a foolish, fluffy, fluttering woman - and impersonates her mistress throughout an interview with the Inca who visits an hotel incognito as Captain Duval. This Highest Person of all discourses with ineffable grandeur of his miraculous and universal genius, of his overwhelming greatness, of his efforts to introduce culture, of the present; war, of the inefficiency and decadence of his two sons. The lady plays with him very cleverly, criticises a most abominable piece of jewellery he has designed, and finally counters his confession that he is none other than the All Highest by her own confession that she is a lady’s maid to the princess, not, however, before he has expressed his wish to marry her, though his Empress is still living, by turning Mohammedan (which will allow him four wives) “to please the Turk”. It is very fantastic and flippant, and full of fireworks and gibes at the folly of royalty and the folly of humanity. Miss Gertrude Kingston, a brilliant actress, acted the lady’s maid with the witty style and assurance required; and Mr. Felix Aylmer, who made great play with his moustache, lived to the laughable caricature of the All Highest. Miss Orford, too, deserves praise for her silly, gentle “niceness” of the princess. If Englishmen have breadth of mind to laugh at themselves as well as at the Kaiser, in his most Napoleonic attitude, the play will enjoy a vogue’ (Birmingham Daily Post, 9 October 1916). 'The Inca of Perusalem, the authorship which was not disclosed ... is a humorous satire upon people and things in the Fatherland. It opens well, but later prosiness develops' (Birmingham Mail, 9 October 1916). 'The anonymous Inca of Perusalem is an inconsequent and variably amusing farcical satire on Kaiserism, which opens better that it finishes ... “Shaw and water” is the nearest short definition we can give of the dialogue – from moustaches to war-making – in this flippant trifle which is not quite brilliant’ (Birmingham Daily Gazette, 9 October 1916).

The last date of the run is not known. The Birmingham Daily Post, 6 November 1916, reported: ‘The triple bills of the Repertory Theatre have given a new dignity, a new importance, a new popularity, to the short play. The revival of the three recent plays, The Sweeps of Ninety-eight, by John Masefield; The God of Quiet, by John Drinkwater; and The Inca of Perusalem, by the anonymous dramatist (whose obvious identity is not yet declared), was well attended and well-applauded. As The Inca of Perusalem, with Miss Isabel Thornton replacing Miss Gertrude Kingston, as the only change in cast, there is little to be added to the impressions from the first performance. Miss Thornton has the requisite vitality and vivacity for the millionaire’s widow turned Royal lady’s maid, whose personality makes the ingenious satire on the Kaiser enjoyable and entertaining. The dialogue of The Inca has too heavy and serious a turn at the close to make its flippancy anything but forced and farcical, but otherwise it is an able and witty caricature’.

‘Next week in the Abbey Theatre “The Inca of Jerusalem [sic],” an almost historical comedietta, by a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, will be produced for the first time [sic]. The play has already caused a considerable amount of curiosity, and is likely to arouse considerable interest. The leading parts will be played by Miss Maire O’Neill and Mr. Fred O’Donovan, and it will be followed by “Birthright,” a play in two acts, by T. C. Murray’ (Dublin Daily Express, Saturday 10 March 1917). ‘Abbey Theatre. Much interest is centred round the first production this week [sic] of The Inca of Perusalem, a comedietta, by “A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature”. The leading parts will be played by Miss Maire O’Neill and Mr. Fred O’Donovan' (The Era, 14 March 1917). ‘“The Inca of Perusalem” is having quite a successful run at the Abbey Theatre and last night a. crowded house gave it their unqualified approval. “The Inca” is a one-act comedy, the author of which is not more definitely described than “a member of the Royal Society of Literature.” It is known, however, to be the work of Shaw And certainly it displays many of the characteristics of that distinguished dramatist. It is written with little or no purpose; it points no moral; and it has only one thing to recommend it – its dialogue. There is plenty here to amuse the audience. It is witty talk, in which there is some half erratic philosophy. And it has the extra advantage of being more or less topical. The Kaiser is amongst the distinguished folk whom Shaw pillories in a burning satire. There is little or no acting. The half-dozen actors do hardly anything save work their tongues. But there is one role specially distinguished from the purely dramatic point of view, and that is the exacting role of the Inca. Mr. Fred O’Donovan invests it with any amount of robust life. There are, indeed, few characters which he has made a bigger success of. The other parts were also well filled' (Dublin Daily Express, 20 March 1917). ‘Dublin is trying to take away some of Birmingham’s theatrical laurels. On Monday night, according to a special correspondent of a Manchester newspaper, the Irish capital witnessed the first production [sic] of the Inca of Perusalem. Not only so, but the critic stripped away the very transparent veil that covered the initials (F.R.S.L.) of the author, and proclaimed to the world that masterpiece was the work of George Bernard Shaw and that the Inca was the Kaiser. Such acumen is startling!' (Birmingham Mail, Saturday 24 March 1917).

The Inca of Perusalem was given one performance by the Pioneer Players at the Criterion Theatre, London on 16 December 1917; the cast was C. Wordley Hulse (Archdeacon), Gertrude Kingston (Ermyntrude), Alfred Drayton (hotel manager), Helen Morris (the princess), Nigel Playfair (waiter), Randle Ayrton (the Inca) (Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson, 'Theatrical Companion to Shaw' (London: Rockliff, 1954), p. 174; also Dan H. Laurence (ed.), 'Bernard Shaw. Collected Letters. Volume 3, 1911-1925' (London: Max Reinhardt), p. 524). 'It is bit of a joke, mainly at the expense of the Kaiser, but sometimes one suspects at the expense of those who laugh at everything Mr. Shaw says … Most of it was very good fooling, marred sometimes by some ill-advised ventures into the serious’ (Manchester Guardian, 18 December 1917). ‘The Inca of Perusalem has been a good deal boomed by questions as to its authorship; perhaps it is a Shaw, perhaps not. One may say that it is either a good imitation or an indifferent original: the style - or rather, method - is there, and the brilliant scene from A Man of Destiny seems rather closely copied in technique. The handling of the humour is a little heavy and obvious, However, there were some ingenious paradoxes, and clever twists of words and ideas; and the author owes much to the players. Miss Gertrude Kingston played superbly; and Mr. Randle Ayrton’s picture of the Kaiser is little less than a masterpiece of humour and character. Also there was clever work by Messrs. Nigel Playfair and Alfred Drayton; whilst Miss Helen Morris was a delightfully timid little Princess’ (The Sketch, 26 December 1917).

‘Little [Theatre, Brighton] - The Inca of Perusalem and Great Catherine were presented during the second half of last week, and specially good work was done by Ernest Baxter, Ruth Goddard, Eric Lane, and Frank Launden. Reg Hagon is again the stage manager, with Frank Cooper as his assistant’ (The Stage, 1 December 1927).

‘At the monthly meeting of the Northampton Playgoers’ Association on Sunday, at the Opera House, Mr. Davidson’s Circle will read The Inca of Perusalem and Augustus Does His Bit’ (The Stage, 7 February 1929).

‘The programme at the meeting of the Plymouth Playgoers’ Circle last evening at the Repertory Theatre consisted of the reading of the duologue A marriage has been arranged, by Alfred Sarto, and G. Bernard Shaw’s play, The Inca of Perusalem. Mr. H. W. Gofrin(?) and Miss Lilian I. Neels presented the former, and Messrs. R. Fowler Knight, D. Richardson, Leslie Robinson, and J. Andrewartha, Mrs. Madge Taylor, and Miss Marjorie Sanders were responsible for the play’. Western Morning News, 3 February 1930.

'Market Harborough Co-operative Drama Club presented two plays at the Co-operative Hall on Wednesday evening. The first was Bernard Shaw’s The Inca of Perusalem (described as a comedietta), and the second was Women at Sea (attributed to no one in particular). The players were Barbara Budworth, Phyllis Hart, Joan Hart, Doreen Pickering, Pamela Ashley, Geoffrey Heighton, Sylvia Williams, Doris Gotch and June Hazeldine. With Mr. Harold Jones producing. the Club (chiefly young people) have made a noteworthy advance in standard, and Joan Hart was outstandingly funny in the second piece. The two plays will be given again on Saturday evening’. Market Harborough Advertiser and Midland Mail, Friday 26 November 1948 (with a photograph of the casts of the two plays).

The Inca of Perusalem was given seven performances with Candida at the Bedford Theatre in Camden Town, London from 30 May 1949, under the management of Donald Wolfit and produced by Douglas Seale. The cast was: Oliver Burt (Archdeacon), Elizabeth Kentish (Ermyntrude), John Shard (hotel manager), Irene Ash (the princess), Morris Fishman (waiter), James Otaway (the Inca); also Douglas Seale (producer) (Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson, Theatrical Companion to Shaw (London: Rockliff, 1954), p. 174). ‘Following Donald Wolfit’s successful season, comes an excellent company with Bernard Shaw plays, admirably produced … Preceding [Candida] is The Inca of Perusalem, a Shavian trifle World War I, on its merits hardly worth exhuming’ (Daily Herald, 31 May 1949). “The Inca of Perusalem,” made an attractive curtain raiser to “Candida” at the Bedford last night. The character of the Inca who is attracted to a princess’s maid is a burlesque of the Kaiser Wilhelm II, and the play, written at the time of the 1914 war, very much a French pièce d’occasion whose significance is inevitably rather lost on the younger generation. To-day it seems little more than s sketch for a theme to be developed later in “The Apple Cart” – the relationship between King and commoner, the one a human being and the other an attractive woman. Still it has independent and farcical merits typically Shavian, even to the possession of a pacifistic peroration' (Daily Telegraph, 31 May 1949). ‘In the second week of the Shaw season at the Bedford ... Candida is preceded by the rarely performed one-act play, The Inca of Perusalem. This is Mr. Shaw at his most vitriolic, firing broadsides at the follies of man. Covering the field of Europe in 1914-18, any strictly topical significance is gone, but the author’s merciless volleys of derision still retain much which is apt and even more which is amusing' (The Stage, 2 June 1949). ‘A revival of Candida was the main piece; for collectors the occasion rested upon the first fifty minutes – that rarity, the Inca of Perusalem, one of Shae’s playlets from the first World War, or dewdrops from the lion’s mane. This conversation was never more than a topical joke; its burlesque of the Kaiser could have meant little to the younger Shavians who clustered at the Bedford. Still, it strikes a good vein of nonsense' (Observer, 5 June 1949).

Thirty-one performances were given. The cast was: Nicholas Meredith (Archdeacon), Brenda Bruce (Ermyntrude), Maurice Denham (hotel manager), Vivienne Bennett (the princess), Stuart Burge (waiter), Alan MacNaughtan (the Inca) (Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson, Theatrical Companion to Shaw (London: Rockliff, 1954), pp. 300, 339). ‘The Inca of Perusalem … shows Shaw in that feeling mood which he so seldom allowed to come through the surface of his comedy. It was an audacious piece at the time – for the Inca is the Kaiser and the play dates from 1917 – and it still has a sad and thoughtful humour' (The Times, 17 May 1951). ‘The Inca of Perusalem (which ‘had a few engaging moments’), The Fascinating Foundling and Press Cuttings ‘were feeble topicalities at the best, and might well have been allowed to rest in limbo’ (Daily Telegraph, 17 May 1951). ‘On May 16 was presented, at the Arts, the second of four programmes of short Shaw plays, consisting of The Inca of Perusalem, The Fascinating Foundling, The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet, and Press Cuttings ... The Inca of Perusalem, dealing with the toils and trials of monarchy, the people’s hatred of democracy, and a vicar’s daughter who goes to work for a princess, is still very much alive. It is produced with suitable pace and vigour by Stephen Murray in settings by Fanny Taylor, and has clever, convincing performances by Brenda Bruce, Vivienne Bennett and Alan Macnaughtan’ (The Stage, 24 May 1951). ‘The Inca of Perusalem is not only very amusing but a brief, penetrating, close-up of the Shavian superman, a subtle mixture of comedy and pathos, with riotous comedy giving way, abruptly, effectively, to the serious, gentle, perplexed sadness of a disillusioned autocrat. Nicholas Meredith, as the Inca, Brenda Bruce as the daughter of an Archdeacon, create characters out of words with precision, with richness, with great art. Stephen Murray produces flawlessly’ (West London Observer, 25 May 1951).

‘The showpiece of the senior student productions at the Webber-Douglas School last night, directed by Alan Simpson, was a rare and surprisingly attractive piece of pacifist propaganda by Shaw. The Inca of Perusalem features the Kaiser as a misunderstood humanist, and British Womanhood as the arbiter of commonsense. It was like seeing a Bernard Partridge cartoon captioned by Joan Littlewood: the oddly sympathetic sketch of decaying royalty in the shadow of Mons must have been, at the time, a difficult and courageous feat of writing: the wit is marvellously cool for such a fevered theme. There is even a derisive and not wholly pompous portrait of the artist. As an exercise for students this was a natural’. Times, 10 April 1964. [The Chanticleer Theatre was the main performance space at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art: Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art (zaitseva.com).]

‘Alan Simpson is directing two Shaw plays as the final feature of the Hemel Hempstead Arts Festival on Saturday next. They are The Inca of Perusalem and The Admirable Bashville, both designed by Tony Carruthers. In the casts are Horace James, Jillian Lee, Alan Halley, Carl Forgione. Paul Angelis, Hilary Voisey, Colin Vancao, Richard Huggett and Maurice Selwyn’ (The Stage, 27 October 1966).

The Stage, Thursday 5 July 1979, advertised the Studio ‘68 Of Theatre Arts’ production of Shaw’s The Inca of Perusalem and Overruled, directed by Ellen Pollock, and Tennessee Williams’ The Lady of Larkspur Lotion at the Essex Hall, London W8, Tuesday to Saturday, 10-14 July at 8pm.

‘The 1979 Birthday Tribute was presented by the Shaw Society at Shaw’s Corner at Ayot St. Lawrence on the 21st and 22nd July. The programme consisted of two one act plays by Shaw, “Overruled” and “The Inca of Perusalem” together with a scene from the third act of “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”. The young actors from Studio 68 of Theatre Arts London had great style and attack in the plays under the direction of Ellen Pollock and Robert Henderson'. The Shavian, the Journal of the Shaw Society, vol.5 no.3, winter 1979/80.

‘Spice Of Life [a pub theatre at Cambridge Circus, Charing Cross Road, London]. The Inca of Perusalem is one of Shaw’s shorter and lesser plays, a European turn of the century drama that makes a frontal attack on the inadequacies of those born to rule. All the characters are either “someone” or “no- one”, and either cannot live up to responsibilities or cannot refrain from jockeying for greater status. There is a Princess who cannot say boo to a goose, an Inca who thinks that his people love him enough to live their lives out in a constant state of war, and a hoity-toity lady’s maid who craves wealth and position through marriage. The Princess neither wants nor gets the Inca, instead the maid through her sharp wit wins his hand. It’s all laughable. But laugh is perhaps too strong a word for what this rather uninspired cast produced. Though their approach was sincere and hard-worked, too many tiny details were left unattended and the results were far too casual. The leading roles were taken by Janine Pegley, Tanveer Ghani and Samantha David, but while the latter had the commanding personality she let it run away with her. In a smaller role, Guy Graham produced a credible characterisation of a down-at-heel waiter who was in reality a doctor fallen on hard times’ (The Stage, Thursday 1 April 1982).

The Stage, Thursday 4 May 1989, listed among productions for Wednesday 10 May ‘The Inca of Perusalem Bernard Shaw and Galway Bay by Matthew Brady. Production Village, Cricklewood Lane, NW2 to June 4. Management: Precious Productions. Cast includes: Nishant Suri’. Also listed in The Stage, Thursday 18 and 25 May 1989, for 10 May to 4 June.

‘Paul James is directing a George Bernard Shaw double bill, The Dark Lady of the Sonnets and The Inca of Perusalem, at the Prince Theatre, Prince of Orange, Greenwich High Road, SE10 until August 18’ (The Stage, 1 August 1996).

The dates shown are conjectural. ‘Ayot Productions, founded by Toni Kanal and Richard Dinghy Day, produced this year to commemorate the 50th year after Shaw’s death, two short plays, The Inca of Perusalem and Why She Would Not on the lawn at Shaw’s Corner. Those not well versed in Shaviana could be forgiven for not being familiar with either play, both being rather slender works, jeux d’esprit perhaps rather than high drama but admirably suited to whet the appetite of the picnickers on the lawn at Ayot with a good taste of Shavian wit. The Inca of Perusalem, written in the days of the First World War with hints of the privations in comfort then being endured and more than a sidelong glance at monarchial rule and a foretaste of the dilemma that is posed in The Apple Cart, had a very convincing Inca in Paul Sirr, an assertive Ermyntrude in Julia Taudevin and a timid Princess in Toni Kanal. The comic vein was well sustained and carried this “tomfoolery” across very entertainingly’. The Shavian, the Journal of the Shaw Society, vol.9 no.1, winter 2000.