Arts Theatre, London

Thirty-one performances according to Mander and Mitchenson (p.300) who list the cast (p.335): Babsy, Rachel Gurney; Lottie, Joy Hodgkinson; Hannah, Gabriel Ashcroft; Jessie, Dorothy Reynolds; Emma, Peggie Dear; Elder Daniels, Maurice Denham; Blanco Posnet, John Slater; Strapper Kemp, Alan MacNaughtan; Feemy Evans, Brenda Bruce; Sherriff Kemp, David Bird; Foreman of Jury, Gerald Harper; Nestor, a Juryman, Nicholas Meredith; The Woman, Vivienne Bennett; Waggoner Jo, Stuart Burge. ‘Four programmes covering 18 short plays by Bernard Shaw will be given at the Arts during the period from the end of April until the end of July ... The second programme, from [Wednesday] May 16 for three weeks and from [Tuesday] June 12 for one week, will include The Inca of Perusalem, The Fascinating Foundling, Press Cuttings, and The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet' (The Stage, 29 March 1951). ‘The second batch of 18 short plays by Shaw in the Arts Theatre’s Festival season begins tamely with two of the old master’s “tomfooleries.” Then the programme takes a sudden sweep upwards into “The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet.” This strange and searching Wild West drama concerns an outlaw who escapes both a hanging and a lynching. In the process he is disconcerted to discover that he possesses an immortal soul, and is appalled to find a sneaking belief in the heart of his own blasphemies. It is exceedingly well staged on this occasion, and John Slater, Vivienne Bennett and Brenda Bruce very effectively convey that peculiar blend of wit and poignancy which makes this play quite unique in Shaw’s output’ (Daily News (London), 17 May 1951). ‘Theatre first-nighters in London are just coming up for air after one of the most intensive spells of producing activity that the Capital has ever known. Most of the big Festival productions recently mentioned in this column have been revivals. Yet another offering in this category is a new series of Shaw playlets at the Arts. Three of the four are not unamusing, but “The Showing up of Blanco Posnet,” Shaw’s only Wild West drama, cuts deeper’ (Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, 21 May 1951). ‘I thought the second instalment of Shaw’s short plays at the Arts Theatre much more popular than the first. How tame “The Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet” seems now compared with the storm it caused when produced because of the unfamiliar way in which Shaw made the horse thief discuss the “tricks” of the Almighty. The Church was shocked by his references to the “cunning” one who will get you in the end’ (Western Mail, 21 May 1951). 'In “The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet” we have Shaw in the throes of good old melodrama. But there is a difference, of course. Shaw thinks, while telling a tale of hate and lust and unreason against a background of Wild West crudity. He flavours it with his belief in divine goodness. “I believe” is his theme: I believe in the force of truth, the power of goodness to heal, the importance of prayer, the ultimate redemption of mankind. This, in miniature, and within the frame of melodrama, is the Shaw some of us are apt to ignore. It is produced by Stephen Murray, who makes the best of the living parts and puts some sort of life into certain dull patches' (The Stage, 24 May 1951). … In “The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet” we have Shaw in the throes of good old melodrama. But there is a difference, of course. Shaw thinks, while telling a tale of hate and lust and unreason against a background of Wild West crudity. He flavours it with his belief in divine goodness. “I believe” is his theme: I believe in the force of truth, the power of goodness to heal, the importance of prayer, the ultimate redemption of mankind. This, in miniature, and within the frame of melodrama, is the Shaw some of us are apt to ignore. It is produced by Stephen Murray, who makes the best of the living parts and puts some sort of life into certain dull patches, and is played with spirit and clarity by, among others, Maurice Denham, John Slater, Alan Macnaughtan, Brenda Bruce, David Bird, Gerald Harper and Vivienne Bennett’. The Stage, 24 May 1951. ‘Of all the short-run theatres the Arts continued to offer the best value for money - Shaw’s “Blanco Posnet” was one of the outstanding productions of the year’ (West London Observer, 28 December 1951).

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).

Performed as part of a festival of eighteen short plays by Shaw running for three months from 25 April. Performed alongside 'Augustus Does His Bit', 'Village Wooing', 'The Glimpse of Reality' and 'Overruled'. Cast: Rachel Gurney (Annajanska), David Bird (General Strammfest), Gerald Harper (Schneidekind) and not named (first soldier); also John Fernald (producer) and Fanny Taylor (designer). 'Annajanska. the Bolshevik Empress, is an example of Shaw’s infatuation with paradox. It is politically unimportant and dramatically ineffective. Some of the dialogue is really dreadful’ (West London Observer, 29 June 1951)