George Bernard Shaw You Never Can Tell

(4.8 stars; 6 reviews)

Saturday-Night Theatre You Never Can Tell Sat 31st Jul 1971, 20:30 on BBC Radio 4 FM A Comedy by Bernard Shaw   Producer: Betty Davies Dolly Clandon: Jo Manning Wilson Valentine: Denys Hawthorne   Philip Clandon: Nigel Anthony Mrs Clandon: Betty Baskcomb Gloria Clandon: Prunella Scales Fergus Crampton: Godfrey Kenton FinchMcComas: Lockwood West The Waiter: Freddie Jones Walter Bohun: Michael Kilgarriff Parlour Maid: Jane Knowles Originally born out of a bet that Shaw couldn't write a "seaside comedy" (a popular theatrical genre at that time). The result is perhaps the most surprising of Shaw's plays, complete with marital mayhem, tangled romance, and even doubtful dentistry. Despite the play's lighthearted tone, it's really another of Shaw's brilliantly observed social treatises, this time in the guise of a light comedy.  [goodreads] Artistic Significance: Considered the second greatest English language playwright after Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw was equally as prolific, writing 29 plays and countless books, essays, articles and reviews in his lifetime. GBS published You Never Can Tell in 1898 as one of his “Plays Pleasant,” the first work he specifically wrote for a commercial audience. While the plot of the play takes its base from commedia del’arte, Shaw’s signature social statements shine through with pointed comments on class, feminism, familial relationships, and the nature of love. Long considered one of Shaw’s neglected plays, You Never Can Tell is a frothy romantic comedy with surprising depth.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.