The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-25
George Bernard Shaw's " Nan
and Superman a Sensation.
Uses Story OF Don Juan as Mo-
tive for Play.
WILL NOT SUCCEED.
Isn't the Kind That will Prove
Popular on Stage.
Compendium Of Authors Views
on Sex Question.

The Book that is attracting more at
tentior size east than any other
is Geol SO ss-lard Shaw's Man and
Superman,' recently published.
An eastern paper in commenting upon
It says:
Mr.. Shaw, whose arrival as one Of
the foremost of literary creators in
English is now generally acknowledged,
is too much of a propaganda to be a
greatly successful dramatist He was
challenged some years ago by his close
friend, Arthur Bingham Walkley. to
write Don Juan play. Mr.. Shaw and
Mr.. WalSley had often discussed the
prevailing tendency in modern play
writing to utilize the sex question as
the dominant motive in dramatic pro
auctions, and it is known that Mr.
Shaw has certain definite and pro
nounced views on that point There
FORE 1t is rot surprising that after the
long interval he has created his Don
Juan play in terms which are sllffi-
GENTLY characteristic to have enabled
the Shaw-reading public instantly to
recognize its authorship if he had elect
ed to present it anonymously. The
print Of the play now given to the pub
lie is unique in several respects. 1t
contains, first Of all, a long ''epistIe ded-
lcatory' from Mr.. Shaw to Mr. Walk
ley, explanatory of the doctrine he ad-
Vances in the drama and discussing the
state OF the English stage, morals and
PoilLcs with that peculiar singing
swing Of the lash which gives mis- work
its place at the head Of English satire
today. Then follows the play itself in
the course Of which is presented Mr..
ShaWs conception of the intellectual
Don Juan, the modern philosophic type
OF the original Spanish Hbertine This
John Tanner is a social revolutionist
VINO writes handbook for revolu-
tlonists, which figures in the play as a
factor against his reputation in high
" conservative circles. Mr., Shaw be-
ueves in producing the goods which are
mentioned in the drama, and, therefore,
TO prove that John Tanner did write
such a work he prints it as an appen-
dix, with the accompanying maxims.
InuS the volume is a compendium of
the authors diverting views on the sex
question By far the most interesting
feature of the play itself is John Tan
neTs dream, in which Don Juan himself
appears, with Ana de UIloa, her father
and the devil, and they engage in a dis
cusslon Of the relative merits of heaven
and hell.
Man and Superman'' is not a great
drama. It is too prolix and too devoid
of action ever to succeed on the boards.
1t is, however, a fine example of Mr.
ShaWs best work in the creation of
reading plays" and as a. satire It will
De CIlGlly welcomed ana most highly
enjoyed. That the author himself en-
tertains no great expectations of the
dramatic performance of his work is
shown in the following passage in the
dedicatory epistle to Mr.. WalIxley
I plank down my views of the ex-
listing relations Of men to women in the
most highly civilized society for what
# is worth It is a view like any other
view, and no more, neither true nor
false, but, I hope, a. way of looking at
the subject which throws into the IA
cient body Of fact and experience to
be interesting to you. if not to the play
going public Of London. I have certain
" shown little consideration for that
public in this enterprise; but I know
that 1t has the friendliest disposition
toward you and me as far as it has
any consciousness of our existence, and
you must pass at a cOnsiderab Bile height
over its simple romantic head. 1t will
take my books as read and my genius
for granted, trusting me to put forth
work of such quality as snail bear out
Its verdict. So we may disport ours
selves on our own plane to the top of
our bent; and if any gentleman points
out that neither this epistle dedicatory
nor the dream of Don Juan in the
third act of the ensuing comedy is suit
able for immediate production at q
popular theater, we need not contradict
him. Napoleon provided Talma with a
pit Of kings. with what effect on Tai
mas acting is not recorded. AS for
me- what I have always wanted is pit
of philosophers; and this is a play for
such a pit"
~, ss-.5