Finished: Major Barbara (Shaw). Another good George Bernard Shaw play! :-) I'm sure his plays are supposed to give a much deeper meaning than I take from them, but I just enjoy his quick, witty writing. I can so clearly visualize each of his characters as they rattle off their dialogue just like any other human beings talk to each other, talking over each other sometimes, interrupting, arguing, flirting, making passionate points, etc. In Major Barbara, Lady Britomart Undershaft and her ex-husband, Andrew Undershaft, have been apart since their three children were very small. Andrew Undershaft is a very wealthy owner of a munitions plant that supplies cannons, guns, and other war necessities to anyone who needs them, i.e., he doesn't care which side of a war he supplies as long as he's making money. To him, money and power are the answer to happiness, as the thought of poverty is detestable. In addition, Andrew was a foundling...an abandoned child. The tradition at the munitions company is that as each CEO comes to the age of stepping down, he appoints a new CEO but that person must have been a foundling. In other words....no CEO of the company can ever appoint one of his own children as his successor. It was this notion that caused Lady Britomart to divorce Andrew many years before...the notion that none of her children would inherit the company from their father. So, instead, she and the children have lived all these years on the money that Andrew paid out to them in settlement.

Flash forward to young adulthood for the children. Lady Britomart has now decided that it is imperative that Andrew Undershaft come and meet his grown children. Not because she wants them to get to know each other, but because the girls are both betrothed and her son, Stephen, is now 24 and ready to become a "man" helping the family. Lady Britomart doesn't have enough money to send her daughters off on their betrothals, as was done in those days...so she wants her ex-husband to come and meet his grown children and agree to supply each of the girls with a yearly income when they're married. She also wants him to explain to Stephen exactly how he can pass up his own son as the successor at his company. Stephen, however, upon hearing the whole story and realizing that his father's company has supplied military arms to the highest bidders all these years, wants nothing to do with his father or his company. Stephen and his mother, and his sisters, Sarah and Barbara, gather in their home to meet with their estranged father. Sarah is there with her intended, Charles Lomax, who she calls Cholly. And, Barbara is there with her intended, Adolphus Cusins, who she calls Dolly. The girls have grown up decently, and have seemingly found good husbands-to-be. Cholly is a bit of an airhead, but his intentions are good. Dolly is a Greek professor, but became smitten with Barbara when he saw her working at the Salvation Army, so he joined in with the ideals and working with the group so he could be near her. Barbara, known as Major Barbara, is dedicated to her job and devoted to bringing the poor people of the town to Christianity. She is patient and loving with even the meanest of brutes and manages to convert people over to God with her genuine ways.

When Andrew Undershaft arrives at his family gathering, he receives various shades of welcome. Major Barbara is completely aghast that his religion is not Christianity, or the Church of England, or anything but "making money". She makes him a deal that if he'll come down to the Salvation Army to see how things work there and how turning to God has helped so many people, that she'll, in turn, come and visit his munitions plant. Andrew does go and visit the Salvation Army and even offers to make a substantial donation, but Barbara refuses. She can't reconcile taking money made off the blood of warring human beings to support an organization that promotes God's peace and worship. Barbara's superior comes out at that moment and announces that they have received a donation of $5000 from another wealthy citizen on the condition that other wealthy town citizens contribute another $5000 to make the total $10,000. The only problem is....the wealthy town citizen is the local supplier of alcohol and owner of all the bars. Major Barbara again has a fit and declares they should not accept money from the local booze supplier when so many of the poverty stricken people they are trying to help come to them with alcohol problems. Her superior, however, overrules her and says that no matter where the money comes from, they can put it to good use. And besides...isn't it better to have $5000 in God's hands rather than the devil's hands if it stays in the hands of the wealthy alcohol supplier. Hearing all this....Andrew Undershaft insists that he make up the other $5000 and makes out his check then and there. Major Barbara, in disgust, removes her uniform and leaves the Salvation Army.

Later back at home, Barbara is disgusted by her father's actions, and surprised that slowly but surely everyone in the family, including the two brothers-in-law to be are starting to take a shine to her father. She stays true to her promise and the entire family visits the munitions plant the next day. They see that it's more than a plant, but an actual town where all the workers have homes and stores and services and doctors. They see a thriving community all made possible by the munitions company. Stephen become proud of his father, but realizes he still can't (and doesn't want to) run the company, however his father will help him figure out what he wants to do with his life. Adolphus steps forward and admits that he was a foundling (he actually stretches the truth a bit, but none of them care because they all want to keep the company and the town in the family, even Andrew.) So...it is decided that Dolly will become the successor to Andrew, and since he'll be marrying Barbara, the company will stay in the family. Barbara has an epiphany while she's there and realizes that just as many of these folks need to be brought to God as the poverty-stricken folks, so she sees a huge mission ahead for herself in this town.

Everything  basically ends happily, but there's so much more to the play than what I can write down...so many little offshoots and bits of dialogue not to be missed. Here are just a couple of the lines I liked.

Major Barbara and her father give each other directions to their respective work places for their planned visits:

Undershaft: Where is your shelter?
Barbara: In West Ham. At the sign of the cross. Ask anybody in Canning Town. Where are your works?
Undershaft: In Perivale St. Andrews. At the sign of the sword. Ask anybody in Europe.

hee hee, that just made me chuckle. Next, when Barbara is introducing her father to some of the people at the Salvation Army:

Barbara: Sorry, I'm sure. By the way, papa, what is your religion---in case I have to introduce you again?
Undershaft: My religion? Well, my dear, I am a Millionaire. That is my religion. 
Barbara: Then I'm afraid you and Mr. Shirley wont be able to comfort one another after all. You're not a Millionaire, are you, Peter?
Peter Shirley: No; and proud of it.
Undershaft: [gravely] Poverty, my friend, is not a thing to be proud of.
Peter Shirley: [angrily] Who made your millions for you? Me and my like. What's kep us poor? Keepin you rich. I wouldn't have your conscience, not for all your income.
Undershaft: I wouldn't have your income, not for all your conscience, Mr. Shirley.

Anyway....this is the third GB Shaw play I've read and I've really enjoyed them all. I would love to see one of the on the stage! For reading...I think I might go for Pygmalion next! :-)