Books with author George Shinn

The story of Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics who makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can successfully pass off a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, as a refined society lady by teaching her how to speak with an upper class accent and training her in etiquette. In the process, Higgins and Eliza grow close, but she ultimately rejects his domineering ways and declares she will marry Freddy Eynsford-Hill – a young, poor, gentleman.

In Caesar and Cleopatra, George Bernard Shaw uses his legendary wit to turn ancient history on its head – and to challenge Shakespeare’s view of his two famous protagonists. Political drama meets sparkling comedy as veteran strategist Julius Caesar becomes mentor to the enchanting teenage queen of Roman-occupied Egypt. From her first timid encounter with Caesar under a desert moon, Cleopatra grows in strength to become a determined player in the game of power politics – but has she really learned what Caesar wanted to teach her? In his inimitable style, Shaw turns this centuries-old story into a hilarious yet affecting critique of human nature that remains as pertinent today as when he wrote it – reminding readers once again why he is regarded as one of the English language’s greatest playwrights. Featuring Christopher Plummer and Nikki M. James, Caesar and Cleopatra was filmed live in High Definition capturing all the emotional intensity of the Festival’s celebrated production. One of the great pleasures of rehearsing Caesar & Cleopatra was discovering just how witty the play is. Bernard Shaw, however, serves up surprisingly paradoxical and complex portraits of two of the most renowned characters in history. His play at times seems like a domestic comedy, but it also explores questions of leadership that were important in his day, and in ours as well. In addition, he observes the still-continuing pattern of Western interference in the affairs of the Middle East.— From Des McAnuff’s introduction to Caesar & Cleopatra