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 English
actor, producer, director, dramatist, and Shakespearean scholar
Harley Granville-Barker was born on November 25, 1877, in London,
England. At the age of 14, he first became involved in the theatre
as an actor. In 1900, he joined the experimental Stage Society,
and by 1904, he had landed the job of manager of the Court Theatre
where he introduced the public to the plays of Henrik
Ibsen, Maurice Maeterlinck, and
George Bernard Shaw. He was especially
well-known for his productions of Shakespeare
which revolutionized the way the Bard's plays would be performed
in the theatre with their naturally spoken dialogue. Granville-Barker
also produced several of his own plays including The Voysey
Inheritance (1905), Prunella (1906), Waste
(1907), and The Madras House (1910).
The Voysey Inheritance, perhaps Granville-Barker's
most important play, tells the story of Edward Voysey, a solicitor
for a London law firm who discovers that his father, a lawyer
in the firm, has been pulling money from his clients' trust funds
in order to finance his extravagant lifestyle. Outraged, Edward
announces his intent to quit the firm and go to the police, but
his father calms him by promising to pay back the money he has
stolen. Edward's father then proceeds to die, leaving the entire
affair in his son's lap. The plot thickens when the father's
clients attempt to withdraw their capital. A captivating study
of turn-of-the-century morals, The Voysey Inheritance
is populated with brilliantly drawn, realistic characters reminiscent
of the plays of Granville-Barker's contemporary and friend, George
Bernard Shaw.
During World War I, Granville-Barker served in the Red Cross,
and after the war, he was elected President of the British Drama
League. Shortly thereafter, however, he relocated to Paris, and
in 1923 he began writing his famous Prefaces to Shakespeare
(1927-48). Previously, most Shakespearean analysis had been from
the viewpoint of the critic. Granville-Barker took a different
approach. He looked at the plays from the practical perspective
of the producer, and his writings would become a cornerstone
of Shakespearean criticism. During this period, he also collaborated
with his second wife on translations of several Spanish plays.
In 1940, Granville-Barker and his family fled to Spain. From
there, they travelled to the United States where he worked for
British Information Services and lectured at Harvard University.
He returned to Paris in 1946 and died there later that same year,
on August 31. Although often overlooked during his lifetime,
Granville-Barker's plays have come to be recognized as masterpieces
of early 20th century drama.
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