Major Barbara

As we watch our two major presidential candidates cast themselves as good Christians supporting the slaughter in Iraq, who better to turn to than Bernard Shaw for some clarifying discussion on the dialectics of war and the teachings of Jesus.

Simon Russell Beale as Andrew Undershaft and Hayley Atwell as Barbara Undershaft Photo: Catherine Ashmore

Shaw's story revolves around a family whose estranged father is an armaments manufacturer and whose eldest daughter is a major in the Salvation Army. In choosing such an entertaining and potentially explosive story line (pun intended), Shaw showcases one of the talents we admire most in him: his ability to forcefully explore difficult questions from all sides and invest the audience in each position.

Clare Higgins as Lady Britomart Undershaft Photo: Catherine Ashmore

What's more, in director Nicholas Hytner's pitch perfect (we loved the Salvation Army band), period authentic (Tom Pye's armament factory, reconstructed from a WWI era photograph, is dazzling, and the drawing room is a treat) production, we see it as Shaw imagined it, and are left to judge the debate as we choose.

John Heffernan as Stephen Undershaft and Simon Russell Beale as Andrew Undershaft Photo: Catherine Ashmore

The key ingredient in helping the audience check its prejudices at the door and take each persuasive turn to heart is Simon Russell Beale, as the weapons magnate, Andrew Undershaft. Beale plays resolute, likeable, and engaging, in other words, irrepressible. Why do we like this guy? He profits from making bombs!

Shaw once said, "Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it," and in Barbara Undershaft (Hayley Atwell) the master gives us a taste of some of the qualities he admired in Jesus but found lacking in most Christians. Atwell wears Barbara's spirituality comfortably, showing her as energetic and focused on saving souls as her father is on making money. It's no wonder her father is thoroughly taken with her.

Excellent supporting work all around—as always, the Shavian character mix is delightfully eccentric—makes this a must see. The National Theatre's production of Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara runs through July 3rd. 011-44-020-7452-3000.

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