1 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:12,340 JAMES GRASBY: Welcome to the National Trust podcast. 2 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,059 I'm James Grasby and I'm a curator with the National Trust 3 00:00:18,069 --> 00:00:20,860 with a portfolio of houses in Herefordshire and 4 00:00:20,870 --> 00:00:23,569 Worcestershire. And the Daily life of a curator is looking 5 00:00:23,579 --> 00:00:26,829 after things as diverse as library ladders and portraits. 6 00:00:26,969 --> 00:00:30,110 These places are knowledgeable witnesses if you like to things 7 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:31,930 that have been seen and heard by them. 8 00:00:32,029 --> 00:00:34,950 And in this group of podcasts, we'll be delving into the 9 00:00:34,959 --> 00:00:38,259 stories, plays, books and characters that make each of 10 00:00:38,270 --> 00:00:39,740 these places so special. 11 00:00:40,340 --> 00:00:43,740 So join me on this journey and immerse yourself in the wonders 12 00:00:43,750 --> 00:00:44,919 of the National Trust. 13 00:00:51,509 --> 00:00:54,209 I'm headed towards the home of one of the most famous, most 14 00:00:54,220 --> 00:00:58,240 photographed and most quoted men in the world. A man who's hard 15 00:00:58,250 --> 00:01:02,180 to categorize a politician, a philosopher and most notably, a 16 00:01:02,189 --> 00:01:05,169 playwright ranked second only to Shakespeare. 17 00:01:05,180 --> 00:01:08,120 There's even an expression'Shavian' to describe 18 00:01:08,129 --> 00:01:12,379 Shaw's attitude to so many things. Socialism, feminism, 19 00:01:12,389 --> 00:01:16,360 pacifism, intellectual life, the value of culture, which is a 20 00:01:16,370 --> 00:01:19,720 real indicator and index of his contribution. 21 00:01:22,790 --> 00:01:26,510 And here set in the tranquil greenery of Hertfordshire sits 22 00:01:26,519 --> 00:01:29,970 the old rectory where he spent the last 40 years of his life. 23 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,610 In this episode, we'll be exploring this beautiful arts 24 00:01:33,620 --> 00:01:35,940 and crafts home and learning about the man and his 25 00:01:35,949 --> 00:01:39,660 masterpieces through the spaces, books and objects that he 26 00:01:39,669 --> 00:01:40,860 surrounded himself with. 27 00:01:48,690 --> 00:01:51,849 Walking down this lane towards Shaw's Corner. I'm not at all 28 00:01:51,860 --> 00:01:55,279 surprised that the Shaws chose this place as their escape from 29 00:01:55,290 --> 00:01:58,650 London. It is tranquil and beautiful. I mean, it's a 30 00:01:58,660 --> 00:02:02,300 particularly sunny morning and already the holly berries have 31 00:02:02,309 --> 00:02:07,319 turned red and gorgeous. It's a sensational place with a wrought 32 00:02:07,449 --> 00:02:11,570 iron gate with the word Shaw's Corner in large letters. 33 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,990 Before moving here, Shaw was living a busy life in London. 34 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,550 He'd established himself as one of the most celebrated writers 35 00:02:19,669 --> 00:02:22,169 and he was an active Fabian politician. 36 00:02:22,169 --> 00:02:25,509 To get a sense of his life before moving here, here's Fiona 37 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,660 Hall, the visitor experience manager at Shaw's Corner 38 00:02:28,860 --> 00:02:32,070 together with Michael friend, a theatre producer who works with 39 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,130 the trust to give a quick rundown of Shaw's life before 40 00:02:35,139 --> 00:02:36,059 Shaw's Corner. 41 00:02:38,029 --> 00:02:40,300 FIONA HALL: George Bernard Shaw is a playwright. He's a very 42 00:02:40,309 --> 00:02:44,589 famous playwright at the start of the 20th century. He was born 43 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,529 in the 19th century, but he's most well known for his plays in 44 00:02:48,539 --> 00:02:49,770 between the war years. 45 00:02:49,869 --> 00:02:53,210 MICHAEL FRIEND: He'd been living in Dublin, come over from 46 00:02:53,220 --> 00:02:59,660 Ireland when he was 20 and struggled to make a living. 47 00:02:59,990 --> 00:03:03,770 He knew he wanted to write and then he started being offered 48 00:03:04,250 --> 00:03:07,399 things "like come and write a music criticism for a small 49 00:03:07,410 --> 00:03:08,199 magazine." 50 00:03:08,199 --> 00:03:11,580 And it grew from that. He then because of his interest in 51 00:03:11,589 --> 00:03:15,669 theatre and what theatre could tell you about society. He 52 00:03:15,679 --> 00:03:20,479 decided plays were going to be his scene. [Sound of theatrical 53 00:03:20,479 --> 00:03:21,649 performance] 54 00:03:21,649 --> 00:03:24,869 FIONA HALL: And his plays have a- have an interesting kind of 55 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:30,309 historical socialist, political background to them. So he was 56 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,119 often trying to make a larger point with his plays. 57 00:03:34,050 --> 00:03:36,539 MICHAEL FRIEND: I think the breakthrough came when he had a 58 00:03:36,550 --> 00:03:40,009 play which was on, put on in London and the king came to see 59 00:03:40,020 --> 00:03:40,699 it. 60 00:03:40,699 --> 00:03:44,570 And the king enjoyed it so much and of course, that once people 61 00:03:44,580 --> 00:03:47,350 heard all about that, they started, you know, coming to 62 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:52,029 Shaw's plays. He really became a mega personality. 63 00:03:52,559 --> 00:03:56,139 FIONA HALL: He's kind of like the Stephen fry of his day. So 64 00:03:56,149 --> 00:03:59,639 he was a person that was commenting on lots of things. If 65 00:03:59,649 --> 00:04:01,899 he'd had Twitter in his day, he probably would have been 66 00:04:01,910 --> 00:04:05,979 tweeting. He was often on the radio. He did quite a lot of 67 00:04:05,990 --> 00:04:06,970 world tours. 68 00:04:07,169 --> 00:04:09,759 MICHAEL FRIEND: He lived into his nineties and never stopped 69 00:04:09,770 --> 00:04:13,309 writing. But of course, the plays were only one aspect. 70 00:04:13,389 --> 00:04:15,690 FIONA HALL: He was hugely influential in quite a number of 71 00:04:15,699 --> 00:04:19,500 ways people would hear him speaking about things of the day 72 00:04:19,748 --> 00:04:23,598 making challenging, provocative comments about things. 73 00:04:23,609 --> 00:04:27,459 MICHAEL FRIEND: He was- once he became famous, looked upon as 74 00:04:27,549 --> 00:04:32,428 the expert on anything. So he really was a colossus. 75 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,579 JAMES GRASBY: I'm walking up the gravel drive towards the house 76 00:04:46,589 --> 00:04:51,200 under a canopy of copper Beech and Yew and here is a really 77 00:04:51,209 --> 00:04:56,459 very pretty brick built arts and crafts house, quite a modest 78 00:04:56,470 --> 00:05:00,489 affair really, two stories and with a magnificent climbing 79 00:05:00,500 --> 00:05:02,220 Hydrangea on this elevation. 80 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:07,359 It's the house of a man who wrote what 60 plus plays, 81 00:05:07,359 --> 00:05:12,859 250,000 letters or something originated a lot of them within 82 00:05:12,869 --> 00:05:14,910 this place. 83 00:05:14,910 --> 00:05:17,730 Before I visited actually, I went on to the National Trust 84 00:05:17,739 --> 00:05:21,329 website and saw a very interesting bit of film from 85 00:05:21,339 --> 00:05:25,790 1946 I think, black and white film, Pathé newsreel, of Shaw 86 00:05:25,799 --> 00:05:29,459 here and seeing this place again, I feel the ghost of him. 87 00:05:29,940 --> 00:05:31,369 I can, I can see him here. 88 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,410 Hello, welcome. How do you do? I'm James Grasby. 89 00:05:40,790 --> 00:05:42,799 SUE MORGAN: Hello, I'm Sue Morgan House manager here. 90 00:05:42,799 --> 00:05:44,839 JAMES GRASBY: Sue, I'm very pleased to meet you. 91 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:50,750 SUE MORGAN: Would you like a cup of tea? 92 00:05:50,750 --> 00:05:52,850 JAMES GRASBY: We've walked into the kitchen which is a little 93 00:05:52,859 --> 00:05:56,850 bit of time travel. A two colour scheme, a cream and a sort of 94 00:05:56,859 --> 00:06:01,899 warm earthy brown with a fire going, a coal burning grate with 95 00:06:01,910 --> 00:06:04,829 a great big oven and a water boiler and some hot plates on 96 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:05,459 top. 97 00:06:05,459 --> 00:06:08,130 Was George Bernard Shaw hands on with a pan? 98 00:06:08,730 --> 00:06:11,250 SUE MORGAN: First of all, i'll stop you with the George Ok? 99 00:06:11,260 --> 00:06:13,570 Because he didn't call himself George Bernard Shaw, he called 100 00:06:13,579 --> 00:06:16,910 himself Bernard Shaw. So you'll see in his signature, the G is 101 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,549 dropped. But here when they moved into Shaw's Corner, they 102 00:06:20,559 --> 00:06:24,089 had a housekeeper, a couple, a housekeeper, her husband who was 103 00:06:24,100 --> 00:06:27,100 like gardener and then driver handyman and things. 104 00:06:27,559 --> 00:06:30,429 Mr and Mrs Hicks. Obviously, this is a kitchen where his 105 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,480 vegetarian food would have been prepped. 106 00:06:33,649 --> 00:06:34,145 JAMES GRASBY: He was a vegetarian? 107 00:06:34,145 --> 00:06:36,839 SUE MORGAN: He was indeed a very early vegetarian. He felt as 108 00:06:36,850 --> 00:06:41,160 though the energy from eating live food from the garden was 109 00:06:41,170 --> 00:06:45,549 much more nourishing than eating dead corpses. His words. 110 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:50,010 JAMES GRASBY: So why did Shaw choose this house, this village 111 00:06:50,019 --> 00:06:50,820 in particular? 112 00:06:51,679 --> 00:06:54,450 SUE MORGAN: Well, he'd been living in Hertfordshire, renting 113 00:06:54,459 --> 00:06:57,850 another house and found this area particularly convenient for 114 00:06:57,859 --> 00:07:00,869 getting in and out of London because of course, he still kept 115 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:05,279 a flat in the theatre land in London. And why this house? 116 00:07:05,290 --> 00:07:09,529 Well, it really amused him that him, the renowned atheist was 117 00:07:09,540 --> 00:07:11,660 going to move into the rectory. 118 00:07:11,790 --> 00:07:15,320 So neither of them were very, you know, enamoured of the 119 00:07:15,329 --> 00:07:19,209 house, but that's not what they were looking for. They were 120 00:07:19,220 --> 00:07:22,250 looking for just somewhere where they could have tranquillity for 121 00:07:22,260 --> 00:07:31,459 him to write and just generally get on with their lives really. 122 00:07:31,459 --> 00:07:34,209 As you come in, perhaps you didn't see this wonderful piece 123 00:07:34,220 --> 00:07:35,890 of William Morris fabric. 124 00:07:35,899 --> 00:07:39,809 William Morris, who was the writer, craftsman, developer of 125 00:07:39,820 --> 00:07:42,899 all the beautiful designs that many of us, you know, still 126 00:07:42,910 --> 00:07:47,510 surround ourselves with. Shaw said that it was through William 127 00:07:47,519 --> 00:07:52,440 Morris that he got started. So he'd been writing novels but 128 00:07:52,450 --> 00:07:53,480 they hadn't been published. 129 00:07:53,489 --> 00:07:57,369 But he managed to get one, called an unsocial socialist 130 00:07:57,380 --> 00:08:01,070 published in serial form. And William Morris read it and got 131 00:08:01,079 --> 00:08:04,440 in touch with him and invited him to join in the Hammersmith 132 00:08:04,450 --> 00:08:07,279 Socialist League and the Pre Raphaelites, the arts and crafts 133 00:08:07,290 --> 00:08:09,420 movement that was meeting there. 134 00:08:09,420 --> 00:08:12,799 So Shaw immediately is launched into this amazing group of 135 00:08:12,809 --> 00:08:15,609 writers, artists, crafts people. 136 00:08:15,839 --> 00:08:19,920 So this curtain here really symbolizes for Shaw, you know, 137 00:08:19,929 --> 00:08:28,100 his start with William Morris. 138 00:08:28,100 --> 00:08:30,910 And the piano was designed by Walter Cave who is Secretary of 139 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:32,880 the Arts And Crafts Workers Union. 140 00:08:32,929 --> 00:08:36,400 And Shaw was self taught on the piano was a real source of 141 00:08:36,409 --> 00:08:39,710 nourishment throughout his life. And several visitors would 142 00:08:39,719 --> 00:08:42,309 comment on the fact that he would, you know, sing the ring 143 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:46,559 cycle from one end to the other singing all the parts playing 144 00:08:46,570 --> 00:08:50,039 along and you know what a merry sort of house it was, full of 145 00:08:50,049 --> 00:08:50,820 music. 146 00:08:58,450 --> 00:09:00,150 So this is the dining room. 147 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,690 JAMES GRASBY: It's not grand, it's very simple. An oak table 148 00:09:03,700 --> 00:09:07,890 and four very straightforward chairs, a radio, a gramophone, a 149 00:09:07,900 --> 00:09:13,250 little sofa, a few pictures, but it was an absolute hothouse for 150 00:09:13,260 --> 00:09:15,419 fun and frivolity and discussion. 151 00:09:19,140 --> 00:09:22,530 SUE MORGAN: Yes, ideas, concepts, plans projects. 152 00:09:24,239 --> 00:09:28,130 So it's easy to imagine here, Lawrence Of Arabia sitting at 153 00:09:28,140 --> 00:09:31,309 the table and Apsley Cherry-Garrard who went to the 154 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,679 pole with Scott sitting around talking about artic exploration, 155 00:09:35,690 --> 00:09:38,140 you know, so many different things. But you can imagine the 156 00:09:38,150 --> 00:09:40,640 kind of atmosphere that there was in this room. 157 00:09:42,380 --> 00:09:45,369 You can see that we've got some very interesting characters on 158 00:09:45,380 --> 00:09:48,719 the mantelpiece, Gandhi there at the beginning who sets a good 159 00:09:48,729 --> 00:09:52,359 tone because of course he was like peaceful resistance. The 160 00:09:52,369 --> 00:09:54,979 next is Tuschinski, one of the earliest revolutionaries who 161 00:09:54,989 --> 00:09:58,500 ends up with a very unsavoury job as chief of police in the 162 00:09:58,510 --> 00:10:01,979 Soviet Union. Lenin and then Stalin. 163 00:10:01,979 --> 00:10:05,869 Shaw truly believed in socialism as the way to make the world a 164 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:09,000 better place as did many of the intellectual elite at the time. 165 00:10:09,429 --> 00:10:12,640 On the right is his birthplace in Sing Street in Dublin. 166 00:10:12,869 --> 00:10:15,440 And you'll recognize with whiskers on the right is Will 167 00:10:15,450 --> 00:10:19,760 Gibson. Shaw championed Gibson's work because he was the first 168 00:10:19,770 --> 00:10:24,010 writer who put the personal on the stage and the whole issue of 169 00:10:24,020 --> 00:10:25,890 the new women and women's rights. 170 00:10:26,119 --> 00:10:28,840 That Shaw was, that's what he was writing about in Pygma- 171 00:10:28,950 --> 00:10:32,090 Well, in all his plays, but Pygmalion perhaps the most well 172 00:10:32,099 --> 00:10:36,349 known. 173 00:10:36,349 --> 00:10:41,140 Pygmalion was about the flower girl who was selling flowers 174 00:10:41,150 --> 00:10:42,739 outside Covent Garden. 175 00:10:42,750 --> 00:10:47,830 She was there when the opera turned out and the very rich 176 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,989 Gentry were waiting for taxis to go home. 177 00:10:50,989 --> 00:10:55,429 When the professor of phonetics, Higgins, overhears her and 178 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,789 thinks her accent wonderful and makes his notes about it and 179 00:10:59,799 --> 00:11:02,549 then realizes that there's another phonetics expert 180 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,830 standing right next to him and they have the bet that they will 181 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,960 pass her off as a duchess. 182 00:11:08,630 --> 00:11:12,919 Yeah, within six months, it's absolutely hilarious. 183 00:11:15,500 --> 00:11:18,760 He wrote that play here after Shaw had died, that was made 184 00:11:18,770 --> 00:11:22,270 into the musical My Fair Lady, which still is still performed 185 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:23,320 all over the world today. 186 00:11:24,169 --> 00:11:28,650 And in this box over here, if you would like to put some 187 00:11:28,659 --> 00:11:31,299 gloves on, you can unwrap this for us. 188 00:11:31,539 --> 00:11:35,500 JAMES GRASBY: My goodness. An Oscar! 189 00:11:35,500 --> 00:11:39,090 SUE MORGAN: For writing screenplay of Pygmalion 190 00:11:40,390 --> 00:11:43,489 JAMES GRASBY: And it looks quite worn as if it was... [Laughter] 191 00:11:43,489 --> 00:11:46,760 SUE MORGAN: Well, he used it as a doorstop! Of course, Shaw had 192 00:11:46,770 --> 00:11:49,559 little time for such nonsense. Yes. Yes. 193 00:11:51,229 --> 00:11:53,809 Let's go upstairs and have a look at his bedroom. 194 00:11:56,530 --> 00:12:00,349 JAMES GRASBY: Ok. What we have here is Shaw's bedroom and 195 00:12:00,359 --> 00:12:03,630 here's Charlotte's bedroom next door. I mean, that does say 196 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,950 something about their married life and their relationship. 197 00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:10,219 SUE MORGAN: Certainly suggested that the marriage wasn't 198 00:12:10,229 --> 00:12:14,210 consummated. It was more about work and about the joining 199 00:12:14,219 --> 00:12:17,859 together of two energies to create something really big and 200 00:12:17,869 --> 00:12:19,270 important that would change the world. 201 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:23,340 JAMES GRASBY: Where Charlotte was a suffragist, a great 202 00:12:23,349 --> 00:12:27,299 benefactor and supporter of the arts and was a very talented and 203 00:12:27,309 --> 00:12:29,900 busy and gifted woman in her, in her own right. 204 00:12:30,469 --> 00:12:32,739 SUE MORGAN: Yes, absolutely she was. 205 00:12:32,739 --> 00:12:35,390 The Shaw library at London School Of Economics, for 206 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:37,690 example, a Charlotte Shaw's library. It's not Bernard 207 00:12:37,750 --> 00:12:40,960 Shaw's. So we can see her influence all over the place. 208 00:12:40,969 --> 00:12:45,109 But yes, she very much was the gatekeeper in a sense while she 209 00:12:45,119 --> 00:12:48,500 was here to keep people away from Shaw, looking at who was 210 00:12:48,510 --> 00:12:49,710 getting close to him. 211 00:12:49,719 --> 00:12:53,479 And then she also looked at writing out and typing up some 212 00:12:53,489 --> 00:12:56,330 of his scripts, helping with his office work and things like 213 00:12:56,359 --> 00:13:00,250 that. But they spoke a lot, you know, they were very close. You 214 00:13:00,260 --> 00:13:01,559 can see that. 215 00:13:03,710 --> 00:13:07,280 Ok so we're now in the store room and here we've got this 216 00:13:07,289 --> 00:13:11,710 wonderful birthday book which contains handwrit messages to 217 00:13:11,719 --> 00:13:15,520 Shaw. I'm looking for Einstein. He's in here somewhere. 218 00:13:16,820 --> 00:13:19,349 JAMES GRASBY: It's an inch and a half thick with letters from 219 00:13:19,359 --> 00:13:22,479 some of the great, I mean, some of the truly great people, not 220 00:13:22,489 --> 00:13:26,659 only of the era but of- but of the modern period really. I 221 00:13:26,669 --> 00:13:29,539 mean, culminating with one from Albert Einstein! 222 00:13:29,549 --> 00:13:31,580 SUE MORGAN: He had a huge influence. 223 00:13:34,630 --> 00:13:36,400 JAMES GRASBY: You've opened up a beautiful, I think it's a 224 00:13:36,409 --> 00:13:39,909 Solander Box and there we have it a sort of false calf sized 225 00:13:39,919 --> 00:13:44,700 leather bound book with the initials B. S. in the front, 226 00:13:44,710 --> 00:13:49,280 beautifully tooled blue leather with gold on it. My goodness, 227 00:13:49,289 --> 00:13:55,080 you've opened it George Bernard Shaw 1925. There it is, the 228 00:13:55,090 --> 00:13:57,010 Nobel Prize for Literature. 229 00:13:57,150 --> 00:14:00,590 SUE MORGAN: This was for his huge body of work. It says in 230 00:14:00,599 --> 00:14:04,659 there that it has great humanity, but also it's infused 231 00:14:04,669 --> 00:14:06,289 throughout with great poetic beauty. 232 00:14:12,789 --> 00:14:15,500 JAMES GRASBY: Oh, what a wonderful tour of the house. And 233 00:14:15,510 --> 00:14:20,190 we've come out through a sort of back door from the kitchen onto 234 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:20,780 a lawn. 235 00:14:23,359 --> 00:14:26,530 SUE MORGAN: Shaw wanted to his house to be left as a living 236 00:14:26,539 --> 00:14:29,820 shrine. And one of the ways we do that is through having 237 00:14:29,830 --> 00:14:31,119 outdoor theatre here. 238 00:14:32,830 --> 00:14:35,609 So in the background, you can hear the actors prepping to give 239 00:14:35,619 --> 00:14:36,653 their performance. [ 240 00:14:36,653 --> 00:14:37,950 GENERIC: Sound of Rehearsal] Right down to the keep If you 241 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,289 like! That will be a declaration of independence with a 242 00:14:40,299 --> 00:14:40,820 vengeance! 243 00:14:41,140 --> 00:14:44,099 JONAS CEMM: I'm Jonas, Jonas Cemm. I perform at Shaw's Corner 244 00:14:44,229 --> 00:14:45,782 every year for the past 10 years. [ 245 00:14:45,782 --> 00:14:48,190 GENERIC: Sound of Rehearsal] You stand in my father's place. By 246 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,880 his own wish. Nobody could say a word against our traveling 247 00:14:51,890 --> 00:14:52,500 together. 248 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,000 LAINEY SHAW: Hi, I'm Lainey Shaw. I'm an actor. 249 00:14:55,469 --> 00:14:58,380 JAMES GRASBY: How lovely to have two actors here performing at 250 00:14:58,390 --> 00:15:00,909 Shaw's Corner. The place where he wrote a lot of these words. 251 00:15:00,919 --> 00:15:02,630 What's it, what does it feel like for you? 252 00:15:02,820 --> 00:15:05,650 LAINEY SHAW: It's lovely. It's really, it's such a beautiful 253 00:15:05,659 --> 00:15:09,770 place and to read his words and to- to know that this is where 254 00:15:09,780 --> 00:15:10,969 he created them coming. 255 00:15:10,979 --> 00:15:13,539 JONAS CEMM: On stage through the porch here onto the terrace when 256 00:15:13,549 --> 00:15:17,400 you're performing in a play is always quite daunting because 257 00:15:17,700 --> 00:15:20,309 Gandhi and all manner of people have walked through that door 258 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:20,520 there. 259 00:15:20,530 --> 00:15:22,400 So you're following the footsteps of giants and then 260 00:15:22,409 --> 00:15:24,969 you're coming on to perform the lines that he wrote upstairs or 261 00:15:24,979 --> 00:15:28,229 in there and you often feel like his spirit might be watching it. 262 00:15:28,239 --> 00:15:30,559 So you really feel the pressure to have a good performance when 263 00:15:30,570 --> 00:15:31,619 you're performing at Shaw's Corner. 264 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:33,770 JAMES GRASBY: It's a big responsibility you have as an 265 00:15:33,780 --> 00:15:37,030 actor in getting into the character. How do you go about 266 00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:39,669 doing that with Shaw? What's peculiar to Shaw's characters 267 00:15:39,679 --> 00:15:40,179 that you found? 268 00:15:40,210 --> 00:15:42,914 LAINEY SHAW: Oh, they're so varied and, and I think that's 269 00:15:42,914 --> 00:15:45,799 what's wonderful. Also, Shaw often will give you a massive 270 00:15:45,809 --> 00:15:48,002 description of physical description- 271 00:15:48,002 --> 00:15:48,549 JAMES GRASBY: Really? 272 00:15:49,250 --> 00:15:50,289 LAINEY SHAW: And yeah- 273 00:15:50,299 --> 00:15:53,200 JONAS CEMM: Stage directions are something to be seen. 274 00:15:53,950 --> 00:15:56,039 LAINEY SHAW: Pages and pages of description. 275 00:15:56,559 --> 00:15:59,150 JONAS CEMM: The audience are very receptive every year I've 276 00:15:59,159 --> 00:16:01,719 been doing it here and they, they love it more and more even 277 00:16:01,729 --> 00:16:04,500 the obscure ones that they've never heard of because he's 278 00:16:04,510 --> 00:16:07,830 always relevant. We did The Millionairess a good few years 279 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:09,500 ago, right in the middle of the banking crisis. 280 00:16:09,750 --> 00:16:13,969 And one of the lines that opened Act Two, never put your money in 281 00:16:13,979 --> 00:16:17,090 a bank to which the audience laughed for about five minutes. 282 00:16:17,099 --> 00:16:20,049 We had to really wait for them to calm down and that have every 283 00:16:20,059 --> 00:16:22,940 time in a short place, something can be picked at that's relevant 284 00:16:22,950 --> 00:16:23,500 to today. 285 00:16:30,250 --> 00:16:34,270 SUE MORGAN: Ok. Let's walk down to the writing hut then. 286 00:16:34,270 --> 00:16:38,590 This was a space where he'd come to every morning to work every 287 00:16:38,599 --> 00:16:40,159 morning that he was here that is. 288 00:16:40,159 --> 00:16:43,690 Sometimes they'd call it London. So if people came to the house 289 00:16:43,700 --> 00:16:46,190 to talk to him, they could say he was in London. 290 00:16:47,799 --> 00:16:52,229 JAMES GRASBY: Oh, my word. Look at that. Look at that. Very 291 00:16:52,239 --> 00:16:55,929 simple. I mean, it's basically a little potting shed. I mean, it 292 00:16:55,940 --> 00:16:59,869 can only be about 6 ft square painted black with two little 293 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:01,520 windows in the front and a glazed door. 294 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:05,150 And inside I can see the most magnificent typewriter. 295 00:17:05,329 --> 00:17:08,510 SUE MORGAN: So it does look very simple, doesn't it? But it's got 296 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:11,790 a bit of a secret. Perhaps you'd like to push at the end. 297 00:17:12,569 --> 00:17:13,290 JAMES GRASBY: Are you serious? 298 00:17:13,300 --> 00:17:15,310 SUE MORGAN: Oh, I'm serious. Push hard. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 299 00:17:15,689 --> 00:17:20,020 JAMES GRASBY: Oh! It's turning! A pivoted writing hut! 300 00:17:20,380 --> 00:17:23,329 Look at that! So you could line up with the, with the sunshine. 301 00:17:24,550 --> 00:17:28,800 I need one of these! I must have one of these! It's a garden 302 00:17:28,810 --> 00:17:35,150 shed, spinning on a little turntable. That is just 303 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:36,630 wonderful. Genius! 304 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,199 I can imagine him secreting himself away. And this is where 305 00:17:40,209 --> 00:17:43,150 most of his creative work was done when he was here. 306 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,400 SUE MORGAN: When he died, his ashes were mixed with 307 00:17:49,410 --> 00:17:51,739 Charlotte's and they're scattered all around the garden 308 00:17:51,750 --> 00:17:52,890 around the writing hut. 309 00:17:53,270 --> 00:17:55,699 JAMES GRASBY: So he and his wife have actually become part of 310 00:17:55,709 --> 00:17:56,530 this place? 311 00:17:56,540 --> 00:17:57,699 SUE MORGAN: Yes, they are indeed. 312 00:18:02,410 --> 00:18:07,150 Now, Shaw said, "life's no brief candle for me. It's a sort of 313 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:11,790 splendid Torch that I've got hold of for the moment and I 314 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:15,199 want to make it burn as bright as it can for I want to be 315 00:18:15,209 --> 00:18:19,319 thoroughly used up when I die, the harder the work, the more I 316 00:18:19,329 --> 00:18:25,020 live." And he wanted to leave a lasting legacy and he wanted to 317 00:18:25,030 --> 00:18:25,949 change the world. 318 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:32,619 Many people have spoken and you know, written about the 319 00:18:32,630 --> 00:18:35,880 inequalities of the way the world is. But you know, Shaw 320 00:18:35,939 --> 00:18:37,979 made everybody laugh at the same time. 321 00:18:38,130 --> 00:18:41,260 He was very straight speaking. He said things with humour that 322 00:18:41,270 --> 00:18:44,219 perhaps he would not have got away with if it had been without 323 00:18:44,229 --> 00:18:44,929 humour. [ 324 00:18:44,929 --> 00:18:46,989 GENERIC: Sound of theatrical performance] Oh, how wretched. I 325 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:54,459 am. I know how happy I am. Don't be so selfish! Yes, I deserve 326 00:18:54,469 --> 00:19:00,540 that! 327 00:19:00,540 --> 00:19:04,280 JAMES GRASBY: During his lifetime, he talked with the 328 00:19:04,290 --> 00:19:06,410 National Trust about the possibility- I know he was a 329 00:19:06,420 --> 00:19:09,739 member of the National Trust with Charlotte, but he talked 330 00:19:09,750 --> 00:19:12,489 about the possibility of giving the house after his death to the 331 00:19:12,500 --> 00:19:14,949 trust for, for preservation in perpetuity. 332 00:19:15,209 --> 00:19:18,589 SUE MORGAN: Oh, yes, indeed. In 1943 so seven years before he 333 00:19:18,599 --> 00:19:21,569 died, you know, he approached the trust and, you know, talked 334 00:19:21,579 --> 00:19:24,729 about how it was going to look and what else he would bring up 335 00:19:24,739 --> 00:19:27,810 from London. And, yeah, he was very happy for them to have it. 336 00:19:41,150 --> 00:19:44,180 JAMES GRASBY: What a fabulous day. Found a very cool spot. 337 00:19:44,189 --> 00:19:47,010 It's been unseasonably warm here and just looking back at the 338 00:19:47,020 --> 00:19:48,410 house as the sun goes down. 339 00:19:49,250 --> 00:19:54,290 I mean, this is the house of a self taught, feminist, political 340 00:19:54,300 --> 00:19:58,339 activist, Oscar winning, vegetarian, piano playing, Nobel 341 00:19:58,349 --> 00:20:02,199 Prize winning, intellectual celebrity! 342 00:20:02,290 --> 00:20:04,699 I mean, my goodness and a wordsmith! 343 00:20:04,709 --> 00:20:08,760 What a breadth of experiences and contributions Shaw has made 344 00:20:08,770 --> 00:20:10,329 and the fascinating Charlotte. 345 00:20:10,599 --> 00:20:13,869 It was a good reminder too to meet those stunning actors 346 00:20:14,030 --> 00:20:17,349 performing Shaw's work here in the place where a lot of that 347 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:18,660 material was written. 348 00:20:20,540 --> 00:20:24,140 I hope you've enjoyed this very special place as much as I have 349 00:20:24,150 --> 00:20:28,349 and I do recommend you visit. It's a sensational experience. 350 00:20:34,150 --> 00:20:36,900 Thanks for listening to this episode of the National Trust 351 00:20:36,910 --> 00:20:40,250 podcast. For more information about Shaw's Corner, you can 352 00:20:40,260 --> 00:20:45,448 visit their website at nationaltrust.org.uk/shaws-corn- 353 00:20:45,448 --> 00:20:45,790 er. 354 00:20:47,229 --> 00:20:50,209 In the next episode, I'll be exploring Wordsworth's Cumbrian 355 00:20:50,219 --> 00:20:50,770 Houses. 356 00:20:51,479 --> 00:20:54,569 That episode will be available in a couple of weeks, but there 357 00:20:54,579 --> 00:20:57,739 will be a mini episode available next week where we'll be hearing 358 00:20:57,750 --> 00:21:01,380 more about how Shaw's literary legacy is celebrated and 359 00:21:01,390 --> 00:21:04,520 preserved at Shaw's Corner through plays and performance on 360 00:21:04,530 --> 00:21:06,520 location. 361 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,729 To make sure you never miss another episode, subscribe on 362 00:21:09,739 --> 00:21:13,459 itunes or your chosen podcast app and please do let us know 363 00:21:13,469 --> 00:21:16,739 what you thought of this episode or share your suggestions for 364 00:21:16,750 --> 00:21:20,300 future episodes on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 365 00:21:20,550 --> 00:21:26,500 You can also email us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk 366 00:21:27,349 --> 00:21:30,479 until the next time from me, James Grasby. Goodbye.