Bernard Shaw - Widowers' Houses & Selected Correspondence Relating to the Play

Spent the morning finishing Fabian Notes for The Workman’s Times . The rehearsal did not come to anything, as there were not enough present to get to work. I went on to The Novel Review , though I had telegraphed to put the inconvenience off. After the Fabian I went home and wrote some letters and changed my clothes. Did not get back here until past midnight. One of the letters I wrote was to the PMG [Pall Mall Gazette] about the right of public meeting.

Train Hammersmith to Charing + (return not used) 9d Dinner (at Orange Grove) 10d Star d Train Portland Rd to Hammersmith 6d

21/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 16th November 1892

Rehearsal, Mona Hotel.

Working at cutting the first and second acts of the play [ Widowers’ Houses ] for performance. Called on FE [Mrs Florence Emery], and went through the part with her. Found [John] Todhunter there. Went home after leaving the Orange Grove and got my letters. Got back here about 22 and wrote some letters.

Train Ravenscourt Pk to Charing + single, self, 6d, return FE 9d Papers 1d Orange Grove, table d’hote &c (2) 3/10 Train Portland Rd to Hammersmith 7d

22/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 21st November 1892

Fabian Executive. 17. Fabian Central Group Meeting. 32 Great Ormond St. F.[rancis] Galton on “The Place of Trade Unionism in Social Reconstruction.” 20. Rehearsal, Mona Hotel. 12.30. Call on [G.N.] Williamson of Black and White in the afternoon. Sleep at Fitzroy Square.

Murray Carson came to the rehearsal to read the part of Trench. After dinner at the Orange Grove I went to Black and White and arranged with Williamson to send him an article on the music of the month at the end of December. Then to the Executive, where I took the chair. Got something to eat alone at Gatti’s and then went to the Fabian Group Meeting, where I took the chair. Then home.

Train to Charing + 6d Dinner (at Orange Grove) 1/—? Macaroni &c at Gatti & Rodesano’s 1/4 [Arthur Wing] Pinero’s Magistrate 1

23/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 22nd November 1892

Cecil Sharp’s 3rd lecture. 15. School Board Vocal Music Competition. Exeter Hall. 14. Rehearsal, Mona Hotel. 12.30.

No rehearsal, the part of Trench being still rejected by all; Murray Carson came in; and we had a long discussion of acting. Finally we all went off to get something to eat. Spent three hours at Exeter Hall. Went out to FE’s; and stayed there until 22. Read over her part with her. On my way out from town got into the train with Charley Burkinyoung. Got out with him at Earl’s Court and walked with him to the corner of Philbeach Gardens, where we parted, I walking on to FE [Florence Emery]’s.

Train to Charing + 6d Dinner (at Orange Grove) 1/4? Papers 1d? Train Charing + to Earls Court 5d?

24/ To a British publisher John Lane who co-founded with Charles Elkin Mathews The Bodley Head publishing company

22nd November 1892

[Dear John Lane]

Were you serious about publishing that play [ Widowers’ Houses ] of mine? I am not sure that it would be a very gorgeous investment; but I suppose a limited edition at a high price would be bought by a certain number of idiots who would not buy anything of mine for a penny or a shilling. However, you can judge for yourself: my chief object in writing to you is to remind you that if the play is to be printed, it will need all the send-off it will get from the criticism and discussion of the performance; and as this is to take place (if it does not fall through) on the 9th Dec., we must literally rush into print. A simple and not too expensive way of making an édition de luxe of it will be to illustrate with photographs of the cast in costume. The leading lady is a very goodlooking woman, I might remark. It ought to be quite a quarto—not too large, but just large enough.

Your suggestion came into my mind this afternoon for the first time with full force. To confess the truth, the chief attraction to me is the opportunity of presenting a copy to each of the actors, who are all playing for nothing. So dont set too much store by my favorable view of the chance of a sale.

yours faithfully

G. Bernard Shaw

25/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 25th November 1892

Fabian Members’ Meeting. Barnard’s Inn. 20. Eight Hours Committee Report, Appointment of Auditors, and Miss [Emma Frances] Brooke’s resolution re framing new Constitution. Press View. [Prince Paul] Troubetskoy’s portraits and studies in oils. Dowdeswell’s. Press View. Miniatures at the Fine Art Society. Press View. Old Water Colour Society. 5 Pall Mall East. Press View. Stephen Coleridge’s oil studies, Water Ways of England, at Dowdeswell’s. Rehearsal, Mona Hotel. 12.30.

Went in to town by the 10.17 train and did the Bond St. Galleries before rehearsal. [James] Welch turned up to play Lickcheese; and we rehearsed the first two acts for the first time with the full cast. Afterwards I dined with FE [Florence Emery] at the Orange Grove and then went to the Old Water Colour Society. Then home, where I found Mrs Sparling [née May Morris] visiting my mother. JP [Mrs Jane Patterson] and Georgie [G.B.S.’s aunt] came in later on. I had to speak several times at the Fabian. Came home with Sparling.

Train Ravenscourt Park to St James’s Pk 6d Dinner (at O. G.) (2) 2/2 Justice 1d Star 1 Train Ptld Rd to Farringdon 2d Temple to Ravenscourt Pk 6d

26/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 27th November 1892

SUNDAY Off—Club evicted. Lecture on “Practical Communism” at the Workpeople’s Educational Club. 40 Berners St. Commercial Rd. E. 20. (C. W. [Charles William] Mowbray, 25 Little Alie St., Leman St. E.). Unemployed Committee. 337 Strand. 11.30. [Walter] Crane lectures on his American trip at Kelmscott House. 20.

We did not get back from the Committee until 14. I met Mowbray there and learned that the lecture was off. [Ernest Belfort] Bax and another man whose name I forget came in in the evening. We all went to Crane’s lecture. Had a few words with Mrs [Louise] Jopling[-Rowe] afterwards. Very busy writing interview for the Star [about Widowers’ Houses]. Up late over it. I did not go in to supper at Morris’s in order to get back to work.

Train Ravenscourt Pk to Temple & back 1/—

27/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 5th December 1892

Fabian Executive. 17. Monday Pop. [Johannes] Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet. Muhlfeld. 20. Also next Saturday. Jeanne Douste’s recital. Prince’s Hall. 20. Rehearsal. 1.

Was not down to breakfast until 11. Wrote letters, and tried to write up this diary for the past week. Did not attend the rehearsal [of Widowers’ Houses ], as I promised to keep away so as to leave them to get their words. Came back with Sparling [née May Morris] from Executive.

Train to Ptld Rd 7d Dinner 1/1? Macaroni &c at Gatti & Rodesano’s 1/8

28/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 8th December 1892

Special Fabian Executive on Unemployed Question. 17. Last rehearsal [of Widowers’ Houses ]. 14.

Wrote a couple of letters and then walked into town. Left the theatre with FE [Florence Emery] at 18.15; and went with her to the door of the Orange Grove, where I left her and hurried on to the Executive. They were all gone except Miss Priestley and Sparling [née May Morris]. Miss [Isobel E.] Priestley [later Mrs Bart Kennedy] gave me her opinion of the play. Came back with Sparling. Got home a little after 20 or thereabouts. Wrote some letters, etc.

Bus Marble Arch to Halles St 1d Star 1 Dinner 10d Charles Hoppe, for pit tickets for Mrs Hewlett 5/– Train Temple to Ravenscourt Pk 6d

29/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 9th December 1892

Production of Widowers’ Houses by the Independent Theatre at the Royalty. 20. Wind Instrument Chamber Music Society 1st concert. Prince’s Hall. 20.