Language as a razor blade: funny stories from the life of playwright George Bernard Shaw

• Language as a razor blade: funny stories from the life of playwright George Bernard Shaw

The famous English playwright of Irish descent, George Bernard Shaw, famous not only literary talent, but also a terrific wit. To him the language of afraid to get even the most noble wits. Any awkward situation he could translate into a joke, but this kind of humor could be called not always.

Many of these stories have long become anecdotes, and today pretty hard to determine whether they have occurred in the life of George Bernard Shaw. One such situation occurred when a certain mad woman said to the writer: "If you were my husband, I would have slipped poison you!". What playwright without hesitation replied: "Madam, if you were my wife, I would have took poison." Such dialogue and sounds in the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Occupation", where the role of the hapless lady made Natalia Krachkovskaya.

Bernard Shaw was not disturbed by any wealth or social status of the interlocutors. Once he was invited to the house of a wealthy family, and the owner's daughter began to entertain guests playing the piano, trying to impress the distinguished guests. Anticipating a positive reply, the householder asked the playwright: "You seem to like music?". "Of course - said Shaw - but do not let that interfere with your daughter to play music."

do not regret it, and another wealthy gentleman conferring too much importance to money. Once an American financier said, he is thinking about the playwright, and promised to give him a dollar if he responds. Bernard Shaw modestly uttered: "That's what I think it is not worth the money." The financier insisted: "About what?". I had to admit: "I think about you."

A little known fact is that Shaw was fond of boxing and even participated in the competition. For the sport, as well as to the literature, he treated very seriously and earnestly. And I do not tolerate nor there, nor there hacks and mediocrities. One day he was approached by a basketball player with a request to evaluate his literary endeavors. Writer said: "After reading your essays, I understand why you did not become a good basketball player. The fact that you can not throw in time to the basket. " Do athlete praised the metaphor - history is silent.

George Bernard Shaw

Bernard Shaw did not trust Hollywood director and has repeatedly refused to adaptations of his plays. One director is too insistent, he said yes, but put forward such conditions: the title of the film should not be so, as the title of the play, staging content must be very different from a literary source, anywhere in the credits can not mention the name of Bernard Shaw. Interestingly, the director was able to estimate wit playwright?

But there are also those sides that are not lost in response to the severity of the writer. Once, after the show George Bernard Shaw said, played the leading role, "Divine! Gorgeous! ". "You flatter", - the actress was confused. "But I was talking about the play" - quipped playwright. The actress did not lose her: "Me too!".

Women's writer does not spare. He once said that being in love means inappropriately overestimate the difference between one woman and another. When one of the ways a lady asked Bernard Shaw's why God created the first man, and then - a woman, he replied: "God certainly did not want to at the moment of the creation of man a woman to give him advice."