Farewell to the Theatre

A famous actress decides that the time has come to retire. Margaret, the grande dame du theatre, in Granville-Barker’s play, comes to consult her solicitor and friend Edward (a gentle, injured giant of unrequited devotion). She talks to her lawyer about her reasons. And they remember the missed opportunities of the past, and contemplate the realities of the future.
This extraordinarily beautiful one-act play was written at the height of the First World War and coincided with Granville Barker’s own disillusionment with the possibility for a progressive theatre in Britain. But it’s also a plea for the enduring value of theatre, especially one which speaks the truth. Granville Barker is recognised as one of the greatest playwrights of the last hundred years.