SHAW GEORGE BERNARD: (1856-1950) Irish Playwright, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1925. A fine A.L.S., G. Bernard Shaw, three pages, 8vo (the final page filling the entire unfolded 4to sheet of stationery), Fitzroy Square, London, 24th March 1896, to Janet Achurch ('My dear Mrs. Charrington'). The playwright informs the actress 'The difficulty in the way of "Candida" is the money difficulty' and explains 'The scheme proposed by the Independent Theatre, of eight matinees spread over a month, is an excellent one, provided it can be set in action before the end of April. There is no reason to anticipate any insuperable difficulty in getting the best available cast and a good theatre, especially as the most important artists are already interested in the play. But as all our acting managers are too old to attempt the part in which the real fascination of the play for an actor lies, I do not think they will touch it until I score some other success in the theatre which will make the temptation of trying something of mine commercially irresistible. Consequently, if "Candida" is to be done this season (and I am in no hurry, and cannot see why you should be) somebody will have to find £500 to add to the resources of the Independent Theatre for the production', further justifying his views, 'I can tell you certain facts…."Arms & The Man", successful in America, was a financial failure here. It was put up as a stopgap after a failure, and was apparently a brilliant success. Really, it was performed for nearly 10 weeks seven or eight times a week (instead of twice a week) and the public paid to see it, from first to last, exactly £1777.5.6. That is to say, there was three weeks business and an artistic success in the play, with an efficient, but not a drawing cast. In America, with Mansfield playing, and the public always practically brought up to the mark in good time by a limited number of representations, it has of course done far better.' Shaw adds ' "Candida", with you in the title part, ought to do better than "Arms & The Man": at least such probability as it is possible to see in theatrical affairs points that way unless the play is a total failure. But cheap as the play is in point of mounting &c, the Independent Theatre have not money enough in hand to undertake it in the style which I must insist on for all our sakes. There must be a thousand pounds in the bank…..If the thousand can be got, and you will play Candida (an indispensable condition) then I will let the play go for the eight matinees without any advance, taking only my 10% of the actual receipts. But this must be considered as altogether special to yourself' and concludes 'If you refuse to play Candida, that will alter the whole situation; and I shall make much more onerous terms. I also stipulate that the management shall be undertaken by Charrington, and not left to the Independent Theatre on its old lines'. A letter of exceptional content and association illustrating Shaw's control over the theatrical production of his works, in this particular example Candida. Some extremely light, very minor age wear, VG €750-1000

Janet Achurch (1864-1916) English Stage Actress and Actor-Manager, married to actor Charles Charrington.

Shaw wrote the title role of his comedy play Candida with Achurch in mind and would only allow the play to be performed if she played the title role, which took place in 1897 at Her Majesty's Theatre.