Irish Cultural Centre launches inaugural Shaw Festival celebrating George Bernard Shaw’s legacy

The Irish Cultural Centre has announced the inaugural Shaw Festival, a three-day celebration of George Bernard Shaw taking place in London from 10^th to 12^th July. Held in partnership with The Shaw Society, the festival marks the centenary of Shaw receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926.

Taking place at the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, the programme will explore Shaw’s Irish roots and lasting influence through theatre, film screenings, talks and discussions examining his continuing impact on modern theatre and political thought.

Highlights include a production of Shaw’s Candida presented by Rumpus Theatre Company, lectures on Shaw’s feminism and social ideas, and screenings of films including Shakes Versus Shav, a puppet adaptation of Shaw’s final published play featuring the voices of Colm Meaney and Derek Jacobi.

The festival will also feature a screening of Shaw’s Corner, starring Abbey Theatre actor Dermot Walsh as Shaw in later life, alongside a filmed interview with acclaimed biographer Sir Michael Holroyd.

Rosalind Scanlon, Cultural Director of the Irish Cultural Centre, described the event as “a rich and vibrant celebration of the work of the great playwright George Bernard Shaw”, adding that organisers hope it will become “a cornerstone of London’s cultural calendar”.

Dame Siân Phillips also praised the initiative, saying: “For a lover of Shaw like myself, it’s comforting to know that his work is being protected and promoted in such a positive way.”