UCF Theater's production of George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman fits perfectly with the playwright's intention to let capable women speak for themselves while wholeheartedly and spiritedly supporting the cause of suffrage and equal rights for women. There is a demonstrated understanding of political satire and Shaw's historical stance on the movement, as well as clear design elements in the production to ensure audiences understand the themes and messages conveyed in the original script, although this conceals Shaw's actual perception of marriage and marriage equality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Shaw has often been noted as a supporter of women's rights, a renowned and respected liberal playwright. However, in his own words, he believed that women were fully capable of fighting and defending themselves, without wanting to take up arms and win battles for them. He simply showed his support and provided material that made the audience think a little more deeply about the topic. However, when it came to mentioning the force-feeding in the prisons of apprehended suffragettes, Shaw made sure to write more direct and outspoken cries of disapproval for these actions by his government. In these letters, he compares the denial of death to a form of torture. (Davison) Certainly, Shaw's views on marriage were rather harsh and contradicted what seems to be the outcome of this play in which almost all the characters end up in what are perceived to be happy unions. Shaw was quoted in an article by Maria Popova stating that "...when two people are under the influence of the most violent, the most senseless, the most illusory and the most fleeting passion, they must swear that they will remain . in this excited, abnormal and exhausting state continually until death do them part. (Popova) So, with that in mind, why are we presented with such a positive and romantic comedic tone at the end? And how does this compare to the original 1905 production? Personally, when it comes to the cast of the show, a lot was cut to fit Man and Superman into a tight block of time of around two hours. One such completely erased act is that of Don Juan in Hell, which serves as Shaw's sequel to Don Juan in which the main character engages in a philosophical debate with the Devil. All characters are played by their appropriate counterparts in the original play, John Tanner as Don Juan, etc. (Shaw) This is where the slight modification begins. For this reason, on first reflection, it seems that Anne and Jack were able to reach a happy medium while this third act would have left the audience feeling that Jack had somehow lost, the woman gaining importance through emotional manipulation. For Shaw, men did not take the initiative to marry. Instead, it was women who forced men into marriage, which ended up being the case at the end of Man and Superman. UCF's production didn't kill this concept, but the removal of Act III makes it harder to make the connections. The theater staff, made up mainly of students, is always supportive and cheerful. Granted, I'm biased, because many of them are peers and friends, so our greetings will be less typical than those of the average show patron. There was no traffic on this lazy Sunday afternoon,which allowed for a smooth return so I could walk across campus and arrive through the gates with just over ten minutes to spare. However, I found that I was sitting down a little too early as costumed figures walked to the front and each began handing out leaflets in favor of women's suffrage and against women's suffrage. I watched from afar, enjoying what scraps of impromptu conversation I could while also falling prey to the very appropriate sounds of turn-of-the-century tunes about women's rights. Overall, it was a very positive start to my experience and prepared me for a show that I was sure I wouldn't soon forget. If there's one clear way to describe how this all felt, it's that it all came together perfectly into a well-balanced whole. The first standout pieces that stood out to me from the beginning of the piece were the lighting and sound. There was a kind of mysterious, smoky atmosphere as the song This is a Man's World blared through the speakers to aid the lights bathing the stage in cool blues and purple tones. This immediately made me realize that a song from the late 60s had a connection to a play from the late 1800s, which meant that women had suffered oppression for longer than many realize . The environment opens to an office, the lights remaining static with a realistic expression of how the interior of an office should be lit, only making changes for the truncated/edited second and third acts where we are transported outside for the remainder to a "sunlit stage. And again, it is only during scene changes that we are introduced to more relevant music from a more modern era, although other than that, sound plays less importance in the show's plot When Ann's father dies, John Tanner and Roebuck Ramsden are assigned as her two wards, who cannot stand each other. and fight endlessly to convince Ann to choose one or the other. She of course refuses, emotionally manipulating the men involved while toying with Jack in an attempt to force him to admit that he still greatly desires her. either in a sexual or romantic way Our second and third acts focus on Octavius' sister as she sneaks off with her secret American husband on a trip through the countryside behind her father's back. until all parties are soon confronted with their secrets and insecurities. Jack agrees to marry Ann, Octavius ​​accepts the heartbreak, Violet and Hector receive his father's blessing, and all seem relatively comfortable with the outcome. The costumes alone played a major role in bringing audiences back to a time when "dressing up" was rarely a concept considering that even in the comfort and privacy of one's own home, there was a way to remain presentable. The women all wore corsets and the men wore tailored suits and noose ties. One costume element that also stood out to me was Jack's costume change in the second act. His gloves, coat and glasses were a clever addition to the accuracy of the piece considering the common use of open-top vehicles as an expression of that created at the center of the scene. As for the setting, the most complex setting took place in the first act with Roebuck's office, the desk and chairs being the focal point of all the action that took place. Throughout the room, projection walls served as stained glass windows or views of the exterior landscape, used most creatively during.