DON JUAN IN HELL by George Bernard Shaw

The Golden Rule is that there are no golden rules.

The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw wrote over 60 plays in the course of his lifetime. He was angered by what he perceived to be the exploitation of the working class and nearly all his plays address prevailing social problems, but each includes a vein of comedy that makes their stark themes more palatable; as he examines education, marriage, religion, government, health care, and class privilege.

Surprisingly, in the Hell of Shaw’s play,there is no torture but rather joy, art, and endless pleasure for an eternity. The question the author is what is the purpose of such pleasures without contemplation.

Based on the characters of Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI, the murderer Don Juan encounters the pious Dona Ana who is completely dismayed that she has found herself in Hell. They discuss who ends up in Hell and why; a typically sly and funny Shaw twist on the situation. Enter Dona Ana’s father, visiting from Heaven above and the Devil himself to join in the often hilarious philosophical discussion.

George Bernard Shaw claims that DON JUAN IN HELL is a complete commentary on his philosophy; using intriguing characters and sparkling dialogue to explore ideas and issues that transformed the conventions of English Language Theater.