One day, she hears voices that say “For France.” Joan goes from being an ordinary peasant girl to being a national heroine. She saves France from a crisis by achieving victory at Orléans, which had proved to be an impossible task for many others, and insisting on the coronation of Charles VII, who never become a true king. Fervent praise and admiration towards her are short-lived, however, and are soon replaced by raging jealousy and slander that drive her into a corner. The compelling story of Joan, a girl hidden behind the façade of the French heroine Joan of Arc, unfolds on stage.  

Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw presents the most unique portrait of the historical figure Joan of Arc. At the hands of Kim Kwang-bo, NTCK’s Artistic Director acclaimed for his in-depth textual analyses and delicate directing style, the play transcends times and engages with audiences today. The superb cast includes Baek Eun-hae playing Joan armed with gentle fortitude, and Lee Seung-joo playing Charles VII tormented by fear and desire for power. 

Synopsis

A simple peasant girl named Joan, who later becomes better known as Joan of Arc, claims to have received a message from an angel, and leads France to victory in the Hundred Years’ War against England. However, she is eventually captured and handed to the English. As a result of an inquisitorial court, she is accused of heresy, and burned at the stake. Then, 25 years after her death, George Bernard Shaw’s epilogue brings back Joan, Charles VII, and all those involved in her death and reinstatement. 

Born in Ireland in 1856, George Bernard Shaw developed a keen interest in art from an early age, which later laid the foundation for his career as a playwright, novelist, and critic. His realistic interpretation of the life of Joan of Arc in Saint Joan, earned him the 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature. Although he was at times criticized for his acrid social critique, Shaw remained firm in his beliefs as a writer, and thus established himself as one of the most important playwrights in British history. During his writing career, which spanned over nearly 70 years, he wrote exceptional plays tinged with a sense of satire. He passed away in 1950 at the age of 94.