Waste

Harley Granville-Barker (1877-1946) was an English actor, director, producer, critic and playwright. He made his first appearance onstage at the age of 14. In 1900 he became a leading member of the Stage Society and this led to contacts with George Bernard Shaw, William Archer, Elizabeth Robins, and William Poel. His first play, The Marrying of Ann Leete was produced by the Stage Society in 1900 as well. As a playwright, he experimented with form, and proved an extremely gifted writer of dialogue and architect of ideas. His best known plays are The Voysey Inheritance (1905), Waste (1906) and The Madras House (1909). His entire body of plays has been produced at the Shaw Festival in Canada, and has featured strongly in the work of director Sam Walters at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond upon Thames.