Saint Joan: George Bernard Shaw film script reimagined back to stage by Stuart Laing (4 stars)

George Bernard Shaw’s play Saint Joan has been performed in theatre many times over the decades; however, he also wrote a film version which has never been produced. It cut the original 3-hour theatre performance down to a palatable 90 minutes. Stuart Laing managed to get a copy of the film script, and it is this version he has adapted back onto the stage.

It is a much neater and concise narrative of the story of Saint Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans.

Joan’s story is of a 16-year-old heroine who can beguile and convince hardened soldiers that the voices in her head are both real and from God. Convincing the future French King, the Dauphin, that she can help him ascend the throne as a conqueror, ridding France of the English she leads soldiers to victories on the battlefields and makes enemies at Court.

Set during the 100 Years War, in the 15^th century, the nobles, fearing that Joan would convince the King that he is the divine ruler and they would lose power want rid of this threat to their secure rule and influence over the King. Despite her successes on the battlefield including lifting the siege of Orleans, this supremely confident young woman then finds herself accused of, tried for and confesses to heresy. When she is not allowed to return home but faces prison for life, she rips up her confession and accepts her punishment: to burn at the stake. Shaw’s epilogue, which reexamines the legacy of Joan is replaced here by a film which sets the whole phenomenon of a young woman standing up for what she believes in, in a modern context.

We begin with our chorus, (Martin O’Connor) who both narrates the film directions and doubles as the Steward to Robert de Baudricourt (Thierry Mabonga). De Baudricourt tries to dismiss this upstart of a young lady whilst our Steward manages to straddle the delivery of the visuals as descriptive narrative whilst also commenting from within the scene. Delivered in a well-lit stage which has house lights still up, it sets the tone of the rest of the performance. The words are made to matter, and the theatricality sits behind the importance of Shaw’s message: there are no villains and that all acted as they believed they should have. The men believed she was mad and she believed she was heaven sent.

O’Connor’s understated delivery which is reminiscent of a war correspondent at the front line telling the people at home what was going on without being overly dramatic works extremely well. As Joan, Mandipa Kabanda, a young actor with experiences more in a high school show than in a professional stage, delivers an astonishing performance. This naïve, yet supremely confident young woman does not just confuse and beguile the men around her but Kabanda effectively presents her as both a woman of faith, unquestionable and unstinting faith and a presence in the real world that can lead.

The cast follow with some great performances from Thierry Mabonga also as La Tremouille and Cauchon, Lewis MacDougall as Bluebeard, Dunois and Ladvenu, Ross Mann as Poulengy, Dauphin, Charles and the Chaplain and Manasa Tajica as the Archbishop, Salisbury, Gladstone, Warwick and The Executioner.

It requires technical skill to deliver both the words of their change from being in awe to being convinced of her witchcraft. With this stripped back approach it calls for trust in the words which especially in the court scene, delivered with all seated in chairs, facing the audience they manage. Symbolically a court scene with equal weight to each opinion, rather than a courtroom scene combative with two sides facing each other is an interesting directorial choice by Laing and underlines how the message is central to the delivery of this performance.

It is enhanced by having lights on for most of the 90 minutes whilst we are gathered together in the more intimate space of the studio theatre. There is a large plain screen as a backdrop which is used to project music lyrics, which does not really work for me, and white light which reminds us of the theatre space in which it is performed, which works better. It reminds us that this is a film script and is a discordant visual note. As the words begin to show the men falling out of love with the idea of following a ‘wee lassie’ the imagery thematically matches it.

Shaw’s play has an epilogue which contains the major element of his message. Here we get a film. from Odura Onashile. This draws everything together in a stunning way. Shot, it would appear, high up in and above Glasgow during an evening, Kabanda is tarred and feathered, before launching herself into the air. Interspersed with images of young women who are campaigning now it reminds us of what happens when the young take voice as Joan takes flight and challenges our orthodoxies and oppression.

Delivering this message on smartphone and to camera before standing at the edge of a building to take off and soar high above the city, mixing this final eulogy are shots of young women standing up for their rights, in places of incredible persecution is so powerful. It calls to mind Malala Yousefzai, who organised schools for girls before being shot by the Taliban, or Mahsa Zhina Amini who was not wearing her hijab correctly according to the Iranian police and died whilst in their custody, or the girls in Rochdale, ignored when highlighting their abuse.

The message, that people act in accordance with their beliefs, that Shaw wanted us to listen to, remains as powerful and as subtle now as it did 100 years ago. Calling for us not to just accept the views of one, but to listen to the views of all, not to scapegoat or condemn but evolve is an emergent theme.

And yet for all the power of the message this feels slightly more academic than it is successful in its theatricality. Having a maverick like Laing reimagining not the play but the film is a masterstroke. Deconstructing anything asks the question as to whether it improves its effectiveness or enhances its message. Otherwise, why not stick to the original recipe. Whilst glad we did not get the 3 hour play, given the effectiveness of their epilogue, could this have been much more effective with the film? Possibly, but Laing’s genius lies in providing the platform for the ideas and for that it deserves credit. Theatre trumps film here because of its accessibility, so perhaps Shaw has been improved by our own maverick, which means this deconstruction works.

Saint Joan on tour 

Citizens Theatre (Studio) 14th till 28th February (no Sundays)

Perth Theatre (Joan Knight Studio) 4th till 7th March 

The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen 12th till Saturday 14th March

Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) 18th till Saturday 21st March 

Raw Material, Perth Theatre Aberdeen Performing Arts co-production in association with the Citizens Theatre Glasgow

Tickets

Review: Tron Theatre, 18^th February 2026