Caesar and Cleopatra

Originally presented at the New Amsterdam Theatre in 1906 with Johnston Forbes‐Robertson and his wife, Gertrude Elliot, in the leading roles, Shaw's work was perceived as an interesting, but uneven play made noteworthy by the brilliant scene in which the two principals first meet. The Theatre Guild used the play to open its new playhouse in 1925, with Lionel Atwill and Helen Hayes as the rulers. It was a major success, although such critics as Stark Young felt both the production and the stars missed the grandeur of Shaw's conception. The best later revival was the production that featured Cedric Hardwicke and Lilli Palmer in 1949. Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh performed the play (in a program alternating with Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra) in 1951, and the title roles were essayed on Broadway by Rex Harrison and Elizabeth Ashley in 1977. The work also served as the basis of a failed musical Her First Roman (1968) starring Richard Kiley and Leslie Uggums.