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George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was the Dublin-born dramatist, critic, socialist and inveterate letter-writer whose early career included work as a book reviewer and art critic. A lover of music and the plays of Ibsen, he realised the value of the stage as a platform for social and political reform. His first play Widowers' Houses was staged at the Royalty Theatre in 1892, and although his early work was often criticised for its polemic nature, he became one of the most notable dramatists of his time. His popularity was assured by the Court Theatre repertory seasons under the management of Harley Granville-Barker and J. E. Vedrenne between 1904 to 1907, when eleven Shaw plays were produced.