A young woman lies dreaming of her lover as the sounds of conflict drift in through her open bedroom window. The starving, battle-stained soldier that follows them will change every romantic idea that she has about love, war and men… Shaw’s ‘anti-romantic comedy’ is a masterpiece of sparkling wit that retains a biting satirical edge.

One of Shaw’s earliest plays and his first commercial success, Arms and the Man has remained a favourite since its first production in 1894. Set during the Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885-86, the play is a satire on the foolishness of glorifying something as terrible as war, and on the absurdity of basing one’s affections on idealistic notions of love.

Swiss mercenary Captain Bluntschli, fleeing the Bulgarian army after the rout of his troops, takes refuge in the bedroom of Raina Petkoff, a young Bulgarian lady of high ideals. He later discovers that the cavalry charge that somewhat fortuitously succeeded in breaking his line was led by the young lady’s fiancée, Major Sergius Saranoff. Raina takes pity on the exhausted Bluntschli, feeding him chocolate creams and hiding him from the pursuing soldiers, abetted by her mother and maidservant a secret that must never be revealed.

After the war is over Saranoff and Raina’s father, Major Petkoff, are greeted on their return as conquering heroes. However, cracks are beginning to appear in Saranoff’s façade of nobility and the unexpected arrival of Bluntschli throws the Petkoff household into romantic chaos.

A fast-paced and witty romantic comedy with a serious edge, Arms and the Man is a classic of late Victorian theatre to rival Wilde’s Importance of Being Earnest.