New TWS Artistic Director Presents Shaw’s American Revolution

Richard “Dick” Dudgeon is not what most people in 1777’s Websterbridge, New Hampshire would call a virtuous man. A freewheeling, carousing scoundrel and a smuggler by trade, he is absurdly irreverent among the strict and pious, prone to mocking japes and loud satanic proclamations.

But in George Bernard Shaw’s The Devil’s Disciple, playing the next two weekends at the , it is Dudgeon—the titular disciple—who takes on an astonishing burden of self-sacrifice in the name of American patriotism, defiantly turning his impudence upon those who have sworn to see him executed.

Set against the background of the early Revolutionary War, The Devil’s Disciple shows a community on the brink, occupied by British redcoats in hunt of rebels, real or perceived, to place upon the gallows. The times shine new light upon how people react when faced with particularly difficult tribulations and choices. 

“It’s an [Irish] writer who’s writing about the American Revolution… reminding us of how this country started,” said director Rick Snyder, tackling his first show as the Theatre’s new artistic director. “We see the beginnings of things that have become profoundly American: our hatred of tyranny, our love of freedom.”

The play, one of Shaw’s earlier works, contains many of the great writer’s famous trademarks. Particularly present is the theme of sticking witty barbs through plain truth, well-embodied in the character of Dudgeon (as well as in a late-appearing British general with whom Dudgeon develops a particularly ironic rapport.)

“This guy’s a voice for Shaw to make fun of, mock and be obnoxious [at] things that are very hypocritical, in his view,” said David Knezz of Homer Glen, who plays Dudgeon, adding that his fiery on-stage persona was a great release of anger.

“I get angry and want to through my slippers at the television set when I see unfairness on T.V., and so I get to rage like all hell on stage.”

About 50 Theatre members appear onstage in the play, many in their first Theatre production. Benson Bullwinkel, a two-decade veteran of the Theatre backstage, is debuting as a dimwitted and by-the-book British officer and the victim of much of Dudgeon’s tongue-lashings.

“It makes fun of everybody in it,” Bullwinkel said. “My character’s a buffoon. He’s meant to be whitefaced and angry and screams a lot and is constantly made fun of by the script itself… It’s all written very cheeky.”

The Devil’s Disciple plays at the on Apr. 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m., Apr. 15, 21 and 22 at 2:30 p.m. and Apr. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the TWS box office at 708-246-3380 or online here.