Pygmalion (play) Pygmalion (play) Pygmalion is a play by George Bernard Shaw, named after a Greek mythological figure. It was first presented on stage to the public in 1913. In ancient Greek mythology, Pygmalion fell in love with one of his sculptures, which then came to life. The general idea of that myth was a popular subject for Victorian era English playwrights, including one of Shaw's influences, W. S. Gilbert, who wrote a successful play based on the story called "Pygmalion and Galatea" that was first presented in 1871. Shaw would also have been familiar with the burlesque version, "Galatea, or Pygmalion
Galatea, or Pygmalion Reversed restored. "The Era" was not impressed, calling the piece, "A very tame affair. Mr Stephens seems to have had a funny idea, but has not funnily put it into shape." Other papers took a more favourable view. "The Morning Post" called it "this amusing burlesque". "The Standard" thought that although the plot "lacks both interest and variety", Edward Terry was "convulsively funny" as Pygmalion." Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper" wrote, "The burlesque is not remarkable for its jokes, though they are plentiful. It affords opportunity for a good laugh and is a capital skit on the original." Galatea, or Pygmalion Reversed Galatea,