The fact that the great Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw was both an idealist and a pragmatist is not as paradoxical as it sounds. Shaw firmly believed that it is impossible to make the world a better place without acknowledging the realities that stand in the way of achieving this goal, a sentiment he best articulated in his 1905 satire “Major Barbara,” which is receiving a splendid revival by the Shakespeare Theatre Company.

» Synopsis

“Major Barbara” depicts the battle of wits between London munitions titan Andrew Undershaft (Ted van Griethuysen), a cynical self-made man long estranged from his family, and his oldest daughter, Barbara (Vivienne Benesch), a devoutly religious major in the Salvation Army. Recognizing that Barbara is by far the strongest and most intelligent of his three offspring, Undershaft is determined to convince both her and her fiance, Adolphus Cusins (Karl Kenzler), that the death and destruction caused by his weapons are the necessary Ying to their idealistic Yang.

» The cast

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All of the cast give first-rate comic performances with the proper light touch, but seeing as Shaw gave the lion’s share of the best lines to Undershaft, it is not surprising that van Griethuysen’s deliciously sardonic turn dominates the proceedings.

» The crew

Director Ethan McSweeny, who did such a marvelous job on the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of “The Persians” a couple of seasons ago, prevents “Major Barbara” from becoming an interminable talkfest (a common problem in staging Shaw’s work) by supporting the dialogue with an undercurrent of subtle visual humor.

» The bottom line

It would easy to say that the topics “Major Barbara” comments on are just as timely today as they were over a century ago, but that would be too much of a cliche to apply to such wonderful entertainment for both the brain and the funny bone. This is a treat that Shaw himself would surely approve of.

‘Major Barbara’

Through March 23

» Venue: Sidney Harman Hall

» Tickets: $23.50 to $79.95

» More info: 202-547-1122,

www.shakespearetheatre.org