Ages of Man is a one-man play performed by John Gielgud of a collection of speeches in Shakespeare's plays. Based on an anthology edited by Oxford professor George Rylands in 1939 that organized the speeches to show the journey of life from birth to death, taking its title from Jaques' "Ages of Man" speech from As You Like It ("All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players..."). Like the book, the show was divided into three parts: Youth, Manhood and Old Age. John Gielgud as photographed in 1936 by Carl Van Vechten Sir Arthur John Gielgud OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an English theatre and film actor, regarded by many as one of the greatest British actors in history. ... Shakespeare redirects here. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jaques is a common name, a variant of Jacques. ... Scene from As you like it, Francis Hayman, c. ...

Gielgud was inspired to do a Shakespeare recital by his great-aunt, the legendary actress Ellen Terry, who performed her own recital titled Shakespeare's Heroines. Gielgud first attempted such a recital during World War II, when he would perform a collection of speeches he called Shakespeare in Peace and War, culminating in the "Once More Unto the Breech" speech from Henry V. John Gielgud as photographed in 1936 by Carl Van Vechten Sir Arthur John Gielgud OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an English theatre and film actor, regarded by many as one of the greatest British actors in history. ... Shakespeare redirects here. ... Ellen Alice Terry (February 27, 1847 – July 21, 1928) was an English stage actress. ... Shakespeare redirects here. ... John Gielgud as photographed in 1936 by Carl Van Vechten Sir Arthur John Gielgud OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an English theatre and film actor, regarded by many as one of the greatest British actors in history. ... Shakespeare redirects here. ... Title page of the first quarto (1600) The Cronicle History of Henry the fift is a play by William Shakespeare based on the life of King Henry V of England. ...

Gielgud gave the first experimental performance of Ages of Man in a house in St. James Square in London. It premiered at the Freemason's Hall at the 1957 Edinburgh Festival to a sold-out house and an overwhelming success. Gielgud would go on to perform the recital for the next ten years all over the world, winning Gielgud a special Tony Award for "for contribution to theatre for his extraordinary insight into the writings of Shakespeare" for the 1959 Broadway engagement (where it was revived in 1963), an Emmy Award for producer David Susskind for Outstanding Dramtic Program - Single Program for its 1966 telecast on CBS, and a 1979 Grammy Award for Gielgud's third audio recording of the recital, having been nominated for the same award for the versions made in 1959 and 1964. John Gielgud as photographed in 1936 by Carl Van Vechten Sir Arthur John Gielgud OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an English theatre and film actor, regarded by many as one of the greatest British actors in history. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second-largest city. ... John Gielgud as photographed in 1936 by Carl Van Vechten Sir Arthur John Gielgud OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an English theatre and film actor, regarded by many as one of the greatest British actors in history. ... John Gielgud as photographed in 1936 by Carl Van Vechten Sir Arthur John Gielgud OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an English theatre and film actor, regarded by many as one of the greatest British actors in history. ... What is popularly called the Tony Award (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award celebrating achievements in live American theater, including musical theater, primarily honoring productions on Broadway in New York. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Broadway theatre is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... An Emmy Award. ... David Susskind (December 19, 1920, New York City - February 22, 1987, New York City, heart attack) was best known as a pioneer TV talk show host. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... CBS is one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States. ... For the song by The Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ... John Gielgud as photographed in 1936 by Carl Van Vechten Sir Arthur John Gielgud OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an English theatre and film actor, regarded by many as one of the greatest British actors in history. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...