Fanny's First Play

Fanny's First Play by George Bernard Shaw is a satirical comedy that delves into the themes of morality respectability and the generational divide. The play is structured as a play-within-a-play beginning with an induction where a group of critics is invited to a private lecture of a new play written by Fanny the daughter of Count O'Dowda. The Count who is out of touch with modern England due to his life in Venice is unaware of the play's content which is intended to challenge societal norms and provoke thought. The main play unfolds in two acts focusing on the Gilbey family whose son Bobby has gone missing. The family is thrown into turmoil when they learn that Bobby has been involved in a scandalous incident with a woman named Dora Delaney. The narrative explores the reactions of Bobby's parents Mr. and Mrs. Gilbey as they grapple with the implications of their son's actions on their social standing and personal values. The play humorously critiques the superficiality of societal respectability and the hypocrisy often inherent in moral judgments. Shaw uses the characters to highlight the absurdity of rigid moral codes and the importance of individual conscience over societal expectations. The critics in the induction serve as a meta-commentary on the role of art and criticism in society with Shaw lampooning their pretensions and biases. Ultimately Fanny's First Play is a clever examination of the tension between tradition and modernity urging audiences to question the true nature of morality and the societal structures that uphold it.