Fanny's First Play

by George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was a worldrenowned Irish author. Born in Dublin, he moved to London when he turned twenty. Having rejected formal schooling, he educated himself by independent study in the reading room of the British Museum; he also began his career there by writing novels for which he could not find a publisher. His first success was as a music and literary critic, but he was drawn to drama and authored more than sixty plays during his career. Typically his work is leavened by a delightful vein of comedy, but nearly all of it bears earnest messages Shaw hoped his audiences would embrace. He remains the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize (1925) for his contribution to literature and an Oscar (1938) for Pygmalion. Among his most famous works are: Candida (1894), Arms and the Man (1894) and Man and Superman (1902-03).

Genres: Plays, Drama

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1912

About the author

George Bernard Shaw stands as one of the most prolific and influential intellectuals of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a man whose literary output was matched only by his fervent commitment to social reform. Rising from a modest background in Dublin to become a global icon of letters, Shaw redefined the purpose of the stage, transforming it from a place of mere entertainment into a forum for rigorous intellectual debate and moral inquiry. His unique "Shavian" style—characterized by sharp-witted dialogue, paradoxical reasoning, and a relentless assault on Victorian hypocrisy—ensured that his voice resonated far beyond the footlights. As a playwright, critic, and philosopher, he remains a singular figure in history, being one of only two individuals to have been honored with both a Nobel Prize in Literature and an Academy Award. This rare crossover of high-art recognition and mainstream cinematic success speaks to his versatility and the enduring relevance of his narratives. His dramatic work, which includes over sixty plays, often tackled the most pressing issues of his day, from the rigid structures of the British class system to the complexities of gender roles and the ethical dilemmas of capitalism. In masterpieces like Pygmalion, he used the science of phonetics to demonstrate the artificiality of class distinctions, a theme that would later reach millions through the musical adaptation My Fair Lady. In Man and Superman, he delved into the philosophical concepts of the "Life Force" and the evolution of the human spirit, while Major Barbara forced audiences to confront the uncomfortable relationship between religious idealism and the industrial military complex. Beyond his theatrical achievements, Shaw was a foundational force in political thought, serving as a leading light of the Fabian Society. His advocacy for gradual socialist reform, rather than violent revolution, helped shape the trajectory of modern British politics and social welfare. He was instrumental in the creation of the London School of Economics, an institution that continues to influence global policy and economic theory. Shaw was also a formidable critic, whose reviews of music and drama set new standards for the profession, characterized by an uncompromising honesty and a deep knowledge of the arts. His personal lifestyle was as distinctive as his writing; a committed vegetarian, teetotaler, and non-smoker, he lived with a disciplined focus that allowed him to remain productive well into his ninth decade. He was a man of contradictions, often engaging in provocative public discourse that challenged the status quo, even when his views sparked intense controversy. His fascination with the "Superman" archetype and his occasional support for authoritarian figures reflected a complex, often elitist worldview that sought the betterment of humanity through radical intellectual evolution. Despite these complexities, his core mission was always rooted in a profound humanitarianism and a desire to expose the delusions that prevented society from progressing. He believed that the power of the written word could strip away the masks of respectability that hid social injustice, and his plays continue to be staged worldwide because the human foibles he satirized remain as prevalent today as they were during his lifetime. By blending humor with gravity and intellect with accessibility, Shaw created a body of work that serves as both a mirror and a compass for modern civilization. His legacy is not just in the scripts he left behind, but in the very way we think about the intersection of art, politics, and the individual’s responsibility to the collective good. He remains the quintessential public intellectual, a man who never feared to speak his mind or to demand that the world become a more rational and equitable place.

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of this satire by Shaw before. I did read the preface, which I normally skip or read afterwards, and am glad I did so as certain aspects of the play were much funnier knowing Shaw had published this play anonymously.

This play features a "play within the play". The 'inner' play is a spoof on the comedy-of-manners social satire such as Oscar Wilde wrote; it is about 2 middle-class families each of which have parents striving to maintain respectability and/or morality after suddenly discovering their child has been in jail after shenanigans on Boat Race Night. The 'outer' play is a satire on playwrights (including Shaw himself) and drama critics.

I was amused by both the 'inner' and 'outer' plays but some aspects of the humor in the 'outer' play were clearly aimed at contemporary critics of whom I have no information so my guess is it was funnier at the time it was first produced (1911).

I knocked off ½ star due to the poor editing on this Kindle edition -- almost all of the apostrophes were missing (for example: hes instead of he's), which was quite annoying. Also for some reason, certain vowels were left out of contractions (havnt instead of haven't; arnt instead of aren't). I read this in the omnibus The Plays of Shaw.

[Eddie Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming, light social comedy; a satire on suburban middle-class notions of respectability and morality presented as a play-within-a-play. Apparently this was written & rushed into rehearsal quickly as it had to take the stage early after a commercial flop by Ibsen ended its run prematurely. A large part of the comedy is strictly topical - Shaw originally staged this as by “Anonymous”, mirroring the fictional playwright, whose identity is kept from the (stage) critics. In the framing play, the critics pontificate about Ibsen, Pinero, Granville Barker and Shaw himself; and apparently the critics themselves were based on real drama critics of the time. The loss of topicality makes the comedy tricky to stage now - as does the somewhat dated morality theme. A pity because the whole thing has a quite light and frothy appeal. This had the longest initial run of any of Shaw’s plays.

[Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Fanny's First Play" was one of the most entertaining plays of George Bernard Shaw I've read to date. It features a framing device wherein Fanny, the young daughter of an aristocrat, has invited a group of prominent theater critics to watch a performance of her first attempt at a play and give their opinions of its quality. She wants their honest feedback, so she does not reveal that it is her own work until after they have announced their judgements. Adding to the fun, Shaw evidently presented "Fanny's First Play" anonymously at first.

The play within a play was typical for Shaw. A highborn young man and young woman, whose parents have arranged their engagement as essentially a business transaction, both pine for other people. Coincidentally, they are both arrested at a women's suffrage protest and imprisoned for two weeks. Each of them then attempts to get out of the arranged engagement gracefully by revealing their shameful incarceration to the other. Hijinks ensue. There is also a butler who is really a duke.

I suspect I would have enjoyed "Fanny's First Play" even more if I had recognized the real theater critics being caricatured by Shaw in the framing sections. But even so, I really enjoyed this play and highly recommend it.

[Asher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I see why this was Shaw's longest running play: it's funny and entertaining and well paced and has interesting ideas. I certainly found it more meaningful than a lot of his other comedies. I also see why I have never heard of a modern production of this: it's incredibly specific to the theatre scene of 1911. This is a shame - I think there's a modern production of this that is possible that reimagines this for today's media that I would enjoy. Though perhaps that's just Ella Hickson's The Writer.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Scull17 · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is Art?

[Rana Ibrahim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to read
You can find audio on youtube

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the usual Shavian interventions into gender, class and family are there, though the device of a play within the play, of critics analyzing a play, Shaw also pokes fun at what he thinks people think of him.

[Paul Pellicci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts were enjoyable but Fanny's need to tell her father the truth seemed a more daunting task than it really was...like what was the big deal?

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this play, definitely a read that will help open minds about raising and controlling children.