
By Bernard Shaw
In this sharp, comic tableau, a high‑ranking officer in the War Office finds his orderly delivering a frantic, chained suffragette demanding her release. The General’s bewildered attempts to maintain military decorum are upended by absurd directives, a mysterious key, and a sudden appearance of a self‑proclaimed Prime Minister in flamboyant attire. The scene crackles with rapid dialogue, satirizing bureaucratic rigidity and the heated debate over women’s voting rights.
As the characters clash—military protocol, suffragette fervor, and political farce—the play exposes the folly of power structures that are more concerned with paperwork than principle. The humor is both witty and pointed, offering listeners a glimpse into early‑20th‑century social tensions while keeping the pacing lively and the absurdity ever‑present. It’s an entertaining entry point into a larger satire that continues to question authority and gender politics.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (68K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Eve Sobol, and David Widger
Release date
May 1, 2004
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1856–1950
Best known for sharp, witty plays that still feel modern, this Irish dramatist turned arguments about class, politics, and human behavior into lively, unforgettable theatre. His work includes Pygmalion, Man and Superman, and Saint Joan, and he won the Nobel Prize in Literature for writing marked by idealism, humanity, and brilliant satire.
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by Bernard Shaw

by Bernard Shaw

by Bernard Shaw

by Bernard Shaw

by Bernard Shaw

by Bernard Shaw

by Bernard Shaw

by Bernard Shaw