Misalliance

Shaw called this one “A Debate in One Sitting,” and that is a fair warning, since the talk barely pauses for breath. The action unfolds over a single afternoon at the country house of John Tarleton, a self-made underwear manufacturer fond of lending books and dispensing advice. His daughter Hypatia is bored and hunting for a husband worth having, his son is complacent, and the household’s settled assumptions get a jolt when an aeroplane crashes into the greenhouse and deposits a Polish acrobat and a young pilot in their midst. From there the guests argue about marriage, money, parents and children, and who really holds power between the generations. A free PDF and EPUB edition is available here.