Baby with the bathwater

This absurdist satire follows Helen and John, a pair of inept parents who lack the basic instincts required to raise their newborn, Daisy. Believing that assigning a gender will limit the infant's potential, they choose to raise the child as a girl despite biological facts. Their household is a chaotic environment defined by the intrusive dictates of a bizarre Nanny and the parents' own crippling narcissism. As Daisy grows into an adult, the narrative tracks the psychological consequences of this neglect, culminating in Daisy’s attempt to find stability through intensive psychotherapy and the eventual rejection of inherited trauma.

Playwrights and students of dark comedy read this play to analyze the mechanics of farce used as a vehicle for social commentary. It appeals to readers interested in the intersection of developmental psychology and surrealist theater. The reader walks away with an understanding of how dramatic satire can be used to illustrate the cycle of poor parenting. The text provides a framework for identifying maladaptive family behaviors and demonstrates the possibility of individual recovery through the intentional breaking of generational patterns.