Broadcast: Sunday 25th March, 1956
Character: Marchese Fabio Colli
Jean Anouilh’s Honesty Is the Best Policy is one of the playwright’s lesser-known yet highly engaging comedies, blending sharp social observation with the wit, irony, and emotional complexity characteristic of his dramatic body of work. Beneath its seemingly light-hearted exterior lies a thoughtful examination of truth, deception, social convention, and personal integrity. As is common in Anouilh’s plays, the work questions whether absolute honesty is genuinely attainable in a society predicated upon appearances and compromise. Central to this exploration is the richly entertaining character of Marchese Fabio Colli (Peter Wyngarde), whose presence dominates much of the action and provides the play’s most memorable moments.
Anouilh frequently populated his dramas with aristocrats, dreamers, idealists, and cynics; Fabio Colli embodies several of these archetypes simultaneously. A man of breeding, charm, and sophistication, he remains deeply aware of the absurdities governing social relationships. Through Colli, Anouilh exposes the often ridiculous disparity between public utterance and private conviction.
The plot revolves around the complications that arise as characters navigate society through a mixture of honesty, concealment, and self-interest. As misunderstandings multiply and loyalties are tested, the title itself acquires an ironic quality. While honesty may be the ideal policy in principle, Anouilh demonstrates that individuals rarely possess the courage to practice it consistently; nearly every character hides behind a social mask.
Within this environment, Marchese Fabio Colli emerges as one of the drama’s most fascinating figures. Unlike characters who cling to comforting illusions, Fabio possesses an acute understanding of human nature. He recognises pretence almost instinctively and often perceives deception long before others do, granting him a unique perspective on the unfolding events.
One of Fabio’s most defining qualities is his intelligence. He is neither a naïve romantic nor a bitter cynic; instead, he occupies a middle ground that allows him to appreciate both the beauty and the folly of human behaviour. His observations frequently provide the play’s sharpest humour, though there is typically an underlying seriousness beneath the wit.
The Marchese is particularly effective because Anouilh refuses to reduce him to a simple comic stereotype. In lesser hands, an aristocratic character of this nature might serve merely as a source of amusing remarks. Fabio, however, possesses genuine emotional depth, and his actions reveal a man acquainted with disappointment, compromise, and the complexities of human relationships.
Much of the play’s success depends upon the actor portraying Fabio Colli. The role demands elegance, timing, and charisma. The character must be sufficiently charming to win the audience’s affection while remaining believable as a man capable of cutting observations and occasional manipulation. When performed well, Fabio becomes the natural centre of attention whenever he appears on stage.
What makes Fabio particularly compelling is his relationship with truth itself. Given the title of the play, every major character is forced to confront questions of honesty, but none does so more intriguingly than the Marchese. He recognises that absolute honesty can be both liberating and destructive; while lies create complications, complete candour can inflict pain and damage relationships.
This nuanced understanding elevates Fabio beyond the level of a conventional comedy character. He appreciates that people often deceive themselves before they deceive others. In many respects, the play’s central conflict arises from self-delusion rather than deliberate dishonesty, and Fabio’s ability to recognise this places him in a unique position within the drama.
Anouilh was consistently interested in the contrast between appearance and reality, and Fabio serves as a vehicle for exploring this theme. Society expects him to play the role of a distinguished nobleman, yet he refuses to be trapped entirely by social expectations. He understands that titles, status, and reputation frequently conceal rather than reveal true character.
The wit associated with Fabio Colli is another of the play’s great pleasures. His dialogue sparkles with intelligence and irony; even when delivering humorous lines, he often exposes uncomfortable truths about those around him. These moments generate laughter while simultaneously encouraging reflection.
Finally, there is a generosity to Fabio that prevents him from becoming merely cynical. Although he recognises human weaknesses, he does not despise people because of them. Instead, he regards them with a mixture of amusement and sympathy, making him one of the most humane figures in the play.
Fabio’s interactions with other characters frequently expose their vulnerabilities; those who initially project confidence often falter under his perceptive scrutiny. He possesses the rare capacity to uncover truths that others prefer to keep concealed, yet he does so with a charm that prevents his observations from appearing cruel.
As the narrative progresses, Fabio increasingly serves as a moral compass, albeit in an unconventional sense. Rather than preaching virtue or insisting upon rigid principles, he encourages authenticity. He recognises that fulfilment is achieved not through constant, literal honesty, but by confronting the truths one most wishes to avoid.
This approach reflects Anouilh’s sophisticated understanding of morality. Eschewing the tendency to divide characters into binary heroes and villains, Anouilh explores ambiguity—a quality Fabio embodies perfectly. Neither entirely noble nor entirely flawed, Fabio’s strengths and weaknesses coexist, rendering him an authentically human figure.
Furthermore, the character’s aristocratic background allows Anouilh to comment on class and privilege. While Fabio enjoys social advantages unavailable to others, he is sufficiently intelligent to recognise their artificial nature. This awareness fosters a detached perspective, enabling him to perceive situations with greater clarity than his contemporaries.
One of the most compelling aspects of the role is the sense of experience Fabio brings to the story. He conveys the impression of a man who has lived fully and learned from his mistakes, which lends authority to his observations without projecting self-righteousness.
Thematically, Honesty Is the Best Policy examines whether truth alone can provide happiness. Through Fabio, Anouilh suggests that honesty is valuable only when accompanied by understanding and compassion; brutal truthfulness, devoid of humanity, can be as damaging as deception.
Consequently, the play’s comedy serves a deeper purpose. While the misunderstandings and social complications provide amusement, they also reveal fundamental truths about human behaviour. Fabio Colli remains at the centre of this process, guiding both the characters and the audience toward greater self-awareness.
Viewed from a modern perspective, the play remains remarkably relevant. Contemporary audiences continue to grapple with questions of authenticity, social performance, and personal integrity. The tensions between honesty and diplomacy, or truth and kindness, remain as pertinent now as when Anouilh first explored them.
Ultimately, Honesty Is the Best Policy succeeds by synthesizing entertainment with intellectual insight. While the plot provides charm and humour, the characters offer genuine psychological depth. Above all, Marchese Fabio Colli emerges as the play’s most memorable creation. Intelligent, witty, and perceptive, he embodies Anouilh’s ability to create characters who are simultaneously amusing and profound. Through Fabio, the playwright demonstrates that honesty is not merely the act of telling the truth to others, but the act of understanding the truths we hide from ourselves. It is this insight that ensures the enduring appeal of both the character and the play.
