What primary obstacle did Lady Gregory courageously confront in 1909 to ensure that the Abbey Theatre could stage George Bernard Shaw's controversial play 'The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet'?
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Correct answer: British authorities at Dublin Castle threatened censorship and revocation of its patent.
Shaw's play had been banned in England by the Lord Chamberlain on charges of blasphemy, and the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland threatened to close the Abbey Theatre if Lady Gregory proceeded with the production. She flatly refused to back down, viewing the fight as a crucial test of artistic freedom against imperial censorship. The production went ahead successfully, cementing the Abbey's reputation as a fearless, independent national institution.
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