31 Plays in 31 Days, Day #21 - "The Cuff"

So I've been working to figure out the Mrs. Hawking timeline to nail down when each story needs to happen. The main things to work around are that the first story takes place in 1880, to happen in proper proximity to the Indian Rebellion and the Battle of Kandahar, and I want the sixth story to have Mrs. Hawking taking on Jack the Ripper, which would happen in 1888. Six pieces need to be spread across that span, with an amount of time between them that is believable. I've decided that it makes more sense to place Base Instruments in 1883 rather than 1882, which is what I've been using for all other pieces of it written for this 31P31D, so that the second trilogy can be in 1885, 1886, and 1888, making no gap longer than two years.

If it's happening in 1883, then, it occurred to me that means that Mrs. Hawking will be almost out of mourning for her late husband the Colonel. Mourning for widows was very regimented in Victorian England, so even if it didn't match her own feelings or preferences, she would have to observe the etiquette so as not to attract unwanted attention and criticism. I don't know if this is an especially useful scene to include in Base Instruments, but it's an interesting thing to address.

( Day #21 - "The Cuff" )