31 Plays in 31 Days, #25 - “Baby Swann”

Something from probably episode 8 of the Mrs. Hawking series. This would be after Mary and Arthur return to England, which I don’t think would happen until the second episode of the third trilogy— they need to spend some time apart to make the separation initiated in part 6 real. But by that point Mary will have a baby, and Nathaniel will finally get to meet her. I picture him as a big softy who likes kids, so I thought it would make for a sweet scene.

He’s also been a dad as long as we the audience have known him. His “young dad” aspect was inspired I think by the movie Willow, where the hero becomes the hero not because he’s a bold adventurer, but because the challenge involves caring for an infant and as a young father he knows how to do that. Nathaniel’s kids are in their teens at this point, so he can reassure Mary about parenthood from experience. I think that’s a nice way to manifest their very sweet friendship, which is one of my favorite parts of the series. I really like writing them as a platonic pair who love each other intensely.



( Day #25 - Baby Swann )