31 Plays in 31 Days, #11 - “Hurt”

[breakinglight11]

Hawking part 7 is very much about pushing Mrs. Hawking to an emotional point where she can accept how untenable her situation is and open herself up to change. She has to take responsibility for her part in wrecking the relationship between her and Mary, and that the way of life she’s been clinging to is no longer sustainable. So across, this play, she’s got to get it from all sides— from Nellie Fletcher, from Miranda Barrymore, and here, from her grandniece Beatrice Hawking.

As I mentioned, she’s been shoving Beatrice away for fear of getting close to someone like Mary again, who might eventually come to hate her and leave her the way she thinks that Mary has. But the top of this scene will have Beatrice pushing her way in, and Mrs. H relenting enough to talk about her case, encouraging the girl to use her brain and make deductions, showing Mrs. H’s somewhat atrophied capacity to be a mentor. That part will take a lot of thinking to work out, but I know I want it to lead into this— what will be the final blow to Mrs. H’s denial that things are still working as they are.

At the moment, I haven’t quite built up to this moment enough. I need more set up of Mrs. Hawking’s current vulnerabilities, and probably to sharpen what Beatrice says to her. But I want the hits to keep on coming, until this moment can lead into 31P31D 2020’s #17 - “Liege Man of Life and Limb”, a scene I’m really proud of that may be one of the most important in the whole series. So I can’t let it down by not building to it properly.


Photo by Dan Fox

Day #11 - “Hurt”
From the Mrs. Hawking series
By Phoebe Roberts

London, England, 1890

VICTORIA HAWKING, lady’s champion of London, early fifties
NATHANIEL HAWKING, her nephew and right hand man, mid thirties
CLARA HAWKING, his lady wife, late thirties
BEATRICE HAWKING, her grandniece, mid teens
~~~

BEATRICE: Is this it? Have we cracked it?

MRS. HAWKING: We will once we’ve caught the blackguard! Blast it, if not for this shoulder, I’d string him up by his heels and pin the evidence to his chest myself.

BEATRICE: Yes, but… you can’t do that.

MRS. HAWKING: I beg your pardon? I’ll have you know, miss, I have done! Against all manner of foes, for years and years, since before you were even born!

BEATRICE: But… you can’t now.

MRS. HAWKING: What makes you say that?

BEATRICE: Because you haven’t. If you could, you’d have done it already. But you’re too hurt.

MRS. HAWKING: Yes, but— as soon as I’ve recovered—

BEATRICE: You’re always hurt. You’ve not gotten better.

MRS. HAWKING: I— these things take time—

BEATRICE: You’ve never better. This is all there ever is.

(Pause as this hits MRS. HAWKING. After a moment, NATHANIEL and CLARA burst in the front door.)

CLARA: Oh, of course she is.

BEATRICE: Mama! Papa!

CLARA: We were worried sick, you willful little girl! We thought you’d been stolen from your room!

BEATRICE: You knew I was just at Auntie’s, or else you wouldn’t be here.

CLARA: Don’t you dare talk back to me, young lady; you’re in trouble enough.

BEATRICE: I only meant to help—

NATHANIEL: Even so, darling, you can’t just slip off without telling us. I’m sorry, Aunt Victoria, we’ll see she keeps out of your business.

MRS. HAWKING: No. It’s all right.

NATHANIEL: Is it?

(Pause.)

CLARA: Madam, are you quite well?

MRS. HAWKING: Clara, if you could kindly take Beatrice home with you… I should like a word with Nathaniel alone.

(Pause.)

CLARA: Of course. Come along now, Beatrice. We see shall Papa at home.

(Exit CLARA and BEATRICE.)