31 Plays in 31 Days: #31 - "Serving"

Push to the finish!

This idea was Bernie's suggestion. He thinks that Nathaniel's admiration for the Colonel would lead him to enlist the way he did, but that it went a very different way for him. It also ties Ito the idea of finding the way he can properly contribute to Mrs. Hawking's work.

Day #31 - "Serving"

MARY STONE, Mrs. Hawking's maid and assistant
NATHANIEL HAWKING, Mrs. Hawking's nephew
~~~

MARY: There's more to this work than knives and brawling. It's not the end of everything to not be a martial man.
NATHANIEL: Here now! I've a martial side. Why, I'll have you know I served my bit a few years back!
MARY: You did?
NATHANIEL: Don't sound so surprised!
MARY: Forgive me, it's only... well, you're a gentleman.
NATHANIEL: And I've lived a soft life accordingly, is that it?
MARY: It isn't necessarily to be expected of a gentleman.
NATHANIEL: Miss Stone, I idolized my uncle from the time I was a boy. I've spent my whole life wanting to be like him. You can bet that when I was old enough I stepped up to serve my queen and country just as he did.
MARY: My, sir! Well, I am sorry I expected any less. I am duly impressed.
NATHANIEL: Oh, you ought not to be.
MARY: It's very admirable! You must tell me sometime of your adventures and your exploits as a dashing servant of the empire.
NATHANIEL: It was hardly that. Yes, I enlisted when I was twenty or so. But do you know where they stationed me?
MARY: India? Singapore?
NATHANIEL: Newcastle. At the naval headquarters in the north country. When they learned I was a finance man they assigned me to keep the books for the armory.
MARY: I see.
NATHANIEL: Hardly the adventure I imagined it. And not much in the Colonel's style.
MARY: They saw you had a talented and they put it to use, though. I can't help but think we ought to do the same.

31 Plays in 31 Days: #28 - "A Force of Nature"

More stuff from early in the history of the Mrs. Hawking story. This takes place in New Guinea, sometime in the late 1850s or early 1860s.

I think this would be an early scene in the prequel. They say first scenes should suggest the questions for the rest of the play, as well as draw people in right away, so I tried to do that a little.

Day #28 - "A Force of Nature"

INDRA SINGH, Indian-born manservant to the territorial governor of New Guinea
a MASKED FIGURE, unidentified
~~~

(INDRA sits whittling a piece of word with a Gurkha knife. After a moment he pauses and looks back over her shoulder. Then he resumes his whittling.)

(A MASKED FIGURE, small and fast, leaps out from behind him with a cry of exertion, a knife extended. At the last possible moment, INDRA springs up and blocks the blow with his own blade. They struggle, locked together, for a moment, then he shoves the figure away.)

INDRA: Much improved. You drew quite close before I detected you. But you must resist the urge to cry out as you strike.

(The figure regroups and lunges again. INDRA evades.)

INDRA: Anything that could alert your quarry to your presence ought to be dispensed with.

(His assailant attacks again in a flurry of blows. INDRA turns them aside with his knife.)

INDRA: You will but rarely have the advantage of size or strength. You shall never be able to rely on overpowering your foe. You must instead use the gifts you’ve been given.

(The figure thrusts with the blade. INDRA dances out of the way.)

INDRA: You are swift. You are lithe. And soon you shall handle that blade like the striking of bird of prey.

(The strokes from the figure get wilder, more unbalanced.)

INDRA: But you are angry. That anger may drive you. But now it only stands in the way of your progress. You must learn to marshal it so that it does not rule you. You must be honed steel, silent smoke, an unseen presence in the darkness. One day you will become this. And on that day, you will become as a force of nature.

(He drives the hilt of his knife into the small of the figure’s back, send them sprawling.)

INDRA: But not until you resolve to do what you must.

(He picks up the wood he was whittling and exits. The figure gets up from off the ground, then dashes out in the opposite direction.)

31 Plays in 31 Days: #27 - "The Difference Between Us"

Yesterday's piece was about a future supervillain of Mrs. Hawking's, a woman who was her friend growing up in New Guinea, who is as smart as she is but choose to manipulate the system rather than fight against it. Today's piece shows them back when they were young Victoria Stanton and Elizabeth Danvers, before they were married and became Mrs. Hawking and Mrs. Frost. I think I will reproduce an awesome comment here by Kat Davis, because she perfectly summed up exactly what I was going for:

"...Mrs. Hawking up against someone who can meet her on even footing. Seeing her actually sort of lose her cool and lose that sort of detached mentor-ish tone she always has with Mary (and, to a slightly lesser extent, the nephew), is refreshing. I like that Frost gets her worked up, gets inside her guard and gets to her in a way we really never have seen anything else do. I especially like that Frost sort of clucks her tongue and shakes her head and looks down on Hawking, who is always so aloof and above it all. There's condescension and even, or at least how it reads to me (and how I would read it), a touch of pity. And not because of how she was forced into a life she rejected. Not for what was done to her. But rather for what and who she is."

You'll note I am naming the major female figures in the Mrs. Hawking universe after the queens of England. We have Victoria and Mary already. Mrs. Hawking's nemesis and opposite, then, is Elizabeth-- one of the most powerful and brilliant of them all.

Day #27 - "The Difference Between Us"

VICTORIA STANTON, rebellious daughter of the New Guinea territorial governor
ELIZABETH DANVERS, her companion
~~~

VICTORIA: What is that soldier up to, do you think? Hanging about like that?

ELIZABETH: There must be something he wants.

VICTORIA: Such as?

ELIZABETH: Could be any number of things. He could be on some assignment. He could want something from the territorial governor. Or…

VICTORIA: Or what?

ELIZABETH: Or a wife.

VICTORIA: Surely you’re not serious.

ELIZABETH: History has shown men are known to acquire wives from time to time. It happens to all of us before long.

VICTORIA: I am not about to be acquired by anyone, I promise you that.

ELIZABETH: Is that so?

VICTORIA: You know me, Elizabeth. Do you think I could bear to be any man’s nursemaid?

ELIZABETH: I doubt you’ll have much of a choice, when your father decides it’s time.

VICTORIA: Ha! That would require the leftenant to lift his notice to me long enough to recall that I exist.

ELIZABETH: Unmarried daughters lying around are often just inconvenient enough to attract attention.

VICTORIA: Even if that does happen, you can be certain I shan’t go quietly.

ELIZABETH: Oh? And what are you doing to do?

VICTORIA: Whatever it takes!

ELIZABETH: That’s not the way the world works, Victoria.

VICTORIA: Then blast the world.

ELIZABETH: I don’t think it should be so simple.

VICTORIA: What choice do we have? Else to buckle under?

ELIZABETH: I don’t mean to buckle.

VICTORIA: What, then?

ELIZABETH: I mean to make my best advantage.

VICTORIA: I don’t understand.

ELIZABETH: Why fight against the current when you’ve no hope to change its course? Instead, why not ride it where you wish to go?

VICTORIA: Because there’s no such place that it could take me. Is that what you want? Is that enough for you?

ELIZABETH: There is the difference between us, dear. I will not drown myself to spite the water.

31 Plays in 31 Days: #26 - "Pounding Against the Bars"

I have been imagining a character to include in the Mrs. Hawking universe that was a childhood friend of hers, who served as a sort of foil for her during her formative years. Much later, this character would reappear as a villain of the story. I don't know what she would be up to, but I really like that reversal, and the kind of conflict it could bring.

Day #26 - "Pounding Against the Bars"

VICTORIA HAWKING, avenger of downtrodden women
ELIZABETH FROST, her childhood friend, now a supervillain
~~~

MRS. FROST: It’s no use, Victoria. I know you’re in here somewhere.

(MR. HAWKING emerges from the canopy on the balcony door and land catlike on the floor.)

MRS. FROST: Hmm. The canopy, very cunning. I would have guessed you’d be clinging to the transom.

MRS. HAWKING: It’s been a long time, Elizabeth.

MRS. FROST: Yes, it has. But some things never change.

MRS. HAWKING: I had wondered what become of you after that Frost man took you away. I never suspected this.

MRS. FROST: You make your own way in the world, and I make mine.

MRS. HAWKING: On the backs of helpless women?

MRS. FROST: You never did grasp how the world works, Victoria.

MRS. HAWKING: Oh, I grasp it. I just refuse to be complicit in it.

MRS. FROST: Complicit? No, not you, never you. You’ve never gone along with anything in your life when you could wage all-out war on it instead.

MRS. HAWKING: A world and a system I have spent my life defending helpless women against, you manipulate and exploit to your own advantage.

MRS. FROST: Oh, spare me your righteous wrath, darling.

MRS. HAWKING: You are as bad as any of them!

MRS. FROST: And you are hero, is that it? You are a beast in a menagerie pounding against the bars of your cage! For all your work and all your heroics, what have you done? So you pulled a few petty bacons from the fire. Nothing has changed, the world still traps us and uses us and batters us down! Do you honestly believe you can put an end to all that on your own?

31 Plays in 31 Days: #22 - "The Other Mrs. Hawking"

After the Bare Bones Mrs. Hawking reading, commented that it might be interesting for the characters to encounter "the other Ms. Hawking," as in, Nathaniel's wife, and see what she thought of the whole business her husband had been drawn into. What I'd want to do with this character is make her a model of weaponized femininity-- extremely happy with her place in society and her gender identity, but using it to her advantage as a sharp, strong femme woman. Of course, you can probably guess how Mrs. Hawking feels about her.

Day #22 - "The Other Mrs. Hawking"

VICTORIA HAWKING, avenger of downtrodden women
MARY STONE, her housemaid and assistant
CLARA HAWKING, Nathaniel’s wife
~~~

MRS. HAWKING: You shall have the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Mrs. Hawking.

MARY: I beg your pardon?

MRS. HAWKING: Not me. The other Mrs. Hawking.

(Enter CLARA HAWKING, curvy and beautiful, in a flurry of activity and sweeping skirts.)

CLARA: Aunt Victoria!

MRS. HAWKING: Clara.

(She rushes over and kisses MRS. HAWKING’s cheek.)

CLARA: You haven’t visited us since Christmas! We were beginning to worry that you might have bricked yourself up inside that study of yours. Of course Nathaniel is glad to be seeing so much more of you. He says he’s enjoyed your time together immensely. Miracles happen, I suppose! And this must be Mary, your lovely housegirl. Nathaniel speaks very highly of you, miss. Of course, any girl who’s managed to last as long as you have in dear Auntie’s employ must be a saint! Don’t mistake me, dear, we do love our Aunt Victoria, it’s only to know her is to love her, and we know her! You must come to supper more often. I know you’re fiercely independent, but what is family for, if not to take care of widowed relations and see that you eat properly every once in a while? I know that left to your own devices, you might starve to death over your books! I’m sure you try your hardest with her, Mary, but heaven knows it can be like trying to push the boulder up the hill! And I’m sure you’ve been missing Sophia and little Reggie as much as they’ve missed you. We’d hate to think we’re allowing you to go on lonely. Now! I’ll have Jane fetch the tea things, and I’ll catch you up on everything about the children since last you came about.

(She bustles out.)

MARY: Good heavens. She’s…

MRS. HAWKING: Indeed.

MARY: And so…

MRS. HAWKING: Oh, my, yes.

(Pause.)

MARY: I love her.

MRS. HAWKING: You would.

31 Plays in 31 Days: #18 - "Reading the Signs"

As I've mentioned, I like the idea of opening the next Mrs. Hawking story by showing the women at work, specifically of Mrs. Hawking teaching Mary about how to use observation and deductive reasoning (well, technically inductive, but whatever) in the process of working on cases. This scene is not all that well thought out in its current form, as it probably needs to be in order to truly work, but I wanted to bang out a draft just for the purposes of catching up on 31 Plays in 31 Days.

One thing I've learned in the course of writing plays, or anything really, is that it's better to get SOMETHING down on the page, to get some draft just written, so that the thing exists. Otherwise you get so wrapped up in how you're not ready to write it in its current imperfect form that you never end up writing it at all. At least if you have a draft, you have something, and you can always improve it afterward. So consider that what I'm doing now.

Day #18 - "Reading the Signs"

VICTORIA HAWKING, avenger of downtrodden women
MARY STONE, her housemaid and assistant
~~~

(A fancy Victorian society party. Women glide around in gowns with men in white tie. Waiters carry around trays of champagne glasses and push around serving trolleys. After a moment some peel away from the center, revealing a tall, dark-haired young woman holding a fan to her face. When she moves it aside, we see that it is MARY. She flutters it and speaks seemingly to no one under her breath.)

MARY: The timing is too coincidental. It has to be someone here. But there’s no sign of them.

(MRS. HAWKING in her stealth suit pokes her head out from her hiding place behind a drapery.)

MRS. HAWKING: Nonsense. The signs are there, you just aren’t looking properly.

(People approach and MRS. HAWKING hides again. MARY walks quickly away and makes a loop around the party. When people move off again, she returns to the drapery.)

MRS. HAWKING: Consider the circumstances.

MARY: The gems are heavy, and there are a number of them. Difficult to secret about one’s person.

MRS. HAWKING: There’s a start.

MARY: But there hasn’t been time to go far. They have to still be here somewhere.

MRS. HAWKING: Sound so far.

(Other guests draw near. She ducks back behind the drapery and MARY acts casual until they leave.)

MARY: They must have been hidden somewhere nearby. Somewhere within easy reach, but not where others are likely to find it.

MRS. HAWKING: And where would that be?

MARY: I… I don’t know.

MRS. HAWKING: Oh, come now!

(People pass by again and MRS. HAWKING hides. MARY moves to the other side of the stage. MRS. HAWKING pops back out of the drapery on that side.)

MRS. HAWKING: Think, girl.

MARY: In the flower arrangements.

MRS. HAWKING: Too conspicuous to disturb.

(Again MARY moves. MRS. HAWKING disappears behind the drape..)

MARY: The wall sconces.

MRS. HAWKING: Not enough concealment.

MARY: Under the banquet tables?

MRS. HAWKING: Rank amateurism.

MARY: The chandelier?

MRS. HAWKING: Now you’re being absurd. I would have seen them already!

(Someone approaches. MARY sweeps her skirt around so that MRS. HAWKING can hide beneath them.)

MARY: I don’t know!

MRS. HAWKING: I said think, Miss Stone! A place nearby, unlikely to be disturbed, easily accessed to recover the spoils!

(MARY looks about, shaking her head desperately. Then her eye settles on one of the waiters with a serving trolley.)

MARY: Madam…

MRS. HAWKING: Now you’ve got it.

MARY: Shall we, then?

MRS. HAWKING: Quickly and quietly, now. Go.

(MRS. HAWKING gets out from under MARY’s skirts and back behind the drapery. MARY weaves her way to the waiter. Pretending to look away, MARY moves in front of the trolley and allows it to crash into her.)

MARY: Oh!

(She dramatically falls over. The waiter startles and hurries to help her up. The other guests watch them in surprise. While they are distracted, MRS. HAWKING darts out of concealment and snatches one of the covered trays off the trolley. She disappears back behind the drapery.)

(After MARY disengages from the waiter, she makes another circuit of the part, accepting people’s concern and gracefully putting them off. At last she settles in front of the drapes again. Her body blocks from view MRS. HAWKING emerging, now in a black maid’s dress, with the tray in her arms.)

MRS. HAWKING: Mission accomplished. Reconvene at base. About time, Miss Stone.

(She hustles out. MARY smiles.)

31 Plays in 31 Days: #12 - "Protege"

I'm a little behind, but this was a piece I wasn't expecting to write and I'm glad I did. It could be very useful in the future, as it is an early scene in the sequel to Mrs. Hawking. I would like to open that piece with a scene that shows Mary's progress getting into Mrs. Hawking's work, with her mentor running her through a deduction and espionage exercise that leads to the solving of a case. Something fun, clever, and establishing to their growing dynamic. This scene would come immediately after. What I want here to is to set up an issue to explore for the rest of the play. Mary and Mrs. Hawking's relationship has to grow further, and I want it to happen with Mrs. H realizing that Mary could be her protege to continue her work on. What they may not see yet is that Mary may not fit exactly into the mold that her mentor wants to put her in, and that is something they'll have to work out.

Day #12 - "Protege"

MRS. HAWKING, avenger of downtrodden women
MARY, her housemaid and assistant
~~~

(MRS. HAWKING is in the parlor in his stealth suit, removing it piece by piece. MARY rushes back in through the front with her wrap and hat over her dress, exhilarated.)

MARY: Oh, that was extraordinary!

MRS. HAWKING: A task adequately managed, indeed.

MARY: I did it, I worked it all out, you saw it yourself!

MRS. HAWKING: Eventually. With some guidance.

MARY: Still, I did manage!

MRS. HAWKING: You did at that.

MARY: And yes, with your guidance. Everything you’ve wanted to teach me, I’ve worked very hard to learn.

MRS. HAWKING: Yes. Yes, you have.

MARY: You have seen it, madam, haven’t you?

MRS. HAWKING: You’ve been a diligent student. In fact… you’ve been an excellent one. Better than I dared hope.

(MARY beams at her. Then she begins taking off her wrap, her hat, and her gloves. MRS. HAWKING becomes contemplative, and after a moment MARY notices.)

MARY: Are you all right?

MRS. HAWKING: It’s only… it makes me think. I’ve been at this work for half my life now, and before you, I’d always done it alone. I thought that when it came time that I could not keep on with it any longer… that would be the end of it. All my efforts would die with me. But since you’ve come along, you’ve learned. You’ve risen to every challenge that’s come your way. I would never have guessed what help you would be to me.

MARY: Oh, madam. Do you mean that?

MRS. HAWKING: I do.

MARY: I’m sure I’m not the assistant you would have imagined.

MRS. HAWKING: Perhaps not. And yet I see now that I have in you a protégé, on your way to becoming a true partner. And one day, you’ll carry it all on in my stead.

MARY: Mrs. Hawking… I don’t know what to say.

MRS. HAWKING: Is that a path that you could see for yourself?

MARY: After everything you’ve shown me… it’s the only path I can see. Thank you.

MRS. HAWKING: No need. I can rest easy in the future of my life’s work.

(She turns away, pleased, and begins to gather up her things. MARY watches her, charmed.)

MARY: Why, Mrs. Hawking?

MRS. HAWKING: Yes?

MARY: I do believe you’re smiling.

(MRS. HAWKING frowns hard.)

MRS. HAWKING: I beg your pardon?

MARY: You never smile.

MRS. HAWKING: Certainly not. I don’t know what you’re on about, Miss Stone.

(She gathers her things in an armful and strides from the room. MARY watches her, and glows.)

31 Plays in 31 Days: #4 - "Worth a Crack or Two"

Today's piece is a scene that could be incorporated into the first sequel to Mrs. Hawking. As I've said, I think Nathaniel is going to want to get more involved in helping Mrs. Hawking. But he's got a lot to learn, not just about her business, but also about how to work effectively with women. He's got a lot of cultural prejudices that will have to be whacked out of him-- perhaps literally, in this scene. But it's the first step to him figuring out what his unique skills and contribution can be, the way he can actually be something truly useful to the endeavor.


Day #4 - "Worth a Crack or Two"

MRS. VICTORIA HAWKING, avenger of downtrodden women
MARY STONE, her housemaid and assistant
NATHANIEL HAWKING, her nephew with ambitions to help her
~~~

MARY: I say, Nathaniel— is that a bruise?
NATHANIEL: Oh, this? It’s nothing, I assure you.
MARY: Nothing? You look as if you’ve taken quite a bash!
MRS. HAWKING: Wherever did you get that?
NATHANIEL: Just— from sport.
MRS. HAWKING: Sport? Taken up boxing, have you?
NATHANIEL: As a matter of fact.
MRS. HAWKING: Surely you’re joking.
NATHANIEL: Not at all, Auntie.
MARY: Why on earth have you done that?
NATHANIEL: Well— if you must know— it’s to make myself more useful to you. So I can handle myself and lend another arm if things come to it!
MRS. HAWKING: Nathaniel. Going a few rounds of gentleman’s boxing is hardly going to ready you for the sort of roughs we encounter.
NATHANIEL: It isn’t right to just hang back and leave it to you ladies. What kind of man would that make me?
MRS. HAWKING: Ha!
NATHANIEL: Go ahead and laugh. But how do you think I feel, knowing the two of you are putting yourselves in danger and I’m not fit to help you?
MRS. HAWKING: I don’t think you quite understand. There are no Marquess of Queensbury rules when you’re fighting for your life.
NATHANIEL: Even Mary’s had to handle herself. And she just a girl!
MARY: Sir!
NATHANIEL: No offense intended, Mary. But if you can swing that poker surely I’m worth a crack or two.
(MARY looks to MRS. HAWKING, who sighs.)
MRS. HAWKING: Very well, then, Nathaniel. If you mean to have a go, have a go at me.
NATHANIEL: I beg your pardon?
MRS. HAWKING: If you think you’re fit to take on a real threat. Take on me.
NATHANIEL: I say, Auntie, how could I?
MRS. HAWKING: If you’d like to cast yourself into the fray, you ought to know what you’re up against. Show me what
you’re made of.
NATHANIEL: I don’t know—
MRS. HAWKING: Take his coat, Mary.
(He and MARY look at each other a moment. Then he shakes his head and throws up his hands. She steps forward and he shrugs out of his jacket. She places it aside as he begins turning up his shirt cuffs.)
MRS. HAWKING: Now come on!
(Uncertainly, NATHANIEL puts his fists and advances on her. He takes a few swings, which she dodges easily, even walking backward.)
MRS. HAWKING: Is that all? You must do better than that!
(NATHANIEL starts punching in earnest, but still she evades him easily. At last he throws himself at her, and she moves like lightning, landing a sound blow almost too fast to see that knocks him to the ground.)
MRS. HAWKING: And if you can’t, you’d best keep out of the way.
(She exits. MARY rushes over to NATHANIEL as he pulls himself up off the ground.)
NATHANIEL: Well, I’ve made a fool of myself.
MARY: Oh, not at all.
NATHANIEL: Go on.
MARY: She’s been in training for years.
NATHANIEL: And made short work of me.
MARY: For my part, I think it’s quite noble of you. That you’re not content to hang back out of harm’s way.
NATHANIEL: Still, perhaps she’s right. Perhaps I’m not cut out for this.
MARY: It’s not all knives and brawling, you know. Even she does more planning and creeping than fighting.
NATHANIEL: I did so want to make myself of use to her.
MARY: And so you will. Who knows, Nathaniel? We may run up against something that only you can do. We’ll just have to find out what it is.
(Pause. Then NATHANIEL laughs.)
NATHANIEL: That was quite a belt she gave me. I wonder how long she's wanted to do that.

Beginning work on the first Mrs. Hawking sequel

The other day I sat down to work on editing the play I wrote for my thesis. Which meant, being me, I could not focus on it at all and felt compelled to work only on another project. The bright side of this was that what I worked on was a concrete idea for the first sequel to Mrs. Hawking. I have an idea for the direction of the plot, and what the next stage of the arcs of the characters will be. To that last end, I wrote this very short scene to give you a taste of where the conflict is going.

I picture Nathaniel wanting to get involved more with helping Mrs. Hawking in her superheroing work. Now that he's onboard, he's enthusiastic, but perhaps not as swift at picking the tricks up as Mary was. But Mrs. Hawking is not making it as easy for him as she could be, and after he is frustrated to find that she seems to be shutting him out his efforts to contribute, he finally calls her on it. It's not exactly a departure from my preferred style of scene writing that involves "You know that thing you don't want to talk about? Well, we're going to talk about it now!" but I think with some polishing it could be an interesting and character-revealing scene.

~~~~~~~~~~~

NATHANIEL: Aunt Victoria— why won’t you trust me?

MRS. HAWKING: Oh, do spare me, Nathaniel.

NATHANIEL: No. No, you mustn’t put me off. I know I haven’t been the quickest study when it comes to this business of yours, but I’ve been giving it a serious go. I surely do mean to be of help to you, and by God, on occasion I even have. Isn’t that so?

MRS. HAWKING: Yes. You have.

NATHANIEL: Then… why won’t you let me on? Really let me on? Is it— is it because I’m a man?

MRS. HAWKING: Nathaniel.

NATHANIEL: Is it because I’m not clever enough? Do you think that once in a tough spot, I’ll lose my head and disappoint—

MRS. HAWKING: You look so much like him!

(Pause.)

MRS. HAWKING: Too damn much.

MARY: Like whom? Do you mean— the Colonel?

NATHANIEL: You never told me that. Others have, but not you.

(MARY looks to the portrait on the mantle.)

MARY: I never noticed it.

MRS. HAWKING: The years and the whiskers throw it off, but all the men in the family have that look. Your father, your uncle, and you. Your boy will have it too before long. Strong jaw, devil-may-care grin, handsome as the day is long. The sort of face to win anything a man could want in the world. But that was face I first looked into twenty years ago when a promising young soldier was first transferred to New Guinea and trammeled up my life forever. The same eyes from which I had to hide everything of any meaning to me so I might be permitted to have it.

NATHANIEL: I don’t want you to feel that way about me anymore.

MRS. HAWKING: I know that, and not for nothing. But the years I lost and the pains I took…

NATHANIEL: I know.

MRS. HAWKING: Yes. Now you know. So it galls me, boy. I tell you, it galls me to look into those eyes and that face and give all the game away to them.

NATHANIEL: I can’t help who I look like.

MRS. HAWKING: No. But all the same, he’s in everything in you. His blood and his name and every effort in the world to be just like him.

NATHANIEL: But… I’m not like him.

MRS. HAWKING: To your eternal sorrow.

NATHANIEL: Still. I’m not him. I can learn better.

(Pause.)

NATHANIEL: And I mean to. But I’ll need you to teach me. I can’t do it without you.

(NATHANIEL draws himself up with a quiet, cold dignity.)

NATHANIEL: Rather… none of could. The Colonel neither. Because the God’s honest truth is you don’t know if he couldn’t have learned. You never gave him the chance.

(NATHANIEL turns and strides quickly from the room.)

31 Plays in 31 Days: #12 - "One Can Hide Anything"

Today's piece isn't an independent play, but rather a scene for Mrs. Hawking. I am counting scenes for larger plays as complete pieces for this challenge as long as they have an arc. This scene is where Mary first begins convincing Mrs. Hawking can't always go it alone-- and that perhaps she can be that help.

Day #12 - "One Can Hide Anything" - from Mrs. Hawking

(MRS. HAWKING winces and tenses her left side.)

MARY: Mrs. Hawking, your arm.

MRS HAWKING: I'd quite forgotten.

MRS. FAIRMONT: Oh, my goodness, you’re still hurt! We should send for someone.

MRS. HAWKING: No doctors, Celeste.

MRS. FAIRMONT: But Victoria—

MRS. HAWKING: Certainly not!

MARY: Please— allow me.

(She moves close to MRS. HAWKING, who instinctively withdraws.)

MARY: I have some knowledge of this, madam.

(MRS. HAWKING regards her a moment, and then undresses to her shift. MARY pushes it down off her shoulders and she pulls out her bare arm to reveal a bleeding rawness.)

MARY: Oh, my. This requires some attention. Madam, if you'll bring me the dipper.

(MRS. FAIRMONT brings over the basin of water. MARY draws a white cloth from her apron pocket.)

MARY: Mrs. Fairmont, have you any clean linen about? This will want wrapping.

MRS. FAIRMONT: Oh, yes, of course.

MARY: And some alcohol to clean it.

MRS. FAIRMONT: I'll go and fetch it.

(MRS. FAIRMONT exits. MARY wets her cloth and begins dabbing at MRS. HAWKING's wound.)

MARY: This is serious.

MRS. HAWKING: I have seen worse.

(MARY examines up her arm.)

MARY: You have... so many scars.

MRS. HAWKING: As I said.

MARY: Does this happen... often? In this work that you do?

MRS. HAWKING: On occasion. You may count how often.

(MARY works in silence a moment.)

MARY: And... what do you do?

MRS. HAWKING: Beg your pardon?

MARY: When this happens. If you will not see a doctor.

MRS. HAWKING: I manage well enough on my own.

MARY: I see. If I may ask… what if it were more serious than this? Something that you could not manage on your own?

MRS. HAWKING: Seeking medical attention is out of the question, Miss Stone. Any outside attention risks exposure of my… enterprise.

MARY: I understand. But… you’ve no other assistance? Is there no one trustworthy?

MRS. HAWKING: I cannot chance it. Discovery by the wrong person could mean the end of everything.

MARY: I think you make a great mistake in that.

MRS. HAWKING: I did not ask your opinion, Miss Stone.

MARY: Everyone has need of help sometime.

MRS. HAWKING: You are out of turn, Miss Stone.

MARY: Forgive me, madam… but if there is never anyone to help when you need it, it could mean the end of everything.

MRS. HAWKING: It is an easy thing to say when you need not live in fear of your well-meaning fool of a husband putting a stop to you for what he thinks is your own good.

MARY: He never knew?

MRS. HAWKING: I could not permit it.

MARY: In twenty years of marriage?

MRS. HAWKING: One can hide anything from anyone if one so chooses.

MARY: You couldn't hide it from me.

(MRS. HAWKING’s eyes widen in surprise, and she turns her head to regard MARY very seriously. MRS. FAIRMONT returns with the linen and alcohol. She hands it over to MARY.)

MARY: Thank you.

(She soaks the linen in the alcohol.)

MARY: There will be pain, madam.

MRS. HAWKING: I have no fear of that.

(Her face is stern as MARY wraps her wounds in it.)

Biweekly Theater Writing Challenge #14.2 - Mrs. Hawking 1.3

Had to submit my workshop manuscripts for the upcoming residency period of my grad school today. I included pieces of my Tailor screenplay, and the first four scenes of Mrs. Hawking. Here is scene three, which I just wrote, to complete that first chunk of the text. Scenes one, two, and four are also posted here.

As I've mentioned, Mary and Mrs. Hawking are very much a sort of female Watson and Holmes. This has been helped enormously by being in Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure right now. But there's also going to be something of a Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth thing going on here-- a brilliant, damaged heroic figure and the more well-adjusted person who takes care of that hero, once the hero lets their friend in enough to allow them to love them. That makes me smile. That will come out more and more as the story goes along.


SCENE iii

(MARY sits with an appointment book open on the parlor table. She springs up when MRS. HAWKING enters from the study followed by two well-dressed young women.)

MRS. HAWKING: Mary, please show these ladies out.

MARY: This way, misses. Did you have a pleasant visit?

FIRST LADY: Oh, very helpful indeed.

MARY: Oh… how lovely. Have a good day now. And do come again!

SECOND LADY: (Laughing) Not with any luck, we won’t!

(They exit and MARY closes the door behind them, a bemused look on her face. MRS. HAWKING starts digging through a bag on the table.)

MARY: So many visitors today!

MRS. HAWKING: Yes, I am unusually occupied. Do take care to keep the appointments from running into one another. It will not do to run off schedule.

(She pulls out a notebook and begins looking through it.)

MARY: Of course, Mrs. Hawking. It can be quite the undertaking to entertain so many friends.

MRS. HAWKING: Friends? Goodness, no. I am not a sociable creature. Strictly business, Miss Stone.

MARY: I see. And are all these ladies come… seeking the same thing?

MRS. HAWKING: Each in their own way.

(The front bell rings. MARY rushes to answer it and opens the door to an older middle-class woman.)

MARY: Good morning. How may I help you?

MRS. KELLEY: Good morning to you. I’m here to see the lady of the house. Mrs. Colonel.

MARY: Yes, right this way. Madam, your guest has arrived.

MRS. HAWKING: Ah, yes. Mrs. Kelley, is it?

MRS. KELLEY: I simply must speak with you. It’s become quite urgent, you see.

MRS. HAWKING: I very much understand. Please go into the study, I shall be with you shortly.

(MRS. KELLEY nods and walks past her to EXIT. Mrs. Hawking begins writing in her notebook.)

MRS. HAWKING: Mary, what name is marked down for one o’clock?

MARY: A Mrs. Henry Walter Northbrook, ma’am.

MRS. HAWKING: Indeed.

MARY: Will you and Mrs. Northbrook be taking luncheon together?

MRS. HAWKING: Luncheon?

MARY: It will be the luncheon hour.

MRS. HAWKING: Ah, no. Just tea will suffice.

MARY: Of course. Tea it is. I am happy to be of help in whatever what I can!

MRS. HAWKING: Most excellent.

(MRS. HAWKING goes to exit, with MARY on her heels. She stops in her tracks, presses her lips together, and looks over her shoulder at the girl.)

MRS. HAWKING: Thank you, Mary.

MARY: Oh! Oh, yes, of course, madam.

(MARY busies herself with some small chores in the parlor. Mrs. Hawking exits into the other room. MARY looks after her as if lost. Then the bell rings again. MARY rushes to answer it and this time it is a working-class girl.)

GRACE: Please, miss, I’ve just got to see the lady.

MARY: Of course. Do you have an appointment?

GRACE: Sure do, miss. Grace Monroe at eleven-thirty.

MARY: Ah, yes, I see you. You’re rather early yet, Miss Monroe, Mrs. Hawking is still with a prior engagement.

GRACE: No trouble, I’ll wait as long as I need.

MARY: Very well, then. Please sit and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be putting on the tea soon.

GRACE: Thanks very much, miss.

(GRACE settles into a chair, stiff and anxious. Again MARY attempts to busy herself, but after a moment sidles back over.)

MARY: Please, miss… might I ask… what brings you here?

GRACE: Begging your pardon?

MARY: Ah… on what business have you come to see Mrs. Hawking?

GRACE: Why, same as everyone, I should expect!

MARY: And… what business is that?

GRACE: Don’t you know?

MARY: I’m afraid I don’t.

GRACE: Miss, she’s known far and wide for it. She tells women what they ought to do.