Evans - Once We Were Mothers

Lisa Evans

ONCE WE WERE MOTHERS

OBERON BOOKS
LONDON

First published in 2004 by Oberon Books Ltd
Electronic edition published in 2013

Oberon Books Ltd
521 Caledonian Road, London N7 9RH
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Copyright Lisa Evans 2004

Lisa Evans is hereby identified as author of this work in accordance with section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The author has asserted her moral rights.

All rights whatsoever in this play are strictly reserved and application for performance etc. should be made before commencement of rehearsal to MBA Ltd, 62 Grafton Way, London W1P 5LD (). No performance may be given unless a licence has been obtained, and no alterations may be made in the title or the text of the play without the authors prior written consent.

You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or binding or by any means (print, electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

PB ISBN: 978-1-84002-499-9
E ISBN: 978-1-7831-9352-3

Cover image by Candida Kelsall

eBook conversion by Replika Press PVT Ltd, India.

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Once We Were Mothers was first performed on 3 September 2004 at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme with the following cast:

Creatives
Director Gwenda Hughes
Designer Jess Curtis
Lighting Designer Daniella Beattie
Sound Designer James Earls-Davis
Company Stage Manager Andy Billington
Deputy Stage Manager David Sunnuck
Assistant Stage Manager Anna Creed

ALI

GWEN
her mother

FLORA
her daughter who has Downs Syndrome

DOCTOR

MILENA

NEVENKA
her friend

TAJIB
her husband

TEACHER

KITTY

JEANETTE
her daughter

TAJIB, DOCTOR and TEACHER can be
played by the same performer,

ALI and MILENAs stories are contemporary,
KITTYs is set in the mid-1950s

To Leo and Owen

Thank you

Lights up on ALI a woman in her 40s doing dance limbering exercises. She addresses the audience.

ALI: I was dancing the night I gave birth. The night Flora arrived. Only I didnt know thats who it was at the time. All I knew was fear and

ALI shrieks with surprise at the sudden pain.

DOCTOR: Thats it Mum, youre nearly there.

ALI: How many more fucking times do I have to tell you? My names Ali!

DOCTOR: Okay Mum, just rest and then one big push.

ALI: No, thats it. Ive had enough now. Im going home. Aah! It hurts! I want my mum!

FLORA: Dont be scared. Its only me.

DOCTOR: And push!

ALI: I am fucking pushing!

DOCTOR: Again.

Straining and groaning from ALI followed by a scream and then silence.

FLORA: Its only me.

ALI is being wheeled in a chair by her mother GWEN.

ALI: (Pointing.) Neo natal intensive care.

GWEN: I know dear. Id already seen it. Dont wave your arms about, they might get knocked off.

ALI: She was probably right. For a dancer I was horribly clumsy. I was terrified of holding the baby. I was bound to drop her.

GWEN: Ill show you how.

ALI: Truth be told, I was actively dreading being a mother. I had such a lot to live up to. Still, something that was half Jim couldnt be all bad.

DOCTOR approaches.

DOCTOR: Mrs Plunket?

GWEN: Yes, Im her mother. Weve come to see my granddaughter. Little Gwen.

ALI: Can I see my baby?

DOCTOR: Ive talked to your husband.

ALI: Yes. He went home for a rest.

GWEN: Poor man.

ALI: Hell be back soon.

DOCTOR: You had a difficult delivery.

FLORAs face is obscured by a large white hospital board with a list of patients in black felt pen. One of them reads, Gerpett. Downs.

GWEN: It runs in the family. I was in labour for 28 hours with our Michael, and this one was 24 and forceps. Ive never been the same since.

DOCTOR: Im afraid the baby has a few problems.

ALI sees the sign.

ALI: (To audience.) He wasnt kidding.

DOCTOR: Her blood sugars a bit low, she has a hole in her heart we dont know how serious that is. Oh, and shes Downs Syndrome.

Gasp from GWEN.

GWEN: Oh no. Oh my God.

ALI: But shes still our baby isnt she?

FLORA takes the sign down so it no longer hides her solemn face. She leaves the stage.

FLORA: (Sadly.) Its only me.

GWEN takes the DOCTOR aside.

GWEN: I know my daughter. Shes not going to be able to cope with this. My husband was in the airforce you see.

The DOCTOR looks blank.

You dont get this sort of thing there. Everyones certified A1 you have to be, to do the job. The whole family. If the children are sick then the wife has to stay behind and take care of them. It just doesnt work. Airforce personnel need the support of their wives by their side. Theres never been anything like this on our side of the family. No wonder poor Jim couldnt cope.

ALI: He should tell that to me!

GWEN: He wouldnt want to upset you. Nobody does.

DOCTOR: No ones blaming you. It just happens.

GWEN: Hes in shock poor man.

ALI: But shes still my baby, isnt she?

DOCTOR: Shes never going to amount to much. Quite probably ineducable, incontinent, certainly dependent. It wont be easy. And shes very poorly. If she makes it through infancy she certainly wont live beyond sixteen.

ALI: And the good news?

GWEN: Shes never going to be able to deal with this.

DOCTOR: You dont have to make any decisions yet the baby cant leave the incubator for quite some time. You go home and think about it. Talk it over with your husband.

GWEN: Poor man. Defective gene pool. There was that aunt at the wedding. A poor creature. Looked like a brick. I had a name for her, do you remember?

ALI: I dont know.

GWEN: Its on the tip of my Ive got it! Brick Face. She was most definitely not A1. Where are you going? Alison?

ALI: I dont know.

GWEN: Ill drive you. Dont worry, youll have others. I had two perfect babies. Im sure youll be able to cope with a normal child just fine.

KITTY enters carrying a shawled bundle of baby.

KITTY: I remember the day I brought the baby home like it was yesterday. The house was so quiet, just the tick of the cuckoo clock on the kitchen wall, a bluebottle banging itself against the window, ice cream van wheezing out Greensleeves a couple of streets away. But I knew she was there somewhere. Hiding.