PART ONE
Scene One
A hospital. Two Doctors, both men, one some years older than the other, stand by Valās bed. A female Nurse hovers in the background. They are all oblivious to Valās first speech.
Val The performers in this pit are as old as the witchcraft trials. Centre stage. The powerful male Doctor-Inquisitor. In the wings, a subservient female Handmaiden-Nurse. Stranded on a mud flat, myself, a Witch-Patient.
The Doctors appear to be in the midst of a deep conversation when Joyce enters.
Older Doctor (with genuine concern) Iām afraid you canāt see your daughter at the moment, she needs plenty of rest. Perhaps you would care to wait outside? (With a gesture he indicates to the Nurse to show Joyce out of the room. Exit Joyce with Nurse. Then to the Younger Doctor:) I wasnāt on duty last night. Strictly speaking, March will see to this one.
Younger Doctor (smiles) Hare March?
Older Doctor Donāt tell me, on top of everything else our quack colleague is German.
Younger Doctor I meant as in āMad as . . .ā
Older Doctor Oh, Iām with you now. Hum yes. (Shaking his head over Val.) Probably have her flung out inside a week.
Younger Doctor With disarming success, no doubt.
Older Doctor And whoāll have to mop up the long-term backlash. Hum? Caught up in the unfortunate irony of psychiatric policy ā concentration of short-term solutions. Our analyst friend is careful not to contravene that.
Younger Doctor (drily) Whatās the difference between a cow chewing the cud and a therapist chewing gum? The cow has an intelligent look on its face.
Older Doctor (wryly) Iāll leave it to you then. (He exits.)
Younger Doctor (calls off) Staff.
The Nurse enters.
Nurse Yes, Doctor.
Younger Doctor Did you manage to dredge the social workerās report up?
Nurse (offers him the medical notes which include a photocopy of the social workerās report) Yes, Iām afraid thereās not much to go on though.
Younger Doctor (taking the file) Is there ever? (He sighs. Flicking through them.) Huh, thatās a fat lot of good. (He hands the notes back to her.) Still make it available to Dr March, we mustnāt allow accusations of unco-operation to fly around the ward. Children?
Nurse Doctor?
Younger Doctor Has she got any offspring?Nurse Yes, two.
Younger Doctor And do we know, pray, who is looking after them?
Nurse The maternal grandmother is to collect them from the nursery and look after them until their father gets in from work. In fact sheās outside now.
Younger Doctor Who? Who is?
Nurse Mrs Jonesās mother. Shall I tell her she can come in?Younger Doctor Oh yes, yes.
They both exit.
Nurse (as she goes through the door) You can come in now, Mrs Roberts.
Enter Joyce She crosses to the bed, pulls up a chair and sits down very unconfidently.
Joyce Hello love, how are you feeling? (Pause.) Donāt worry about the boys, theyāre fine. We took them to playschool this morning. They were ever so good, no tears or nothing and Iāll collect them for as long ā (She stops herself.) ā for as long as they want to go. (Pause.) Colinās rearranging his timetable at work so not to worry. He sends all his love. (Pause.) Heās beside himself, I mean heās very concerned. Well, we all are, we all are. For you. That you get well, back to your old self. (Finally.) Have you got a message for him? (Silence.) Val?
Val (quietly) Here I sit, mad as a hatter with nothing to do but either become madder and madder or else recover enough of my sanity to be allowed back to the world that drove me mad.
Joyce (shocked) I donāt think I can remember all that. What on earth possessed you to come out with a mouthful like that?
Val I didnāt say it.
Joyce (gently, slightly patronisingly) Oh, Val, who did then? The washstand?
Val Some woman years ago. I donāt think there are any original states of mind left to reclaim.
Joyce (sighs) Val, love, this wonāt do. Now, Iāve brought you a clean nightie and two flannels.
Scene Two
Afternoon. Sunday. Two days previously. Claireās living-room. Claire is sitting in an armchair. Poppy is sitting on her lap. She has been reading Mrs Plug the Plumber to Claire. There is a Motherās Day card, which Poppy has made, on the mantelpiece.
Poppy (reading) Ah well, all in a dayās work, said Mrs Plug. Iām going to go home and have a slap-up supper, this job is driving me round the bend. (She slaps the book shut.)
Claire (laughs) Poppy, it does not end like that.
Poppy I know. I thought it was boring for you.
Claire Now, have you got your Nanās present ready?
Poppy Yes, Iāve hid it behind the chair.
Claire Good.
Poppy Itās your turn. Claire What is?
Poppy Itās your turn to read me a story, you promised.Claire Itās just that theyāll be here soon.
Poppy You promised.
Claire Okay, okay, which one . . .Poppy Pepsi-phone.
Claire Persephone.Claire picks up a book.
In the beginning, if there ever was such a time, Demeter, the goddess of life, gave birth to four daughters, whom she named Persephone, Psyche, Athena and Artemis. The worldās first children were unremarkably happy. To amuse their mother ā with whom they were all passionately in love ā they invented language, music, laughter ā and many more useful and boisterous activities.
One morning Persephone menstruated. That afternoon, Demeterās daughters gathered flowers to celebrate the loveliness of the event. A chariot thundered, then clattered into their midst. It was Hades, the middle-aged god of death, come to tak...