All Our Children

Stephen Unwin

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781848426696
• eBook ISBN: 9781780018980
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

'I used to be scared of them. They seemed so different. They don't scare me any more. They're just children, aren't they? Just children.'

January 1941. A terrible crime is taking place in a clinic for disabled children. The perpetrators argue that it will help struggling parents and lift the financial burden on the mighty German state. One brave voice is raised in objection. But will the doctor listen?

A moving examination of a terrifying moral dilemma, and a powerful story that shows what it takes for humanity and decency to be restored in a world that has abandoned them.

First produced by Tara Finney Productions, Stephen Unwin's debut play All Our Children premiered at Jermyn Street Theatre, London, in 2017.

ACT TWO

Early evening of the same day. The room is dark and empty. The curtains are open. Moonlight.

MARTHA enters. She’s evidently upset about something. She turns two sidelights on, draws the curtains, and lights the stove. This should take the time it takes.

ERIC enters suddenly.

ERIC. Making everything nice and cosy for the Bishop?

MARTHA. I am.

ERIC. All spick and span for his holiness?

Grabs her from behind.

MARTHA (sharply). Herr Schmidt, please.

ERIC laughs.

VICTOR enters.

Doctor, can I talk to you for a moment?

VICTOR. If you wish.

MARTHA. In private, if you don’t mind.

Pause.

Please.

VICTOR. Very well. Herr Schmidt, would you –?

ERIC. Yes?

Pause. VICTOR looks at ERIC, silently ordering him out.

Doctor Franz.

VICTOR. Two minutes, Herr Schmidt.

ERIC. This is outrageous.

VICTOR. Thank you.

ERIC. We’ll speak later. Heil Hitler.

ERIC leaves. MARTHA closes the door behind him. VICTOR. Well?

MARTHA. It’s him.

VICTOR. What is?

MARTHA. With Grete.

VICTOR. But that’s –

Pause.

MARTHA. I don’t know. They’ve been seeing each other for months apparently. She told me earlier, when I went home to give Friedrich his tea. I confronted her, I said, so who is it you’re going to Cologne with, and she finally told me, straight out, I’m going to Cologne with Eric Schmidt, who works at the clinic. And when I said that it was all wrong, she said that I’m just an old woman, and I don’t understand these things. So I said what about your father, and our priest, what would they say, and she just said that stuff didn’t matter any more, it’s a new world, didn’t I realise, and anyway, she’s in love with Herr Schmidt. Or so she said.

VICTOR. I see.

MARTHA. I hope you’re being careful, I said, but apparently he wants a baby. For the Führer, apparently. I mean the Führer can have his own babies, can’t he, but nowadays good German stock – I think it’s disgusting, don’t you, but what can I do about it? What can I do?

VICTOR. Are they going to get married?

MARTHA. I don’t know. He doesn’t like marriage. It’s for

‘Catholic prudes’, apparently.

VICTOR. I see. Well, he is from Lutheran stock, but –

MARTHA. Would you have a word with him?

VICTOR. Me? What can I say?

MARTHA. For my sake.

VICTOR. I don’t know what to –

Pause.

MARTHA. Please.

VICTOR. I don’t really understand such things, you know, no children of my own, and so on –

Pause.

– but, yes, I’ll have a word with him if you like.

Pause.

I suppose.

MARTHA. Thank you.

VICTOR. Was that it?

MARTHA. For now. Yes.

Pause.

VICTOR. Perhaps, you could just give me a drop –

MARTHA. All gone, I’m afraid. This morning, remember?

VICTOR. What a shame.

MARTHA. I’ll come back later.

VICTOR coughs again, badly.

Oh, Doctor, I worry about you, I really do.

VICTOR. I’m fine, thank you.

MARTHA. I hope so. I’ll ask Herr Schmidt to –

MARTHA leaves. VICTOR left alone for a moment. Stares into the stove. Moments later, ERIC comes in.

ERIC. Well? What’s this all about?

VICTOR. Martha’s not best pleased with you.

ERIC. This is deeply insulting, Doctor, as I’m sure you understand. Of course, you’re the Director of the Clinic, but to treat the Head of Administration like this in front of the domestic staff is outrageous. It really is.

VICTOR. She’s very young, her daughter.

ERIC (astonished, after a brief pause). So?

VICTOR. What do you mean, ‘so’?

ERIC. It’s my life.

VICTOR. But you’re not married.

ERIC. Oh please. She’s an adult.

VICTOR. Just about.

ERIC. She’s seventeen, for God’s sake.

VICTOR. And, as far as I know, that’s illegal.

ERIC. Oh please, Doctor, who’s ever going to –

VICTOR. And Martha’s terribly upset.

ERIC. She’ll get over it. Mothers do.

VICTOR. And what if Grete gets pregnant?

ERIC. She won’t.

VICTOR. And if she does?

ERIC. One more lovely Aryan, is what I’d say.

VICTOR. And you’ll look after the child?

ERIC. Of course. Really, Doctor, what’s got in to you?

VICTOR. Well, it’s just –

ERIC. Healthy babies ‘serve the national community’. Ask the Führer.

VICTOR. I see.

ERIC. Anyway, it’s natural, isn’t it? Isn’t that what we believe in, Doctor?

VICTOR. I wish you’d stop using the word ‘natural’ to justify your perversion.

ERIC. My ‘ideology’, don’t you mean?

VICTOR. What?

ERIC. Don’t you believe in nature?

VICTOR. Of course, but –

ERIC. The survival of the fittest? Isn’t that what this is all about?

VICTOR (under his breath). Who knows, but it doesn’t justify you fucking the maid’s daughter.

ERIC (laughing). Oh, Doctor, that’s brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

VICTOR. You can be so vulgar.

ERIC. It was you who used foul language.

VICTOR. The lowest common denominator, isn’t it? Like all you fanatics.

Pause.

Brutal and cruel. You have no capacity for –

ERIC. You worry me sometimes, Doctor ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Original Production
• Epigraph
• ‘Lives Unworthy of Life’
• Dog Fox Field
• Dedication
• Characters
• Act One
• Act Two
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information