Our Fathers

Babakas

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781783191239
• eBook ISBN: 9781783196227
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Psychotherapy
• Index: Psychology

Mike's dead dad's friend's daughter has asked him to father her child. His boyfriend Bert isn't convinced. Their housemate Sofia has her own fish to fry. She needs to find a man before it's too late, but her dad keeps getting in the middle. A moving and playful portrait of fatherhood by international company Babakas, who tell a story that crosses borders and decades.

A domestic interior. Chairs, a rug, a table and lamp. In the downstage corner is a worn-looking cardboard box.

MIKE sits at the table, writing on a tablet. BERT sits on the floor, working with large sheets of paper and marker pens.

We don’t know it yet, but another person, SOFIA, is sitting with us…

1. FIRST DATE – GETTING TO KNOW YOU

SOFIA: i am sitting here, i feel a bit nervous. when is the show going to start? they’re getting into their seats, it’s pretty full tonight…

how is my hair, i should have put on more lipstick. come on, sofia, relax you are the best. who am I gonna choose to be my other half, my love? look at him, he’s cute, and he’s sitting right on the aisle… perfect.

there’s the cue, ok i will go for it. it’s my show now…smile!

(Speaking to audience member.) Hello, there.

(Two kisses.) What’s your name?

nice name, concentrate sofia, next question think

(Speaking.) Where are you from?

I’m Sofia, from Greece. Maybe you can tell from my accent? Some people find my accent sexy…

wrong line sofia, why is he laughing, it’s true my accent is sexy!

(Speaking.) What do you do?

i want someone more stable, not always travelling

(Speaking.) Thanks, bye!

ok next, try him

(Speaking to someone else.) Hello, I am Sofia from Greece, with the sexy accent. What is your name?

not bad

Where do you live?

too far, i need someone to be with me full time

(Speaking.) Thanks, bye!

look at him, he’s cute, more cute than the others. ok go, to the point, do not lose time!

(Speaking to someone else.) Hi, Sofia from Greece, with the sexy accent. What’s your name?

nice

Where are you from?

better

What do you do?

perfect, he is the one!

Do you have a car??

i love him, i need to pick him

Do you like going to the cinema???

2. BANNERS

Suddenly, thumping music begins to play. SOFIA stops her questioning.

Onstage, BERT holds up some of the signs he’s been making:

THIS CONCERNS ALL OF YOU

CONFLICT IS THE ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING

WHEN EXAMINED, ANSWER WITH QUESTIONS

YOUR CHILD IS NOT YOUR PROPERTY

WE’RE ALL LYING IN THE GUTTER,
BUT SOME OF US ARE LOOKING AT THE STARS

FORGET EVERYTHING YOU’VE BEEN TAUGHT

He moves to another pile of signs, and holds them up:

FULFILL YOUR DREAMS YOURSELF,
DON’T EXPECT YOUR CHILD TO

THOSE WHO LACK IMAGINATION
CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT IS LACKING

BE YOURSELF
NOT WHO THEY TELL YOU TO BE!

YELL!

He moves to a third pile of signs:

WE MUST REMAIN MISFITS

YOU CAN’T BUY HAPPINESS

IT’S FORBIDDEN TO FORBID

By now, MIKE has stood up from his table. He signals for the music to cut out.

Abrupt silence.

3. THE EMAIL

MIKE: I think we’ve all got the point, Bert, shall we move on?

BERT, annoyed, goes back to working on signs.

(To audience, excitedly.) I’ve just been asked to become a father. It was in an email. From an old friend of my father’s actually. Anyway, she told me about Gemma: a beautiful art curator in her late thirties who already has one child by an ex-husband and is hoping to have another, even though no relationship ‘has been forthcoming…’ The email finished with the line ‘You wouldn’t have to sleep with her, you understand!’

I was with my boyfriend, Bert, when I got it. I read it out to him but he didn’t say anything.

MIKE gestures over. BERT looks up—a withering glance.

MIKE: I was very excited about the email because, well, I never thought I’d have the opportunity to be a father. And actually, it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. To really be there for someone, to help them grow and learn. To shape them as they—

SOFIA: (Coming from the audience into the space.) Is that what she’s asking for, Mike? It sounds like she just wants your sperm.

MIKE: Well, of course she needs my sperm to have the baby, Sofia! But I think all the rest is, you know, negotiable…

SOFIA: Are you sure you’re ready to have a child? How much money do you make doing this kind of thing?

MIKE: I’m sure Gemma earns enough… Look, we haven’t got to that stage in the discussions yet… Let me read you the message I’ve been writing to her. Tell me what you think.

He reads from the tablet.

> Dear Gemma

>

> Hi I think Harriet has told you about me. I was very excited to read about you and to be honest it felt like something clicked. It seems like we’ve both reached a similar stage in life where we want to take control of destiny and make the impossible possible. I’d really like to meet you. I—

SOFIA: This is a bit weir...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• ‘Changing fathers: men and family life in twentieth-century Britain’
• Dramaturgical Note
• Chapter