Children's Children

Matthew Dunster

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781849432344
• eBook ISBN: 9781849435208
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Michael and Gordon have been best friends since acting college. Now, 20 years later, Michael is Mr Saturday Night TV but failing actor Gordon is struggling with enormous debts. Meanwhile Gordon's daughter Effie couldn't care less abouther Dad's problems – she is far more interested in the film thather cool boyfriend is making and in setting up an ecologically sound clothing label. When Gordon asks Michael to lend him a large sum of money itsets in motion a series of events that reveal irreparable cracks in the characters' relationships. Matthew Dunster's often hilarious new play brings to life a set of strikingly contemporary individuals.

THREE

CASTRO	Well – I thought I’d met a rebel. The way Effie dressed, yeah? A kind of fuck off there are no rules attitude to clothes. Things were different with her – she was so sensitive so finely tuned to her idea of what was unjust. It was like she had a layer of skin missing.
	Yeah.
	You know?
	I was kind of bewitched by her spasms when she felt things were unjust. Her resistance to her Dad, yeah, and his fucked up – aggressive – paternal control. Her desire to understand what I was doing. But her own drive to write to create to find new things and new people, you know? Her way of talking – affected – but innocent – she spoke in a way that I felt was like sketches for songs. There was a rhythm that could hide what she was saying – but she was always saying exactly what she thought. A brutal honesty.
	I thought I’d met a rebel.
	But I’d also met a princess.
	And she ended up – well – is being good at wearing clothes and having your picture taken – is that creativity?
	And does it matter?
	The world revolves around her – or her and Farai – but that’s the same thing. Her world – her baby – at the centre no matter what the costs.
	She’s a crazy maker – her behaviour – always affecting – other people –
	Like
	She was always crying. Always smoking. Never eats. Always late. Left at inappropriate moments and made a big fucking fuss about it. Flirts instead of listens. Understands what is to her advantage to understand – makes no effort otherwise – only laughs when it’s at someone else’s misfortune.
	No that’s not fair.
	I don’t know.
	I find myself in the spectacularly depressing and compromising situation…where the mother of my child is not someone I particularly like.
	But I mean Jesus – with that family – Jesus – and I know you’re not supposed to speak badly of the – I know that – but – her family!
	I’ve only seen my Dad about say…fifteen – twenty times – I think that was probably hard for my Mum, yeah? But she was a model – I know I know I’m a hypocrite – but she’s my Mum and she’s nice – and me and Mum travelled – a lot – so – I never got the sense that we needed my Dad – he gets me a nice present when I do see him – he’s got a cool apartment in Chicago that I loved visiting – he gets me tickets for things – he’s put me in touch with a few useful contacts – OK, I don’t even know if he can remember my daughter’s name – but I always thought ‘this guy’s cool – he seems to like having me around – he talks to me – he listens to me – he’s a nice guy’ – but Effie’s family…
	I don’t get it.
	So much noise – so much arguing – but they’re doing ‘it’ for each other – whatever ‘it’ is. They’re in ‘it’ together. But so what? If all you do is hurt each other get in each other’s way. They were like violent boozy circus freaks, yeah? All stuffed together in this little caravan. Her and her Dad – fighting and arguing and laughin’ at each other’s disfigurements. But sticking together and moving from town to town and pissing off all the locals wherever they go.
	Things changed when Sally got that job. It’s a big series and suddenly she had some money and that gave her a voice – and of course people knew who she was and that seemed to make Gordon shrink. Successful daughter – successful wife. I think it was too much for him – more bitterness – more stress – more alcohol – more rage – and that’s what did for him I think, yeah? The rage killed him.
	At the funeral – I’ll be honest – I was excited because there was someone there I wanted to see. I hadn’t seen Louisa for couple of years but I knew she’d be there. I hoped – and it was great – I mean to see her – not the funeral – but then of course we got more than we bargained for – no one ex...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Characters
• Almeida
• ONE
• TWO
• THREE