Poem 495
Another song from The Nightdress … this duet for two women comes late in the show as a flashback to the crucial moment when all the tragic events are irrevocably set in motion … it shows Constance’s yet-to-be-father the young Samuel on a jaunt in London trying to choose between the favours of two prostitutes Peg and Pearl … he’s in their squalid lodgings where a distressed baby also resides but Samuel can’t work out which of the women it belongs to … by this time we are aware that Samuel will contract syphilis and give it to his wife which will result in a string of dead babies (before Constance and her younger brother manage to survive) and ultimately Constance’s mother’s long illness, mental troubles and death, which in turn will open the door to Mary Pratt entering the house as the children’s nurse, beginning an affair with Samuel that will lead to her becoming his new wife and giving birth to Constance’s half brother who Constance will murder out of a welter of complex emotions of grief guilt rejection and rage …
… in adult life Constance comes to realise that she also carries the congenital syphilis, the tell-tale sign being her notched teeth which Samuel notices here in the sick baby … all this weight of knowledge we hold as we watch him play Russian roulette with the entire future of his family, whichever of these women is the mother of the baby has syphilis and we lean forward with bated breath realising just how much rests on his choice in this moment though he remains oblivious …
… then of course he manages to come up with the worst possible decision – to sleep with both of them and thereby in true Greek tragic style destroy any slim chance of redemption for his entire family for a hundred years …
( I like the way I’ve been able to get a dramatic edge-of-the-seat scene and song out of what could have been just simple exposition/release of information … I also enjoy the hard yet energetic edge of Peg and Pearl as they ply their trade and run rings around Samuel, subverting his pretensions to be in control of this situation … and the way little one comes back at the end with a different meaning … )
Don’t Mind The Little One
Don't mind the little one he must be teething we can ignore it as long as he's breathing it must be tummy ache don't mind the little one let's have some fun he's not fully awake now Peg's got the legs but Pearl is a girl you'll find accommodating with some tricks we know we can put on a show said to be educating You can do what you want to here where is the harm that stiff upper lip needs relief a little balm open the window and listen all of the Pearls and the Pegs in London sing the same psalm Don't mind the little one never mind the squalling it's time for his dose he'll go down till morning don't mind the little one he'll nod off directly he won't be watching as you disrespect me or me if it's me my French lingerie you decide to invest in your head's in a whirl is it Peg is it Pearl the crucial question I'll be your Pearl before swine Peg on your line when it's dirty laundry time mark me down in your diary a discreet little X for an hour you neglected what England expects Then go back to your home your hearth and your wife some children playing such a nice ordered life you can shut your door you can lock your gate rest assured that all those you love are safe though there might be something you carry deep within from a baby two girls in a dirty back room an impulse a choice that tilted your world as you pondered wondered considered dithered Pearl or Peg Peg or Pearl What's that you say what's that he said the girl with the curls or the girl with the legs oh he's wicked Pearl and pound notes to burn he wants double the pleasure the best of both worlds Come on then mister we don't mind mister mind if it's a little one long as you're a gentleman