Hungry

Chris Bush

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9781839040115
• eBook ISBN: 9781788503938
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

'I'd watch you eat. I'd eat you up. Look at you. You get it, don't you? You're real.'

Lori is a professional chef. Bex waits on tables to make ends meet. One night together in a walk-in fridge and it's the beginning of something beautiful.

Lori has big plans, while Bex is struggling. If we are what we eat, then Bex is in real trouble. It's not her fault – the system is rigged. No one on minimum wage and zero hours has the headspace to make their own yoghurt.

Chris Bush's Hungry is a play about food, love, class and grief in a world where there's little left to savour. It was premiered in July 2021 in Paines Plough's the Roundabout, directed by Katie Posner, as a co-production between Paines Plough and Belgrade Theatre as part of Coventry City of Culture 2021, before touring the UK.

'One of the UK's most exciting young playwrights' The Stage

'A writer of great wit and empathy' The Times

1. THEN

LORI. Service!

BEX appears.

This way round, yeah? Spoons at two o’clock.

BEX. Sorry?

LORI. Towards the diner, not you.

BEX (glancing at her watch). It’s nine-thirty.

LORI. What?

BEX. The time, it’s –

LORI. The plate.

BEX. What about it?

LORI. Seriously? (Sighs.) Okay, so a clockface – picture a clockface –

BEX. Why?

LORI. That’s the plate – the plate is the clock. Spoon at two o’clock – like this – when it goes in front of them. Now go.

BEX. Show me once more.

LORI. Plate. Spoon. Clock. Spoon is the hand.

BEX. Big hand or little hand?

LORI. Big hand! Big hand at –

BEX. Thing is I’m more digital.

LORI. It isn’t –

BEX can’t keep this up any longer. She cracks up.

BEX. Your face.

LORI. Right.

BEX. I’m on it. I’m Bex, by the way.

LORI. I’m busy.

BEX. Okay.

LORI. And these are melting.

BEX. Got it.

LORI. So you can dick around on your own time, yeah? Not while we’re in service.

BEX. Yes, chef.

LORI. You get that? This is a time-sensitive operation. I’m not… Can you just take them please?

BEX. Sorry. I wasn’t –

LORI. Now, please.

BEX. Yep.

BEX starts to go.

LORI. I’m Lori. It’s Lori.

BEX (smiles). Yes, chef.

Into –

2. NOW

BEX. What’ve you got there?

LORI. Sandwiches.

BEX. Why?

LORI. I said I’d bring sandwiches.

BEX. And I said I had it covered.

LORI. I don’t mind.

BEX. I do. What is that?

LORI. Chicken.

BEX. Is it though?

LORI. Yes! It’s a turmeric chicken with Scotch bonnet aioli and a kohlrabi slaw.

BEX. Why is it black?

LORI. It’s an activated-charcoal flatbread.

BEX. No food should be black.

LORI. It’s dramatic.

BEX. No one’s going to eat that.

LORI. You’ll like it. It’s practically Nando’s. (Beat.) Try one. It’s the same dressing we use on the ribs.

BEX. I’m not hungry, thank you.

LORI. It’s nice.

BEX. I know it’ll be nice. It’s not about nice, it’s about Mum.

LORI. I know. It’s only chicken.

BEX. Is it though?

LORI. And some pulled jackfruit for the vegetarians.

BEX. We don’t know any vegetarians.

LORI. How is that possible?

BEX shrugs.

It’s here now, anyway. It was no bother.

BEX. I didn’t ask you to.

LORI. Didn’t have to. (Beat.) Y’know this could be a good, um, proof of concept for us as well. See what they make of it, because it’s this sort of thing –

BEX. Use my family as guinea pigs?

LORI. Not like… But a customer base –

BEX. So that’s why you’re here?

LORI. No! I’m sorry. No. I’m here for you.

BEX. Okay.

LORI. It is. It’s going to be okay.

Beat.

BEX. Give them here then – I’ll get them in the fridge.

BEX takes the tray. Into –

3. THEN

LORI. Clean plates?

BEX. Clean plates, big grins.

LORI. Good.

BEX. What was the green gunk again?

LORI. Excuse me?

BEX. Y’know – the dribble round the edge.

LORI. That is a basil fluid gel.

BEX. On a pudding?

LORI. Any complaints?

BEX. No, just someone asking.

LORI. They liked it then?

BEX. Yeah – oh yeah – too much if anything. Had this one old dude telling me how chocolate was a… a what-do-you-call-it – an aphrodisiac.

LORI. Jesus.

BEX. Then he tried to sit me on his knee and feed me a spoonful of his mousse.

LORI. Marquise.

BEX. Hmm?

LORI. Not a mousse – it was a chocolate marquise.

BEX. I think you’re missing the point of the story.

LORI. Did you tell people it was a mousse?

BEX. Did I tell you he had a visible erection?

LORI. Anyway – thank you for tonight.

BEX. No bother.

LORI. There’s not much left to do. You could start wiping down the sides for me?

BEX. Sure.

LORI. And take a drink if you want one – open bottles over there.

BEX. We allowed?

LORI. No, but if we don’t it has to go down the sink, which is criminal, so…

BEX. Right.

LORI. Go on – the white tastes like piss but the red’s decent.

BEX. Nah, you’re alright. Is there a boiling water tap in here though?

LORI. What’re you after? I think the tea and coffee got packed away, but –

BEX. No, just… I’ve got a Pot Noodle in my bag.

LORI. Excuse me?

BEX. Didn’t get a chance to eat before we started, so –

LORI. Are you serious?

BEX. I’ll keep my fork at two o’clock, if that helps.

LORI. Absolutely not. Not on my watch.

BEX. Oh. (Beat.) Right, um. That’s fine. I’ll have it when I get home. Sorry.

LORI. You will not – you’ll chuck it in the bin where it belongs. Now – any allergies – intolerances? Real ones, not made up.

BEX. What’s happening right now?

LORI. You don’t bring a Pot Noodle into a professional chef’s kitchen – it’s an insult.

BEX. Sorry.

LORI. I should hope so. You clear those counters – I’m making you a snack.

BEX. Nah –

LORI. Five minutes.

BEX. Seriously?

LORI. It’s my civic duty.

BEX. You must be knackered. Everything’s packed away –

LORI. Just do as you’re told and stop answering back, alright?

BEX (with a smile). Yes, chef.

LORI. And pour me another red. Five minutes and I’m going to blow your mind.

Into –

4. NOW

LORI. When do they get here?

BEX. Soon. Should be soon. Dad said he’d only take them for one, but…

LORI. They in The York?

BEX. Yeah.

LORI. You didn’t want to?

BEX. Hmm?

LORI. Join them? We could go and –

BEX. Nah.

LORI. You could, I mean. Go have a drink – leave me to sort everything here.

BEX. Everything’s sorted, so.

LORI. I just mean you can leave me by myself – put me to work – you don’t have to worry about me.

BEX. I’m not worried about you.

LORI. Okay.

BEX. I’m not worrying about you.

LORI. I just meant if you wanted to go –

BEX. Then I’d be there, wouldn’t I? I wouldn’t be waiting for your permission.

LORI. Sorry.

BEX doesn’t entirely accept the apology.

Just tell me what I can do. Anything you need, just… (Pause.) What am I today?

BEX. How do you mean?

LORI. I wasn’t sure whether… Am I a friend, or co-worker, or – ?

BEX. Oh.

LORI. I don’t mind if –

BEX. No – no, girlfriend. Girlfriend is… That’s fine.

LORI. Yeah?

BEX. Yeah. They’re not… That’s not a problem.

LORI. Okay. Good. (Beat.) Good that… not good that I’m still your girlfriend, although that is good, but good that it isn’t –

BEX. Can we not – ?

LORI. I just didn’t know whether all your family – if extended family – whether that might be –

BEX. They’re not dickheads.

LORI. I just wasn’t sure.

BEX. If they were dickheads?

LORI. What the deal was, that’s all.

BEX. Got it.

LORI. So if it was easier to just be platonic-work-friend-business-partner-tea-lady then…

BEX. Then what?

LORI. That’d be fine.

BEX. That’d be weird.

LORI. Whatever yo...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Contents
• Original Production Details
• Dedication
• Foreword by Chris Bush
• Hungry
• Notes on the Food
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information