Sessions (NHB Modern Plays)

Ifeyinwa Frederick

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN:
  9781839040177
• eBook ISBN:
  9781788504409
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Tunde's thirtieth birthday is fast approaching. So he's started therapy because he hasn't been able to get to the gym for weeks, and a recent one-night stand ended in tears – his. Interrogating the challenge of opening up and accepting our own vulnerabilities, Ifeyinwa Frederick's Sessions is a raw, funny, bittersweet deep-dive into the complexities of masculinity, depression and therapy. It was first produced in 2021 on tour of the UK, before a run at Soho Theatre, London, co-produced by Paines Plough and Soho, and directed by Philip Morris.

Scene One

TUNDE’s studio flat. Today is TUNDE’s birthday though there’s no evidence of it in his space. TUNDE is sat on his bed in his coat and with his shoes on. He fidgets, indecisive, playing with a stress ball. Push. Pull. Push. Pull.

TUNDE (to audience). If I get it in the box, I’ll go. If I miss, I’ll stay.

TUNDE throws the ball he’s playing with, aiming for one of the cardboard boxes. He really does try to get it in. He misses. Just. Push.

TUNDE. Sorry Sandra, at home it is.

TUNDE is deep in thought. He doesn’t move. His post is pushed through his letterbox and the sudden sound brings him back into the room. He takes off his coat. He really is staying. His phone rings. He looks at the caller ID and he cuts it.

TUNDE. It’s Jag. Nah, I can’t. He’s been calling me for days. And Jag rarely calls unless it’s important. He says this is important.

#

JAG. You can’t turn 30 and we don’t celebrate. Come on, T. I get not going away because you can’t get the time off work. And I didn’t even get offended when you categorically told me I wasn’t allowed to organise a surprise party. Was I disappointed? Yes. But I was happy to respect your wishes because I thought you were going to suggest an alternative. But this is getting out of hand now. Now, you’re saying we’re not even going to go out out? I don’t get it. Why not? Has Rochelle got something planned for you that you’re not telling me about?

TUNDE. No, she hasn’t.

JAG. Bro, are you alright?

TUNDE. Why are you asking stupid questions for?

JAG. Because T, you’re the King of Birthdays.

TUNDE. And as king, I decree that this year I’m having a quiet one. Alright?

#

His phone rings again. He lets it ring out as he picks up his post. A particular letter catches his eye. It’s a coloured envelope with a handwritten address. He opens it – a birthday card. He’s caught off guard by the card, the message and the sender. He wasn’t speaking but is lost for words. He’s clearly thrown. He opens the card again to read the message.

TUNDE. Fuck… she…

Pull.

Scene Two – Therapy #1

TUNDE. She’s struggling. Properly struggling. I haven’t had this since school and I don’t know how much longer I can listen to her butcher –

//

TUNDE. It’s Adeyemi.

//

TUNDE. Apparently it sounds very exotic. They properly love that word.

//

TUNDE. Yeah, it’s Nigerian.

//

TUNDE. She tells me the receptionist on the desk is from Kenya like it’s relevant.

//

TUNDE. My first name? Also Nigerian.

[ ]

TUNDE. Oh. You can just call me Tunde.

//

TUNDE. They should really consider doing something to this room. It looks as sad as the people that must come here. It’s just grey and empty. There’s not even a clock on the wall. There’s no clock. Fuck, how do I know how long it’s been? I can’t take out my phone. That’s rude. But I wanna be able to know… she definitely just asked me a question.

//

TUNDE. Yeah, yeah it’s my first time.

TUNDE expects SANDRA to say something. She doesn’t.

//

TUNDE. Rah, she’s smiling a lot. It’s kinda making me want to hit her. Obviously I won’t. But why is she smiling so much? It’s like she’s hoping if she keeps doing it maybe I’ll start smiling too. Maybe that’s what she wants. Maybe she wants me to smile so she can feel more at ease. Not gonna happen. Still smiling. And the staring. She’s properly looking at me. It’s fucking uncomfortable. It’s like she’s searching for something. I wanna tell her to stop but… I swear, the only time anyone tries to hold this much eye contact with me is when… maybe she fancies me. I wouldn’t blame her. If I was her I’d fancy me too.

//

TUNDE. Sorry, I was… what is it I… You fix people.

Silence.

//

TUNDE. She’s smiling. Again. Almost laughing in a polite way and tries to make a joke about not being a magic fairy. But I wasn’t joking. If she’s not going to fix me, why am I here?

She’s using my name now and telling me how proud I should be to have made it here. I’m feeling a lot of things right now but, trust, pride is not one of them. I wonder if she’d still be saying the same thing if she knew I’d been about to leave when she called my –

What the fuck? Did I say that out loud by mistake? Because she’s just brought it up.

//

TUNDE. I wasn’t leaving earlier. Just wanted to get some water.

//

TUNDE. She points to the water jug between us to let me know there’s plenty of water here. I hate her. Bitch.

//

TUNDE smiles begrudgingly at SANDRA.

TUNDE. Thanks.

[ ]

TUNDE. Well, I’m single and Hinge hasn’t really worked out for me so I thought maybe I might meet someone in the waiting room. That said, I don’t spot a wedding ring on your finger.

TUNDE expects a laugh, a smile, a something. SANDRA doesn’t respond.

TUNDE. I’m sorry, I didn’t… I was joking. It was a joke. Ethically speaking, that’s probably not even allowed. And the other bit wasn’t true. I mean I have been single a while but that’s… I meant I’ve never used Hinge. Tinder I’m familiar with, I gave Bumble a go briefly but I’ve never used… Can you say something?

SANDRA repeats the question.

TUNDE. I haven’t been able to get to the gym for a few weeks.

He expects SANDRA to respond. She’s waiting for him to elaborate.

TUNDE. Okay… right… well… erm… you might not have noticed but I’ve kinda got a certain aesthetic going on and it requires maintenance. So normally I gym like four, five times a week. But I haven’t been now since…

TUNDE calculates just how long it’s been and realises it’s been more than just a few weeks.

TUNDE. Well, the point is I haven’t been. And I wanna be able to go. So, I’m here. I guess.

[ ]

TUNDE. No, nothing’s physically stopping me.

[ ]

TUNDE. I don’t understand. I just told you. I haven’t been able to get to the gym.

[ ]

TUNDE. If that’s not the reason, then why don’t you tell me why I’m here then?

//

TUNDE. I don’t know if she’s trying to be annoying on purpose but I’m over this already.

//

TUNDE. Erm… was about three months before I got this appointment.

[ ]

TUNDE. No, then I was going to the gym fine.

//

TUNDE. Fuck, how did she… nah, she’s confusing things. She’s confusing me. She asked me why I came today not why I… fuck.

//

TUNDE. Well, you weren’t clear. I answered the question you asked and you didn’t ask me why I put myself on the waiting list.

[ ]

TUNDE. I’m not avoiding the –

[ ]

TUNDE. No, I’m not uncomfortable. I’m fine.

[ ]

TUNDE. I said I’m fine. And if you want me to answer the question, I can answer the question. A friend had suggested it might be a good thing for me to try.

//

TUNDE. I don’t know how else to describe her. It feels weird to call her my…

//

TUNDE. No. I don’t know why they said it. I didn’t ask. But I’m going to be thirty soon and self-improvement and that, so I put myself on the waiting list.

[ ]

TUNDE (getting out a folded sheet of paper from his pocket). Yeah, it’s here.

TUNDE hands the paper to SANDRA. He watches her read over it, uncomfortable. He tries to distract himself. The silence is too much for him.

TUNDE. The options are really the same for every question, aren’t they? I thought maybe they might switch it up halfway through. Test to see who’s still reading all the choices properly. But nope. Every single one was the same. ‘Not at all, several days, more than half the days, nearly every’ –

Without looking at it, TUNDE takes a booklet given to him by SANDRA. It’s titled ‘Coping Wi...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Contents
• Original Production Details
• Acknowledgements
• Character
• Notes on the Text
• Sessions
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information