Rust E-Book

Kenny Emson

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Serie: NHB Modern Plays
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 64

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

'Rule number eleven: We don't talk about them. Not here. They don't exist here.' Nadia and Daniel have a secret. In fact they have quite a few. They've just signed on the dotted line for a studio flat. Under a pseudonym, naturally – Mr and Mrs White. After years of school pick-ups, TV takeaways, and the day-to-day drudgery of married life, this is their chance to wipe the slate clean. But as much as they try and redefine the rules, and themselves, the outside world is closing in. Ultra-contemporary, sexy and funny, Kenny Emson's play Rust pushes the boundaries of trust, love and lust to the limit.  Rust premiered at the Bush Theatre, London, ahead of transferring to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and HighTide Festival in 2019, in a co-production between the Bush and HighTide.

Leseprobe

Kenny Emson

RUST

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Characters

Author’s Note

Rust

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Rust premiered at the Bush Theatre, London, on 26 June 2019, before transferring to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and HighTide Festival Aldeburgh 2019. The cast was as follows:

NADIA

Claire Lams

DANIEL

Jon Foster

Director

Eleanor Rhode

Designer

Max Johns

Lighting Designer

Jess Bernberg

Sound Designer

David Gregory

Lighting Associate

Kieron Johnson

Associate Director

Natalie Denton

Casting Director

Sophie Parrott CDG

Production Manager

Marco Savo

Stage Manager

Julia Nimmo

Acknowledgements

Thanks to… Eleanor and Trevor. The incredible team at HighTide. All those at Bush past and present who helped get this back on. Sarah Liisa, Jodi, Matt and the rest of the gang at NHB. Emily and Georgie at The Agency. And, as ever, Ange… for putting up with me.

K.E.

For Sofie and Disco Di

Characters

DANIEL

NADIA

Author’s Note

Throughout the play various items will be brought into the room, things spilt, glass broken, bloodstains left. These shouldn’t be cleared until noted. The growing detritus and litter should be a feature of the set, no matter how this affects the actors’ movement. An empty Ikea showroom to Tracey Emin’s bed isn’t a million miles off. Or ignore me completely and do something crazy. Just don’t be boring. A rule to live by.

K.E.

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

1.

(The Flat.

NADIA, late thirties, stands in an empty living room. There is one door that leads off to a small kitchen and bathroom. The walls are whitewashed. The floor is that shiny fake-wood lining.

There are no personal effects. No furniture. Just a bare mattress.

The sound of a toilet flushing from off. DANIEL, late thirties, enters.)

DANIEL

Mr and Mrs Smith?

(Beat.)

NADIA

You are so original.

DANIEL

Mr and Mrs Original?

NADIA

Do you want to get arrested?

DANIEL

I’m not sure they chuck people in prison for –

NADIA

It’s forgery.

DANIEL

It’s a name on a tenancy agreement.

NADIA

Which is a legally binding contract.

DANIEL

Fuck it’s sexy when you talk down to me.

NADIA

Why draw more attention to ourselves?

DANIEL

We’re a couple of boring, white, married, thirty-somethings –

NADIA

Oi!

DANIEL

The police are not going to break down the door and cart us off.

(Beat.)

Why don’t we just use our own names?

NADIA

Bills.

DANIEL

Evidence.

NADIA

Exactly.

DANIEL

You’ve thought this through.

NADIA

I have.

DANIEL

I’m flattered.

(Beat.)

So your friend…

NADIA

My friend will help us out.

DANIEL

Isn’t that nice of her.

NADIA

She has her sympathies.

DANIEL

She’s a sympathiser. I wish I had friends like that.

NADIA

Then we should work on your personality.

DANIEL

You’re in a funny mood.

NADIA

Mischievous. Not funny.

DANIEL

Maybe we could…

(He makes a gesture.)

NADIA

What was that?

DANIEL

You know.

(She laughs knowingly.)

NADIA

Now?

DANIEL

He said he won’t be back for ten minutes.

NADIA

We still need to pick a name for the lease.

DANIEL

I can be quick.

NADIA

Just what every woman wants to hear.

DANIEL

Okay then, after. When we’re done.

(Beat.)

NADIA

Where?

DANIEL

The Green.

NADIA

The Green!

DANIEL

Al fresco.

NADIA

It’s a fucking roundabout.

DANIEL

A triangle, actually. A triangle-about.

NADIA

Not really the season. We need to wait until they replant the shrubbery.

DANIEL

There’s going to be shrubbery?

NADIA

One can only hope.

(Pause.)

DANIEL

Your friend… Can we…

NADIA

I’m not into threesomes.

DANIEL

Can we trust her? No questions asked?

NADIA

A couple of questions. Answered.

DANIEL

But is she –

NADIA

You have to trust someone, Daniel.

DANIEL

I trust you.

NADIA

Good.

(Beat.)

Mr and Mrs White?

DANIEL

The Whites… They sound fun.

(She steps towards him.)

NADIA

They are.

(Pause.)

It is nice isn’t it? You do like it.

DANIEL

I do.

NADIA

A home.

DANIEL

On Mondays.

NADIA

But still… A place. Our place.

DANIEL

Our place. That’s sweet.

NADIA

I can be sweet.

DANIEL

Don’t make a habit of it. I might get the wrong idea.

(A moment. Then NADIA kisses him full on the mouth.

The door starts to open. She moves away sharply.)

2.

(NADIA and DANIEL sit on the floor of the darkened room, curtains shut, with only some tealight candles illuminating the space.

There are a couple of bottles of Prosecco next to them.)

NADIA

Weapons?

DANIEL

What kind?

NADIA

Use your imagination.

DANIEL

Whips?

NADIA

Knives.

DANIEL

Ouch.

NADIA

Yes or no?

DANIEL

No knives.

NADIA

But whips?

DANIEL

Yes.

NADIA

Good. Blindfolds?

DANIEL

Yes.

NADIA

Strangulation?

(Pause.)

DANIEL

Yeah.

NADIA

You had to think about it.

DANIEL

I’m a pussy.

NADIA

Belts?

DANIEL

For what purpose?

NADIA

Every purpose.

DANIEL

Yes.

NADIA

That’s better. Don’t overthink things. Ever.

DANIEL

Where has thinking ever got anyone?

NADIA

Exactly.

DANIEL

Go again.

NADIA

It’s not my turn.

DANIEL

Isn’t it?

NADIA

No.

DANIEL

Fuck I’m drunk.

NADIA

Lightweight.

DANIEL

Some of us don’t consider drinking a bottle of wine with lunch a life requirement.

NADIA

A job requirement.

DANIEL

Whatever.

(Pause.)

I can’t think of anything.

NADIA

You are a constant disappointment.

(Beat.)

Watersports?

DANIEL

No.

NADIA

That was very definite.

DANIEL

Not my thing.

NADIA

Don’t you like the idea of being dirty? Mucky?

DANIEL

I don’t think I could physically do it. I have to piss sitting down when I go to the toilet in a pub.

NADIA

Awwww.

DANIEL

Thanks. That will help in future I’m sure.

NADIA

It’s okay. You haven’t got anything to be worried about. Down there.

DANIEL

I’ve been waiting my whole life for someone to tell me that.

NADIA

Happy to oblige.

DANIEL

It’s a nerves thing. The pissing. Been like it since I was a kid.

NADIA

Were you a late developer?

DANIEL

Have you ever had a shower with twenty other boys?

NADIA

Yes.

DANIEL

Filth.

NADIA

You love it.

DANIEL

Go again!

NADIA

It’s your turn!

DANIEL

I can’t think. All the blood has rushed out of my brain to my massive –

NADIA

Anal.

DANIEL

Anal?

NADIA

Yeah. Anal.

(Pause.)

DANIEL

Yeah.

NADIA

Giving and receiving?

DANIEL

Fuck it. Why not. In for a penny… You?

NADIA

Yes.

DANIEL

You’ve tried it before?

NADIA

No.

DANIEL

It’s just some girls…

NADIA

Girls.

DANIEL

Some girls –

NADIA

Do I seem like some girls to you?

DANIEL

No. No, you really don’t.

(He kisses her. Hard. Felt.)

NADIA

Other people?

DANIEL

I thought you didn’t do threesomes?

NADIA

I could be convinced.

DANIEL

Really?

NADIA

Maybe.

DANIEL

Have you got a girlfriend who –

NADIA

Why do men always assume a threesome needs two women?

DANIEL

Have you seen the male anatomy? It’s like a cruel joke. Who needs two of them bouncing around in a bed?

NADIA

We don’t have a bed.

DANIEL

How modern of us.

NADIA

I wouldn’t want to share you.

DANIEL

You already do.

(A silence.)

NADIA

Well, that’s a mood-killer.

DANIEL

I’m a fucking idiot.

NADIA

It’s okay.

DANIEL

No. I’m a dick.

NADIA

A cock.

DANIEL

A prick.

NADIA

A big flaccid one.

DANIEL

The worst kind.

NADIA

Exactly.

DANIEL

I don’t want to share you either.

(A beat, she smiles.)

NADIA

So it’s boring monogamy?

DANIEL

Terribly boring, extra-marital, monogamy.

(Pause.)

Have you ever… Before. This. Us.

NADIA

Have I ever what?

DANIEL

Done this. Before. Am I your first?

NADIA

Yes, I am in fact a virgin and my children were actually given to me by an angel called Gabriel. It’s a well-known phenomenon.

DANIEL

Nadia.

NADIA

Of course not. This is special. Us. We’re special.

(Pause.)

Now let’s stop talking.

DANIEL

Why?