NICK HERN BOOKS
London
www.nickhernbooks.co.uk
Contents
Introduction
Original Production
Dedication
Sunrise
About the Author
Copyright and Performing Rights Information
Introduction
I wrote the first draft of
Sunrise
in early 2018, in a hotel
room in Liverpool.
I had gone away for four days.
My mum was looking after the babies – she had
encouraged me to go away and have a chance to think
and work.
I thought I would sit down and write some hardcore
straight stand-up comedy. I told Alfie that’s what I was
going to write. I said I would be competing with him
now, on the stand-up circuit. I said that and then sat
down and watched half an hour of strangers’ Instagram
stories and searched for any evidence of Alfie with
other women and then cried for a bit and then
realised… I needed to write about him. And it’s not all
that funny, but it is all true.
I sent him only one bit for his approval. It was a bit in
which he doesn’t come across that well. He approved.
He was creatively generous. He is my biggest supporter
and my fairest critic. I think I broke his heart and he
definitely broke mine but – he is my best friend. This
show in many ways was written, well, just for him. But
it’s turned out to be something for me.
I also needed to write about the man who helped me
(begin) to heal again after the break-up. It was like he
was sent to me. He made me realise I can be fun. I can
be new. I can have secrets too.
But aside from all the crying in the woods, sexual
accidents, Harry Potter conventions and Instagram
espionage, this is a show about motherhood and trying
to get stuff done.
My mum has five children and she does everything for
us and makes everything happen for us.
I wish I was as selfless, giving and as patient.
When me and Alfie broke up, my mum saved me. She
helped me with the babies’ bathtime and bedtime most
nights. She said everything would be okay.
When I came back from Liverpool I said I would like to
have a sunrise backdrop for the shows and she started
sewing immediately. I then said ‘
I think I need to have
their faces sewn on to pillows – Alfie’s face and…
’ and
my mum didn’t say ‘Okay, you need to stop being so
odd.’ She started embroidering their faces into pillows,
in the full belief (or mother’s hope) that it wouldn’t be
odd and people would get it.
I’ve found the backdrop hugely comforting to look at
onstage.
What this little book
is
is now the fourteenth draft of
Sunrise
. And I’m so happy to (over)share it with you.
Sunrise
was first produced by Soho Theatre in
association with Curtis Brown, and performed at Soho
Theatre, London, on 24 July 2018, with the
following creative team:
Writer and Performer
Jessie Cave
Director and Dramaturg
Adam Brace
Designer
Debbie Cave
Composer and Sound Designer
Adam Welsh
Lighting Designer
Sean Hawkins
Puppetry Consultant
Mark Down
Stage Manager
Ella Dixon
Producers
Steve Lock
Sarah Dodd
It was subsequently performed at The Stand Comedy
Club, Edinburgh, as part of the Edinburgh Festival
Fringe, from 3 August; a full-length run at Soho
Theatre, London, from 12 November; and then on tour
around the UK.
Have you had sex with anyone
since we broke up?
Why are you asking this –
I won’t mind. Honestly. In fact I
want you to have had sex with
other people – on both our behalfs. I
can’t have sex at the moment because
I’m guarding our children every night
but you can!
I feel like this is a trap –
Oh my god, it’s so not a trap. Honestly!
I won’t mind! I really won’t mind! I just
want you to be honest.
Okay…
So – have you had sex since
we broke up?
Yes.
Right. How many?
One.
Who?
Sarah.
She was in the audience one night –
Okay.
Okay, it wasn’t a girl called Sarah
and she wasn’t in the audience,
I just wanted to see how you react –
When I was performing I would cover my face with the pillow of Alfie or Him
when they are ‘talking’. I would hold them above my head or hug them to my
chest when I am speaking ‘to’ them.
