nut (NHB Modern Plays)

debbie tucker green

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781780012964
• Topic: Literatur
• Subtopic: Drama

Elayne doesn't want company but company won't leave her alone. Everyone's got an opinion but no one's listening and things are starting to slip.

nut premiered at The Shed at the National Theatre in October 2013, directed by the author.

ACT ONE

Scene One

	In ELAYNE’s place.
ELAYNE	It would start with something bout how I am.
AIMEE	Original.
ELAYNE	Not no shit about how people think I am but how I (am) how I really / am.
AIMEE	I’d write / it.
ELAYNE	Wouldn’t trust you to write it I’d write it – have something / prepared.
AIMEE	You can’t write it – y’not meant to write / it.
ELAYNE	I’d write / it.
AIMEE	Someone else is meant to write it –
ELAYNE	someone / who?
AIMEE	someone else is meant to say the nice somethings that’s / the (point) –
ELAYNE	someone / who?
AIMEE	that’s the point, writin your own is wrong – writin your own is arrogant.
ELAYNE	I’d be being accurate.
AIMEE	Your version a accurate which is arrogant.
	I’d get it right.
ELAYNE	Wouldn’t trust you to get it right, toldju.
AIMEE	I’d get the tone right – get the feel, work the crowd or whoever shows up – you’d just write the good bits / about –
ELAYNE	The point is to write the good bits no one knows about
AIMEE	can’t be that good if no one don’t know bout them.
ELAYNE	Discreetly good.
AIMEE	‘Discreetly good’?
ELAYNE	You’re only good when people are watchin.
AIMEE	If no one’s there then there is no point – when no one’s there you can just be yourself –
ELAYNE	which is what?
AIMEE	I know me. And you aint no / angel.
ELAYNE	I’m good whether you watchin or not – not waitin on no audience.
AIMEE	Wouldn’t sit there and watch.
ELAYNE	Might learn something.
AIMEE	Not from you. I’d write your eulogy and people / would –
ELAYNE	You’re not writing mine not writing on / mine.
AIMEE	people would remember, people would recall and regret –
ELAYNE	don’t want no one’s regrets don’t want no regrets – this is / why –
AIMEE	or if not regrets then – I’d write somethin / that –
ELAYNE	this is why you’re not getting nowhere near / it.
AIMEE	you write it people’ll be like – ‘who does she think she is?’
ELAYNE	Nowhere / near.
AIMEE	‘Who the fuck does she think she is?’
ELAYNE	Right.
AIMEE	You don’t want that to be their last / impression of –
ELAYNE	They / won’t.
AIMEE	their last impression of you.
ELAYNE	They wouldn’t know who wrote what if I wrote it – they’d juss hear the words –
AIMEE	they’d / know.
ELAYNE	hear the words and be too busy / bein sad –
AIMEE	They’d know cos I’d tellem. What bits I did and what bits I didn’t. I’d leave a taste, leave an odour somethin that’ll linger longer than the service – an emotional stain –
ELAYNE	my people would smell your bullshit –
AIMEE	that’s how I’d write your / eulogy.
ELAYNE	they’d know iss not bout me and embarrass you, their impression of me intact, solid amongst your written / shit.
AIMEE	I’d be honest boutchu not harsh – not too harsh, but / honest.
ELAYNE	They’d know and you wouldn’t be invited –
AIMEE	you wouldn’t know if I’d be there
ELAYNE	getchu barred.
AIMEE	By who? You gonna have bouncers on the doors-of-your-demise? Even more – see – even more bout ‘Who the fuck she think she is with security?’
ELAYNE	Get it written in you ent got no entry… People like you wouldn’t be invited.
AIMEE	Like me who?
ELAYNE	Like / you.
AIMEE	Who am I like?
ELAYNE	(quietly) …Y’not like no one I know.
AIMEE	What?
ELAYNE	Y’not like no one I / know.
AIMEE	I aint like no one you know, that’s right. I’m unique. Who you know? Who you invitin? Who’d you know to invite even?
	Beat.
	You’d want me there.
ELAYNE	…You’d have to do the inviting –
AIMEE	what?
ELAYNE	…You’d have to do the inviting –
AIMEE	(s...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Original Production
• Characters and Note on Text
• nut
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information