Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea. —Henry Fielding

10 August 2007

Ravenhill / Marber

So The Guardian over in the UK is posting tiny excerpts from Mark Ravenhill every morning. They're calling it "Ravenhill for Breakfast", which is sort of hilarious. Ravenhill has written a play for every day of the Edinburgh festival and so each excerpt is from that day's play.

The Guardian is giving few details about the play when it posts each excerpt, so though I am not quite sure what this play is about, this made me laugh:
DAN And I asked you if you'd brought a newspaper.

ANNA And I said no because a newspaper is too depressing and you won't get better if you're reading newspapers.

DAN You did say that. And I was angry with you.

ANNA You were angry with me. Which wasn't good for you. And there was a croissant.

DAN Which also came out of a machine and had a bit of chocolate in the middle.

ANNA I'm sorry I couldn't do any better. Plastic cup and (laughs) plastic croissant.

DAN Ah well.

ANNA Ah well.

DAN And I said: I need to see the news.

ANNA I said: No.

DAN And I said: I saw the TV news last night.

ANNA And I said: How?

DAN I had the Nurse bring the TV into my room on a trolley I said.

ANNA The poof Nurse I asked.

DAN Nancy the Nurse yes I replied. Nancy the Nurse wheeled the TV into my room and we watched the news together.

ANNA I didn't have any breakfast myself that morning.

DAN No you didn't.

ANNA No I didn't. And I said: Nancy Nurse fancies you.

DAN Do you think so? I said.

ANNA I think so I said. And I think you flirt with Nancy the Nurse I said.

DAN Well maybe I do I said maybe I do.

There is a little more, but how much does this sound like Patrick Marber's Closer? It seems to me like it's a parody of Marber's play, and a very clever one at that. Thoughts?

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