DATE NIGHT #1

1. WEIRD FISHES LIANNE LA HAVAS 2. TABLE FOR ONE EGO ELLA MAY 3. SOMETHING THE BEATLES

4. WORK CHARLOTTE DAY WILSON 5. OPEN YOUR HEART MADONNA 6. SEE YOU AGAIN TYLER, THE CREATOR (FT. KALI UCHIS)

7. SUPERCUT LORDE 8. SOUL LOVE DAVID BOWIE 9. LIVID ELIZA 10. NOBODY MITSKI

Place the sweet potatoes on a tray, drizzle them in oil and MEXICAN STUFFED SWEET POTATOES sprinkle on some salt. Put them in the oven. To a pan, add oil, and heat. When hot, add the garlic and 2 sweet potatoes onion and cook until golden brown. Add the tin of chopped 1 red onion tomatoes, and let simmer. 3 cloves of garlic Add the chopped veg, and season to taste. 1 tin of chopped tomatoes Add the kidney beans, and turn down the heat. 1 tin of kidney beans Take the sweet potatoes out the oven. Hold the pan until the Handful of mushrooms, chopped heat is too much and you can’t feel your fingers. Half a pepper, diced Scoop out the flesh of the sweet potatoes, and add to the Half a courgette, diced pan with everything in. Paprika Turn off the heat. Juice of half a lemon Stare at the pan. 1 spring onion Stare at the pan. Grated cheese Mash the contents of the pan until a nice mixed pulp. Guacamole Mash until your hands hurt. Add the juice of half a lemon, and the spring onions. Place the mixture back into the skins of the sweet potatoes, top with cheese, and put back in the oven until the cheese Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes has melted. in the microwave for 5-10 minutes. While they’re in, chop the Add a dollop of homemade guacamole. garlic finely and dice the onion. Serve to no one DATE NIGHT #1 ALISON: Hm, it’s alright. They didn’t have coriander.

Alison sits at the table with dinner. BETH: Still, looks nice. She stares at the food on the plate. She stares at the urn opposite. ALISON: Should taste different. She picks up the fork, full of food, and drops it back down. She takes the lid off the urn, and sprinkles the ashes over BETH: Different doesn’t have to be bad. her dinner. She gorges. ALISON: Different is wrong though.

BETH: You should slow down. Silence. Alison eats another forkful.

Alison splutters, coughs and looks up. No one is there. The BETH: What did you do today? air is hot. ALISON: We went to the cinema. ​ ​ BETH: Exactly, look, you’ll cough and choke and next thing you know it’ll be you in one of these horrible pots. BETH: And what did you see? ​ ​

Alison closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. ALISON: We watched your favourite. They’re doing a special edition re-release thing. BETH: Looks nice. BETH: You hate that film. BETH: You’d say it was peaceful. An empty cinema. And ALISON: Ahhh past tense. I enjoyed it today. And you know, you’d say I’d ask too many questions and rustle sweets too you love it so- loudly / and even my breathing was distracting

BETH: Loved. Past tense. ALISON: Yeh you did and yeh it was but-

Pause. Alison eats. BETH: So go by yourself again.

BETH: Was it busy? ALISON: It’s not the same. I miss-

ALISON: (Her mouth full) Wha? BETH: But you haven’t even got heavy breathing to worry ​ ​ about so just leave the heavy weight behind and- BETH: The cinema. ALISON: I don’t want to / be alone. ALISON: Oh, no, just a few, and us, it was nice. BETH: I know. I know. BETH: You use to love going to the cinema by yourself. Pause. ALISON: Only sometimes. ALISON: I hate washing up / alone -

BETH: Too many plates. in time- a fossil. Yes, a fossil. Marks and imprints and singes ALISON: Not enough space. of the past.

BETH: Throw away that tea towel. BETH: (Fossils are for sad people and museums)

ALISON: It’s the only one I’ve got. ALISON: The year is 2080 and people queue for miles and pay entry to see my capsule of time. BETH: It’s gross and it smells and needs to go. BETH: (Is your bedroom still full of stones and shells and ALISON: You know, it’s still got that singe from when you- ticket stubs?)

BETH: You can’t be sentimental about a dirty dishcloth. ALISON: No throwing away. No getting rid, because, then, what are people queuing for? I better give them something to Alison drops her fork. stare at.

ALISON: I can be sentimental about a dirty dishcloth. Alison stands up from the table. She stares at the urn. BETH: No- She places the lid back on the urn. She picks up the dinner plate, and walks away from the ALISON: No I can because I want to look at every item I own table. and think about before. I want to keep this place- a moment END.

DATE NIGHT #2

1. WICKED GAME CHRIS ISAAK 2. SATELLITE OF LOVE LOU REED 3. WHEN I GO SLOW CLUB 4. STILL BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB 5. ANYMORE FRANK TURNER

6. MODERN LOVE DAVID BOWIE 7. LOVE--> BUILDING ON FIRE TALKING HEADS 8. IN YOUR EYES BADBADNOTGOOD & CHARLOTTE

DAY WILSON 9. 400 LUX LORDE 10. FOR LOVE (I COME) THUNDERCAT

GARDEN RISOTTO Take the tenderstem broccoli and drizzle in olive oil, with salt, pepper and paprika. Put in the oven. 30g butter While stirring the mixture, add the lemon juice, 3 spring 1 red onion onions and tin of butter beans. When the rice has absorbed 1 clove garlic the liquid, pour a little more of the leftover veg stock. 5 tbsp lemon juice Repeat. Repeat? Asparagus tips How long- 1 courgette Until all the veg stock is gone. 3 spring onions Take off the heat. Stir in the soft cheese while still hot. 1 tin butter beans Plate up. Aribatto rice Bowl up. 1 litre of veg stock Put it in something. Or on something. Or both. Tenderstem broccoli Serve the roasted tenderstem broccoli and a sprinkling of 50g soft cheese parmesan. Parmesan to serve Enjoy. Enjoy?

Heat the 30g of butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and and fry until purplegreenredbrown golden. Add the asparagus tips, and thinly sliced courgette. When cooked through, add 300g of aribatto rice, alongside ¼ of the veg stock. DATE NIGHT #2 BETH: Why bother at all then? Alison sits at the table with dinner. She stares at the plate. ALISON: We’ve had many the dinner in silence. She stares at the urn opposite. She takes the lid off the urn, and sprinkles the ashes over BETH: That’s because you’re stubborn. her dinner. ALISON: We’re stubborn. She gorges. BETH: Were. BETH: Hello. Pause. Alison splutters, coughs, and looks up. The air is hot. Silence. BETH: It’s got asparagus in?

BETH: Right. ALISON: Yeh.

Pause. Alison eats. BETH: Can’t stand the stuff.

BETH: So we’re not- ALISON: I remember.

Pause. Pause. ALISON: I don’t know, ask Carlos! ALISON: I also remember that restaurant- Both laugh. BOTH: Carlos’. BETH: Well that’s cheered you / up- BETH: Yeh. ALISON: Mmhmm, and this food. It’s good. ALISON: And they- BETH: Shame. Alison begins to splutter and laugh. Pause. Alison looks out the window. BETH: Mmmhmm. I know what you’re going to say. BETH: Rain. ALISON: When they- brought that- ha- your face- I can’t even begin to- ALISON: I know.

BETH: Yep. I definitely said- BETH: I hate this.

ALISON: But they definitely heard- ALISON: I know.

BETH: How’d you get from no to only? BETH: Did you put the bins out?

ALISON: It’s Tuesday. person, not the folding clean clothes into neat clean piles person. The put the kettle on turn the radiator off person, not BETH: I know. the brew the tea for a few more minutes it’s cold outside let’s get cosy person. ALISON: Fuck. Now I’m all those persons. Pause. I want to be none of them.

BETH: Maybe the neighbours / put it out BETH: If I could, I would.

ALISON: They wouldn’t and they didn’t, you know that. ALISON: But you can’t.

Pause. Alison puts her knife and fork down. She places the lid on the urn. ALISON: How am I supposed to remember all this shit. She picks up the dinner plate, and walks away from the table. BETH: I guess you just- END. ALISON: I’ve never, not once, thought about bin day. Not in any house. I’m not the bin person. I’ve never been the bin person. I’m the washing up person. Not the clothes horse person but the washing powder person, the washing line

DATE NIGHT #3 ​ 1. A CASE OF YOU JONI MITCHELL

2. THE WILHELM SCREAM JAMES BLAKE 3. NORWEGIAN WOOD THE BEATLES 4. BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE- NEW ORDER

5. WEST RIVER TIBER & DAN CAESAR 6. WE BELONG TOGETHER VAMPIRE WEEKEND FT DANIELLE HAIM 7. WRITER IN THE DARK LORDE 8. I’LL TRY ANYTHING ONCE THE

STROKES 9. ALL I NEED AIR FT. BETH HIRSCH 10. CANCEL ON ME BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB BURRITOS Boil the kettle, and pour over 300g of rice, to leave simmering on the hob. 1 brown onion Fry the diced onion and garlic until burnt. No not burnt. 3 cloves garlic Add half a packet of quorn chicken. Think of animals Quorn chicken screaming. 1 tin of chopped tomatoes When soft, add the chopped tomatoes, red pepper, green 1 Red pepper chillies, cherry tomatoes, and diced courgette. Season with Green chillies paprika, and salt, and let simmer. Cherry tomatoes Add a tin of kidney beans but you don’t have a tin opener so Courgette, diced you just smash the tin on the work surface until it opens and Kidney beans you can put in the mixture. 300g rice Heat wraps in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes. Sweet potato, in chunks Place everything on a table and assemble to your taste. Or Wraps maybe someone else's. Lettuce Watch it disintegrate in your hands. Fall through your fingers, Guacamole onto the plate, and onto the floor. Sour cream Grated cheese

Chop the sweet potato into chunks, drizzle with olive oil, season, and place in the oven.

DATE NIGHT #3 around half the shop to get ingredients for a mushroom pasta dish and I went to touch it and it wasn’t there. Alison sits at the table with dinner. She stares at the plate. Pause. She stares at the urn opposite. She takes the lid off the urn, and sprinkles the ashes over ALISON: I’m sorry. her dinner. BETH: You look nice. She gorges. ALISON: You’re not upset? The air is hot. BETH: I don’t even know if I can be upset anymore. BETH: You look- ALISON: Well I’m upset. ALISON: I lost the necklace. BETH: It’s just a thing. Pause. ALISON: It’s not ‘just a thing’. It meant- ALISON: I cycled to work today and I took a jumper off at one point and when I was in the shops I was getting stressed BETH: I know what it meant. Surely that’s worth more. out because there were no mushrooms and I’d already gone Alison scrunches her eyes, and eats another mouthful. ALISON: Dissolves on my tongue it never touched the ALISON: That’s not tangible though. surface. I hold things and their weight feels strange. BETH: Is this tangible? BETH: Stop holding things then. ALISON: What? ALISON: I hear things and the sound feels odd. BETH: This? Now? Right here? Is this providing you with a tangible talisman for the present? BETH: Stop listening.

Alison closes her eyes. She goes to touch where the ALISON: I smell things and the scent is always off. necklace would be. She grabs, at nothing. I walk and my feet don’t feel right on the ground. I run and my feet don’t feel right on the air. ALISON: I want solid. I kiss people and their lips aren’t right.

BETH: Take another bite of that and- BETH: Stop kissing people-

ALISON: But it’s not the same. It’s like dust. Everything is ALISON: Is that what you want? dusty and cardboard and bland. Because I can.

BETH: Maybe you need more seasoning. BETH: I don’t-

Pause. ALISON: No taste. No touch. No smell. No kiss. No BETH: I’d get the necklace replaced. I’d not tell you though. necklace. I’d comfort you and tell you it was going to be alright and then I’d hunt, really far and wide, to make sure I got you an exact match. I’d bring it home one day, and I’d wait for us to She stares at the urn. sit on the patio after dinner and I’d stand up and put it around She places the lid back on the urn. your neck, and I’d hug you. She walks away from the table. That’s what I’d do. END. ALISON: I looked online and the necklace has been discontinued.

BETH: I’d try car boots and charity shops and behind the back of the sofa-

ALISON: I went to talk to someone and it’s like my senses have been discontinued.

BETH: I’d try drain pipes and antique stores and in the lining of stomachs-

DATE NIGHT #4

1. LANDSLIDE FLEETWOOD MAC

2. LIABILITY LORDE 3. CONFESS TO ME DISCLOSURE 4. SO LONG, SEE YOU TOMORROW BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB 5. CAN’T DO WITHOUT YOU CARIBOU

6. TURN ON THE LIGHT JAMIE T 7. INTO MY ARMS NICK CAVE 8. PORCELAIN RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS 9. EIGHT DAYS A WEEK THE

BEATLES 10. DON’T TALK (PUT YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER) THE BEACH BOYS Notice a flickering at the back of the oven. It’s not a flame, because it’s electric, but there’s something there moving. THROW TOGETHER ROAST The hot air doesn’t bother you. Mesmerised. Drawn in. Close the oven. Not good. Half a bag of white potatoes Fry the onion, garlic, and spinach in a pan. 4 spring onions Mash the potatoes with butter, salt, pepper and grated 4 cloves of garlic cheese to taste. 1 bag of spinach Add the spinach mixture to the mash, and mix. Butter Take everything out the oven. Grated cheese Pour over gravy but your hand slips and it’s drowning in it Vegetarian sausages you’re drowning in it you’re drowning. Tenderstem broccoli 4 carrots Gravy

Chop the carrots into small hunks parts bits nibs and drizzle in oil, salt, and place in the oven. Cut the potatoes into chunks, and boil until cooked through. Put the vegetarian sausages and broccoli in the oven with the carrots.

DATE NIGHT #4 BETH: You’re being lazy. Skins left on too?

Alison sits at the table with dinner. ALISON: Nutrition. She stares at the plate. She stares at the urn opposite. BETH: Sloth. She takes the lid off the urn, and sprinkles the ashes over her dinner. ALISON: Sundays are depressing, why would I eat my favourite meal on the worst day of the week. She gorges. BETH: Your favorite was always pizza. BETH: It’s not Sunday. ALISON: Things change. ALISON: I know what day it is. BETH: You used to love Sunday mornings. BETH: I don’t know how I feel about roast on a not-Sunday- ALISON: Things change. ALISON:- I don’t know / how I feel. BETH: Yep, I guess they do. BETH: And better yet, mash with roast? ALISON: Change is a good thing, that’s what you always ALISON: I’m being adventurous. say.

BETH: Said. ALISON: All of this is wrong. But not just right now. Everything that’s come before. I feel like I’m in a dream and I ALISON: I don’t fucking care about the past tense. need to wake up. Sorry. I feel like I’m in a nightmare and I Stop changing the tense. need to wake up. You’re here right now, here and now, it’s happening and I’m here and we’re in the present so I can say say and you can BETH: It’s a feeling isn’t it. say say, you’re still saying say, there is no said. ALISON: A horrible misty feeling. Thick clouds. I feel I’m BETH: There is a change though. It’s not like it was before. walking through fog and I know there’s a drop somewhere I’m not like I was before. but I can’t see- BETH: A drop. I- ALISON: Yeh well I can fucking tell that can’t I. ALISON: It’s all hazy. BETH: - BETH: Maybe this should stop. Maybe we should stop. ALISON: - ALISON: Ok. BETH:- Alison places the lid back on the urn. ALISON: This is wrong. She gets up from the table, and walks away. BETH: No it’s- END

DATE NIGHT #5

1. GLUE BICEP

2. YOU AND ME THE WANNADIES 3. TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS OTIS REDDING 4. ONCE IN A LIFETIME TALKING HEADS

5. HANNAH HUNT VAMPIRE WEEKEND 6. SLIP AWAY PERFUME 7. BLUSH WOLF ALICE 8. WHEN DOVES CRY PRINCE

9. NEW YORK I LOVE YOU LCD SOUNDSYSTEM 10. I HAD A REAL GOOD MOTHER AND FATHER GILLIAN WELCH

AUBERGINE BURGERS Cut the aubergine. Maybe. 1 aubergine Not sure how. Halloumi It’s all infront of you and you remember making it but it’s kind Red pepper of just here. Burger buns Sorry. Garlic mayo Cut everything up and cook it and then eat it. Lettuce Yes. Spinach Cut everything up and cook it and then eat it. Chips

Alison goes to take a forkful, and gags. DATE NIGHT #5 She pushes her plate away. She places the lid back on the urn. Alison sits at the table with dinner. She cries. She stares at the plate. She looks out the window. It’s raining. END. She stares at the urn opposite. She takes the lid off the urn, and sprinkles the ashes over her dinner.

She gorges.

The air is hot.

BETH: -

ALISON: -

BETH: -

ALISON: -

DATE NIGHT #6

1. MADE A LIST DINGUS KHAN

2. BABY IT’S YOU THE BEATLES 3. DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD? CONFIDENCE MAN 4. TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS PIP MILLETT

5. LOVE WILL TEAR US APART JOY DIVISION 6. STILL TOGETHER MAC DEMARCO 7. SPANISH SAHARA FOALS 8. GIRLS LIKE YOU THE NAKED AND

FAMOUS 9. TAKE CARE BEACH HOUSE 10. HARVEST MOON NEIL YOUNG

TAKE AWAY

Dial a number. (Or fax. Do people still do that? It’s all on the app. Big fat thumbs pressing big fat buttons. Sit and wait. Cutlery’s a good idea. But maybe not tonight. Napkins heavy with grease before your lips have even met them. Mmm yeh. It’s what you’ve been waiting for. Fill. Be filled. Full. No, not quite. Sit and think. But maybe not tonight.)

DATE NIGHT #6 ALISON: Stop it. You have to stop. Alison sits at the table with dinner. She stares at the plate. BETH: Stop what. She stares at the urn opposite. She takes the lid off the urn, and sprinkles the ashes over ALISON: Stop making me miss you. Miss this. Miss us. her dinner. BETH: I’m not making you do anything. She gorges. ALISON: But you are. You’re everywhere I turn, every BETH: I didn’t mean right then. picture every word every shoe every door handle every text message every food wrapper every empty bottle every meal- ALISON: What. BETH: I’m not trying to be. BETH: I didn’t mean we should stop right then at that moment. ALISON: You’ve never had to try. You’ve always been there.

ALISON: I know. BETH: Do you want a lobotomy?

Silence. ALISON: I don’t think they’re real.

BETH: You look nice. BETH: Do you want a hypnotist? BETH: Budapest.

ALISON: You have to want them to work. ALISON: Or the Cathedral gardens.

BETH: Do you want to swap? BETH: That overpriced doughnut shop.

Pause. ALISON: The first train back to my house.

Do you want to be where I am? BETH: The curb just slightly left of my doorstep.

Do you want to swap places? ALISON: A large glass of shit wine.

Shall we give it a go? BETH: Yeh. That.

Pause. ALISON: I don’t wish for any of them. Not without you.

But I wouldn’t want that. She stares at the urn. She places the lid back on the urn. I wouldn’t wish that. She stares at the urn.

ALISON: What would you wish for? END

DATE NIGHT #7

1. SILENCE

LEFTOVERS But it’s ok.That’s what the rubbish bin is for.

Stare at the fridge. When you muster the energy, take out each night’s tin foil wrapped tupperware contained leftover food, and assemble on a plate. Gag at the waste and the time and the days and the flavours and the sheer reminder of being alone.

DATE NIGHT #7 BETH: You’ll cough-

Alison gorges. Alison stares at the fridge. She takes out the leftovers from the week's worth of food BETH: and choke- and places them on a plate. She stares at the food on the plate. Alison eats faster. She stares at the urn opposite. She picks up the fork, full of food, and drops it back down. BETH: - and next thing you know it’ll be you in one of these She takes the lid off the urn, and sprinkles the ashes over horrible pots. the leftovers. Alison closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. She gorges. BETH: You look nice.

BETH: You should slow down. Alison smiles.

Alison continues to gorge, tasting all meals at once. She ALISON: I can’t do this anymore. shovels the food into her mouth. She does not need to look up to know that no one is there. BETH: I know. The air is hot. Pause. BETH: It’s fine. BETH: You / alright? ALISON: It’s really not. ALISON: Fine. BETH: You’ll be fine. BETH: Yeh? ALISON: You don’t know that. ALISON: No.

BETH: neither do you. BETH: That smell before the rain fall. Or maybe just after? It’s there, and you know it is, and you know what’s coming, Pause. or what’s been, depending where you stand.

But you know when you kinda do know? Well, you don’t Pause. really know, but you’ve got this feeling, a little ache in the back of your brain. A thought that sits differently. It’s not a ALISON: I feel sick. tingle, or an itch, maybe half way between a scratching and a drip. BETH: It’s going to be hard-

ALISON: A drop. ALISON: No, I actually feel pretty sick.

BETH: Mixing all that doesn’t look like it’s going to go down well for your insides I must say. BETH: Neither do you.

ALISON: Always been bad at portion control. Alison smiles. She places the lid back on the urn. BETH: It’s easier when you make a recipe for two and She throws away all the leftover food. actually half the ingredients though. She cleans out her fridge. She washes up. Pause. She walks out the door. A peak of blue skies. ALISON: Or take the leftovers for lunch. Sunshine.

BETH: Problem solved. END. Alison places her knife and fork down. She looks out the window.

ALISON: It hasn’t stopped raining for weeks.

BETH: I think it’ll be clear skies tomorrow.

ALISON: You don’t know that.