THE FOOD CHAIN
by Nicky Silver (Dramatists)
Amanda, a poet of some pretensions, has been married for three weeks but her husband, Ford, has been missing for two. Amanda calls a crisis hotline and reaches Bea, a volunteer. Bea's answer to Amanda's problems is to diminish them by complaining about her own deceased husband's inattentiveness, her son's embarrassing nature, and also to dispense hilarious (but useless) advice. Just as Amanda reaches her wits' end Ford walks in so she simply hangs up on Bea. Meanwhile, across town, Serge, a completely vain runway model, is waiting for the arrival of his latest paramour but is intruded upon by Otto, a former one night stand, who weighs in at over 300 pounds. Otto tortures, harangues and cajoles Serge while swilling Yoo-Hoo, eating junk food and taking phone calls from his mother. Serge finally reaches his breaking point with Otto but is interrupted by a phone call from his new lover saying he won't be coming over.
The scene shifts back to Amanda's at the crack of dawn. Serge is banging on the door, looking for his lover, surprising Amanda. It was with Serge that Ford has spent his two honeymoon weeks. Having followed Serge, it isn't long until Otto shows up, with breakfast, threatening suicide. Next to arrive is Bea, furious at Amanda for hanging up on her. As riotous chaos builds, we learn that Bea is Otto's mother, that Otto and Amanda are old school friends, that Serge will settle for both Amanda and Ford and that Ford has nothing to say. Bea takes charge and offers a solution, although it is short on practicality, it is long on pleasure.
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