[Read] Hot Desk Extract: Yogashree Thirunavukarasu - Eat

As part of The Wheeler Centre’s Hot Desk Fellowship, Yogashree Thirunavukarasu worked on her second full-length play, EAT.

This drama follows Adrian who has recently passed away, aged 25. As his family members reel from his untimely passing and the illness that started it all, his sister – desperate to assuage her guilt – investigates the events in his last year of life, stumbling upon a world previously unknown to her. Eat explores grief, familial love, cultural expectations and queer relationships through the lens of a family left fragmented from the effects of an eating disorder.

This play, told through a non-linear timeline, sheds light on the far-reaching impact of eating disorders, revealing how they shape and fracture the lives of those affected and the people who love them.

 AMINAH passes some snacks to ADRIAN.

SARO

Where are my Cheezels?

AMINAH

I didn't see any.

SARO

I just bought them yesterday.

AMINAH

(To ADRIAN) Did you eat them?

SARO

He doesn't eat Cheezels. Only shit

that tastes like nothing.

ADRIAN

I prefer something a bit healthier.

AMINAH

You should try kale chips. When my

mom was on a diet last year, she

stocked up on those to replace her

chocolate obsession.

SARO

Kale. Chips?

AMINAH

It's actually pretty good.

SARO

What is the world coming to?

AMINAH

You can have some of the Kettle

ones. Here-

SARO

No, but I felt like Cheezels. Damn

it, I'm going to check.

SARO leaves.

20.

AMINAH

Really, try out the kale chips. I

mean they sound kinda gross but

there's so much flavour. I think

they're American. So good.

ADRIAN

Yeah, I wil-

ADRIAN gets a phone notification and his lock screen lights up revealing a photo of him with DANIEL.

AMINAH

Oh my god, Aadi! Is that the new

guy?

ADRIAN

Oh. Yeah.

AMINAH

Cute! Was this the guy you met at

the party?

ADRIAN

That's the one.

AMINAH

What was his name again?

ADRIAN

Daniel.

AMINAH

It must be going really well if

he's on your lockscreen. Wait, let

me see!

SARO re-enters the space.

SARO

Bro, it was right there outside the

pantry.

AMINAH

I didn't see it. Give me some.

SARO

Aadi, the leftovers are still out.

Did you have dinner yet?

ADRIAN

Not hungry.

SARO

Weren't you at the gym?

ADRIAN

I ate out after the gym.

21.

SARO

What did you eat?

ADRIAN

A burger.

SARO

But you don't eat burgers.

ADRIAN

Uh, cheat day.

AMINAH

Oh, you got a text.

AMINAH hands ADRIAN's phone and he checks it. He gets a few more notifications.

AMINAH

Is that him?

ADRIAN

Yeah, he's just asking what I'm

doing.

SARO

"You up?"

AMINAH

Okay, is it really true that he

used a pick-up line on you?

ADRIAN

Not exactly. He said he forgot

where he put his phone and wanted

me to call it. But then, as I was

about to dial his number into my

phone, he takes out his phone and

says 'How about you type your

number here instead'. Then he sent

me a text the next day.

AMINAH

Smooth. Where was the first date?

ADRIAN

Technically, there wasn't a first.

But on the second date, we went for

lunch and then a walk. It was

nearer to his place and he showed

me around the neighbourhood. We saw

his old school, the park he's

visited since he was a child and

even the restaurant his family

owns.

AMINAH

They own a restaurant!

22.

ADRIAN

Yeah, a Spanish place. It's really

quite nice. Um, rustic, is what

you'd call the aesthetic?

AMINAH

Ooh la la, magnifique!

SARO

That's French.

AMINAH

Okay, continue, continue!

ADRIAN

The rest is history, I guess. I

mean it’s still early days, so you

never know but it just feels good.

It's like one of those things that

just seem to make sense you know.

We talked a lot about family and it

seems like we have quite a bit in

common, so it feels like there's

someone who really just gets it.

AMINAH

Do you think he's the one?

ADRIAN

I don't know. But, I kind of hope

so.

AMINAH

Man, why don't I get any action?

SARO

Because you have your head buried

in the sand whenever a guy talks to

you. Where did my Cheezels go

again?

AMINAH

How did he know that you like

dudes?

SARO

He has eyes.

AMINAH

Stop hogging the chocolates, man.

SARO

Why don't you buy some kale chips?

AMINAH

Why are you in such a mood?

SARO

It's nothing.

23.

ADRIAN

It's the leftovers.

SARO

If you're not going to eat, just

put it in the fridge. Otherwise,

Ma's going to be pissed and then I

get blamed. So, if you're not eating

it, just clean it up.

ADRIAN

I was saving it for you.

SARO

I already ate. You saw me eating

when you got back!

ADRIAN

Okay, I'll put it away.

ADRIAN and AMINAH are still cooing over some of the pictures on ADRIAN's phone.

SARO

Hello?

ADRIAN

I'll put it away after this.

SARO

You'll forget. Come on, just do it

now, please!

ADRIAN

Okay, okay, okay.

SARO

Oh, could you also get me a glass

of water?

ADRIAN

No.

ADRIAN exits.

AMINAH

Seriously, what's wrong with you?

SARO

Nothing.

AMINAH

Why are you making such a big deal

about the leftovers?

SARO

You know why. I'm the daughter- I

get blamed for everything that goes

wrong in the house.

24.

AMINAH

What's new?

SARO

What?

AMINAH

What's new?

SARO

What do you mean 'what's new'?

AMINAH

You're 21. You've been blamed all

this while. Shitty but true. Why

are you suddenly getting riled up

over leftovers?

SARO

Maybe I'm starting to get sick of

it.

AMINAH

I think you're jealous of Aadi's

relationship.

SARO

That's not even close!

AMINAH

No, I think you've got some kinda

jealousy and you're taking it out

on him which is why we can't even

get two sentences in about the

relationship before you start going

on about the Cheezels and the

leftovers and stupid sarcasm about

any little thing you can pick on.

SARO

Relationship? It's been like a

week.

AMINAH

Three weeks.

SARO

Oh, that's such a big fucking

difference.

AMINAH

He's happy okay. Just let him be

happy.

SARO

It's not going to last.

25

AMINAH

Then let him enjoy it until it

ends.

ADRIAN re-enters the scene with a glass of water.

ADRIAN

Here.

End scene.