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2 COPYRIGHT NANCY MCPHERSON 2012 Published by Spotlight Publications All rights are reserved including performances on stage, radio and television. No part of this publication may be copied by whatever means without the prior permission of the copyright owner. It is an infringement of the copyright to give any performance or public reading of the play before a licence has been issued. Drama groups must obtain a full acting set of scripts (a minimum of one script per actor plus one for the director) before a performing licence can be issued. The name of the author shall be stated on all publicity including posters and programmes. Programme credits shall state "script provided by Spotlight Publications". All enquiries to: Spotlight Publications, 259 The Moorings, Dalgety Bay, Fife, KY11 9GX Tel enquiries@spotlightpublications.com Website: ISBN FUSION CHARACTERS Claire 30s, attractive, well dressed. She puts a lot of effort into finishing touches. Appears to be in control, but much of this is a façade. She gives the impression that she needs to prove herself and sometimes slips into a falsely confident tone. She is a caring person with a strong sense of duty. Louise 30s, Steven s partner, casually dressed. She is astute, well-balanced and at ease with herself. She cares a lot about Steven but finds herself somewhat on the sidelines when it comes to his family. Gary 30s, Claire s husband. He wears a loud, tasteless shirt. He is successful and confident enough not to care too much what people think. He is clearly fond of Claire, but likes to stir things a bit. Joe 50s/60s, Steven and Claire s father. He is dressed in ordinary clothes. He has a resigned, weary look about him. He is honest, forthright and strong. He cares for his two siblings, but sparks fly when he meets Steven. Steven 30s, Claire s brother, casually dressed. He is clever, cynical and always carries an air of suppressed anger. He is a brooding presence in the company of his family with whom he has unresolved issues. Setting Patio in Claire s garden. It is early evening. There are patio doors upstage right coming from the kitchen. On the patio, stage left there is a raised decking stage with a buffet table, laden with interesting platters of food, plates, cutlery, assorted glasses, drinks and a cocktail shaker. Stage right and centre there are chairs, plant pots and small tables. Claire has gone to a lot of trouble with the décor. Period The present.

3 Patio doors upstage right open out from the kitchen. On the patio, stage left there is raised decking with a buffet table, laden with interesting platters of food, plates, cutlery, assorted glasses, drinks and a cocktail shaker. Stage right and centre there are five chairs, and two or three small tables Claire comes out on to the patio and looks around anxiously. She looks at her watch and sits down, lost in thought. Gary appears at the patio doors. He watches her for a minute. She is unaware he s there. She gets up, turns and sees him Claire What? Gary Nothing. Claire What are you looking at me like that for? Gary Are you sure you re okay? Claire Of course I m okay. I was just going over everything in my head. (Looking at the table) Yes, I knew there was something. The tray. Gary What tray? Claire The tray of nibbles on the kitchen table. Would you bring it out? The tray. Think that s all. Just the nibbles. Right. They ll be here any minute. Gary And we need nibbles. Gary exits and comes back to the door holding a large tray of assorted containers with nibbles Gary This? Claire Put it here. No. Here, I think. Thanks. I ll just move these over a bit. To make room. Gary? Gary What? Claire Is that what you re wearing? Gary Eh, seems to be. Give me a mirror and I ll confirm that. Claire It s a bit loud. The shirt. Gary Loud? Hey mate, turn the volume down. The wife s a bit delicate. Claire I was just thinking you could have made a bit more effort in the circumstances. Gary The circumstances. Yeah. But, we re not expecting royalty, are we? Just your brother and his well, what is she exactly? Claire His partner. Gary Are they married? Claire You know they re not. Gary I don t know much about them at all. Must be three, four years since I last saw them. Claire Well they re busy. So are we. And I ve told you they don t seem to want to get married. What does it matter? Gary Just asking. They ve got a kid. Claire So? They re still a family. Don t start the evening off in one of those moods, Gary. It doesn t help. Gary Moods? Claire Just try. Please just try this once. For me. Gary Okay. For you. I m trying. Claire Very trying. Gary Promise. Mr. Cool. Chill. Claire Right. Now, have we got all the ingredients for the cocktails? Gary Pass. Not my specialist subject. Claire You re the mixer. The shaker. Gary Watch what you wish for. Claire I ll check them myself. I ve got little cards written out for you as an aide-memoire. Over here. Gary Brill. Where s the beer? Claire In the fridge.

4 He makes to exit Just leave it there, please, Gary. No beer. Not tonight. It s a cocktail party. Gary Christ. Party might be a bit optimistic. He picks up the cards Alabama Slammer, Cosmos, Margueritas, Mojitos, Woo Woo - Sounds like a brochure for brothel services. Claire How you would know? Gary Speculating. Just speculating. Claire Amaretto, rum, coffee liqueur, vodka, soda water, cranberry, limes ice. Ice. Gary, would you get the ice bucket. It s in the kitchen. Gary exits Mint. Cherries. Now, French Martini, what do we need for that? (She gets the card) Gary enters with the ice bucket and a beer Gary Ice. Beer. Claire Oh, Gary I said no beer Her mobile phone, which is on the buffet table, rings. She goes to answer it Gary Phone. Hopeful. Maybe they can t come. Claire (on phone) Steven? Yes, it s me. Yes. Same house. The garden is different. Yes. We had it landscaped last year. No, the year before, I think. Just come on in. Front door s open. We re in the garden. At the back. The patio. Yes. See you in a minute then. Bye. (She puts phone down) Go and meet them, Gary. They re here. Out there. Parked in the street. Gary Okay. Gary exits and Claire does some last minute checking of the cocktail ingredients Claire French Martini. Right, vodka. Got that. Pineapple juice. Yip. Raspberry liqueur. There. Cocktail glasses. (She starts counting the glasses) Gary (offstage) Yeah. Through here. Just go on out. She s out there. Casually throwing things together. Steven and Louise enter, followed by Gary. There is an immediate tension. Steven and Louise are dressed very informally Claire Hi. Great to see you! Hi, Louise. Louise Hi. Claire Long time no see! (She gives Louise a kiss. It s an awkward moment) How are you? Louise Fine. Thanks. Claire Steven. Look at you. Different hair. (She gives him a hug. He doesn t reciprocate) Steven Get off, Claire. Claire Charming! Nice to see you too. Brothers. What are they like, Louise! Sit down, both of you. Louise Thanks. I brought some Bombay mixture and some crisps. I wasn t sure Claire Oh you shouldn t have, Louise. I ve got plenty of stuff here. Steven (looking at the lavish spread) You said drinks. In the . Drop over for drinks. What s all this? Gary Claire s into cuisine, Steven. This is a buffet table of fusion cuisine. Louise Very nice. Claire Thanks. Steven What the fuck s fusion cuisine?

5 Louise Steven. Gary A mixture of things that don t go together. Claire A blend of cookery from different regions in a single eating experience. Gary A mixture of things that don t go together. Beat Claire Gary, I think we should see to the drinks, now. Gary Right. Drinks, you two? Steven I ll have a beer, thanks, Gary. Gary Excellent choice, Steven. And for you, Louise? A cocktail? Louise I ll just have a soda water, please. I m driving. Gary One beer, one soda water. Claire? Claire I ll have an Alabama Slammer. Steven What the fuck s that? Louise Steven. Gary A blend of spirits from different bottles in a single intoxicating experience. Claire Very clever, Gary. Just get the drinks. Gary goes to the table and starts to get the drinks Are you sure you won t try a cocktail, you two? A small one? Louise Driving. Sorry. Claire Steven, sure I can t tempt you with an Alabama Slammer? It s a mixture of amaretto, cranberry Steven I hate cranberry. Claire But that s only one ingredient. You can t actually taste the cranberry. It s all in the mix. Gary is shaking the cocktail shaker vigorously Steven It only takes one bad thing to ruin a drink. Unadulterated beer for me every time, thanks. No cranberry. Clear? Claire Crystal. FUSION Winner of the Scott Salver Competition 2012, this powerful drama describes the tensions within a once happy family which surface during a cocktail party. Plot Summary Claire has invited her brother Steven and his partner Louise for drinks. There is tension in the air from the moment they arrive. Claire s cocktails and fusion cuisine do little to blend the unlikely ingredients of the evening into something which Steven finds palatable. When Joe, their father arrives, Steven makes it clear that this is one ingredient which just doesn t fit into the mix as far as he s concerned. The chemical reactions are explosive as wounds open up and the reasons for the rift in a once happy family become evident. Emotions and tensions run high as the five very different characters are caught in a moment where past and present fuse. We are left wondering if there is enough in the mix to allow the different elements to come together.