Outline and synopsis
Clara is preparing a live recipe demonstration when Raymond interrupts with advice about preparation and self-discipline. He takes over the demonstration, expecting Clara to edit out his mistakes, while the audience watches him struggle with the jar and ingredients. Viewer comments send Clara back in front of the camera. She produces the mixture and protein balls she prepared earlier and finishes the demonstration, then tells Raymond it was live. His mistakes have supplied enough material for a series.
CHARACTERS
| CLARA | A woman in her forties. A food-content creator. Practical, particular, dry. |
| RAYMOND | Her husband, around the same age. A breathwork coach. Affable, expansive, accustomed to being listened to. |
Setting
A present-day kitchen set up for Clara's recipe live stream.
- A work surface, seating and a cupboard or storage area.
- Clara's phone on a tripod with a ring light; Raymond's separate phone.
- Recipe ingredients, mixing bowl, spoon, tea towel and two peanut butter jars: one almost empty, one sealed.
- Prepared mixture and finished protein balls, hidden until Clara produces them.
The front room is offstage. Leave the layout and furniture choices to the director.
One Act Play
Scene 1
CLARA sits beside the counter, laying out ingredients next to the mixing bowl.
RAYMOND enters barefoot.
RAYMOND
Good morning, love.
CLARA
Good morning. How did you sleep?
RAYMOND
Good. Woke up a few times. I could do without the middle-of-the-night walk to the bathroom. Every single night.
CLARA
I’ve told you. Stop drinking so much water before bed.
RAYMOND
The latest studies show that we should be drinking at least three litres a day, but as the Buddhist teaching goes, it is not just about the quantity but it is about the intervals between the drinks. You have to space them out correctly, throughout the day.
CLARA searches the cupboard.
RAYMOND
Three important things to remember if you want to be successful.
One. Consistency. Doing the work. Showing up. Day in and day out. Whatever happens, just show up.
Two.
He holds up two fingers.
CLARA searches behind the ingredients.
RAYMOND
Tenacity. It is very hard to change, your nervous system is telling you the opposite of what you should be doing.
Have you seen my barefoot shoes?
CLARA
I think they’re underneath the couch.
RAYMOND exits.
RAYMOND returns with his shoes.
RAYMOND
And finally, be ready. Be prepared. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
CLARA
Did you take the peanut butter?
RAYMOND sits and puts on his shoes.
RAYMOND
Oh yeah. It’s in the front room. Left it there last night.
CLARA looks at RAYMOND.
CLARA
You know I need what’s in the pantry, in the pantry! You know it well.
[a beat]
CLARA
Not that you’d care…
CLARA stands to leave.
RAYMOND stands and puts a hand out.
RAYMOND
I’ll get it for you, love.
CLARA
I’m really annoyed with you.
RAYMOND exits.
CLARA switches on the ring light and starts her live stream.
CLARA (to camera)
Morning, everyone. We’re live. No-bake protein balls today. Everything’s measured out.
She reads the screen.
CLARA (to camera)
Yes, you can use almond butter. Same quantity.
RAYMOND returns with the almost-empty jar.
CLARA holds out her hand.
RAYMOND
Annoyance is a shade of anger. Emotions are important. Name it to tame it.
CLARA
The jar, Raymond…
CLARA takes the jar from him.
CLARA
Look at this jar. Look how much is left.
RAYMOND
And where exactly do you feel it?
CLARA
In my hand, and soon to be on your head!!!
RAYMOND
OK, love. Stay in touch with your emotions, got to go to work.
RAYMOND exits.
CLARA looks towards the phone, then sets down the jar beside it.
CLARA
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
CLARA (to camera)
That’s his area of expertise. Breathing. He’s a breathwork coach. People pay him to tell them how to breathe. Mind you, people seem to be paying anyone that has the word coach in their title.
[a beat]
CLARA (to camera)
When did breathing stop being just breathing and become breathwork?
I suppose it’s easier to sell something that has the word “work” in it.
She takes the spare jar from the cupboard.
CLARA
The show must go on.
She returns to the ingredients.
CLARA (to camera)
Protein balls - no-bake. And everything you need is right here.
RAYMOND enters, recording himself on his phone.
RAYMOND (to his phone)
Performance is not always about strategy. Planning or even serious exercise, sometimes it is simply about movement, getting out, showing up, sun, rain, snow, it doesn’t matter, getting out and moving.
CLARA turns towards RAYMOND.
CLARA
Raymond, I’m filming!
RAYMOND holds up a finger to her, keeping his eyes on his phone.
RAYMOND (to his phone)
It doesn’t need to be anything big, a race or a marathon. A ten minute walk around your town, move your mind, feel clearer, feel calmer, hijack your amygdala, free yourself and keep yourself accountable.
He moves into the ring light.
CLARA steps out of his way.
RAYMOND (to his phone)
Accountability and consistency will see you through. And don’t forget to sign up for our retreat – link in the bio –
He points above his head.
RAYMOND (to his phone)
We will have breathwork practice, sound baths with the wonderful Alice, and there will be the chance to experience cold plunges and connect consciously with yourself and others.
RAYMOND stops recording on his own phone and puts it aside.
CLARA
I thought you were going to work.
RAYMOND
I am working. The light’s better in here.
CLARA
That’s my light.
RAYMOND
You can use it now.
CLARA
One minute. Could you keep quiet for one minute?
RAYMOND
Absolutely. Take your time.
CLARA turns back to her phone.
CLARA (to camera)
Protein balls - no-bake. And everything you need is right here.
RAYMOND picks up the almost-empty jar.
RAYMOND
Running low on the peanut butter. Pick some up, would you? You, better than anyone, know the importance of a balanced diet and you know that I love peanut butter.
CLARA points to the full jar.
CLARA
There’s a full jar beside you.
RAYMOND
I spend hours working with people trying to regulate their vagus nerve, the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems going wild. And I come home, and there you are making a granola ball that takes you five minutes, and … how long have you been at it?
CLARA
Protein balls.
RAYMOND
Same principle. Stir it. Roll it. Eat it.
CLARA moves away from the counter.
CLARA
OK, you make them. I’ll film you.
RAYMOND
I don’t want to take over your thing.
CLARA
You can talk about the importance of preparation. While you’re preparing something.
RAYMOND
Is it still four hundred thousand followers?
CLARA
Four hundred thousand.
RAYMOND takes her place and adjusts his shirt.
RAYMOND
Actually, that would be useful. A practical demonstration. We could put it on both pages.
CLARA
Let’s get it made first and see how we feel afterwards.
RAYMOND centres himself behind the bowl.
RAYMOND
Make sure you get the hands.
CLARA adjusts the phone to include his hands.
RAYMOND (to camera)
Good morning, everyone. Raymond here. Today we’re bringing a little intention into the kitchen. Clara’s very kindly asked me to share my approach to preparation.
He opens his arms towards the ingredients.
RAYMOND
Everything you need is right here. So there’s no excuse. We start with the cashews.
He picks up the ground cashews.
RAYMOND (to Clara)
How much?
CLARA
All of that. I’ve measured it.
RAYMOND
Lovely. Cut that bit.
He tips the cashews into the bowl.
RAYMOND (to camera)
I’ve measured these out in advance. Give yourself the best chance of success. Every ingredient has a purpose.
CLARA
What’s the chia for?
RAYMOND
Consistency.
CLARA
How much?
RAYMOND
Consistency is more important than quantity.
RAYMOND (to camera)
Next, our peanut butter.
He picks up the empty jar.
CLARA
The other one.
RAYMOND
Yes. Obviously. This is the one we’ve finished.
He puts down the empty jar and picks up the sealed one.
RAYMOND
You’ll cut that as well, will you?
He tries the lid. It does not move.
RAYMOND (to camera)
Now, you will encounter resistance.
He tries again, holding the jar against his stomach.
CLARA
You’ve gone out of shot.
He sets the jar on the counter, closes his eyes and takes a long breath in and out.
He picks up the jar and tries the lid. It does not move.
CLARA
Is the jar calmer?
RAYMOND
Could you loosen that?
CLARA
I’m filming.
He wraps the tea towel around the lid.
RAYMOND
It’s the seal. They put these bloody things on with machines.
CLARA
Tenacity, dear…
RAYMOND braces the jar against the counter. The lid opens.
RAYMOND
There. Persistence. That’s what gets you there. Link in the bio!
He finds the foil seal underneath.
[a beat]
RAYMOND
Is there a knife?
CLARA
There’s a little tab.
He peels off the seal and tries to shake it off his finger. It sticks to the other hand.
RAYMOND
Will you take this?
CLARA
The bin’s by your foot.
He drops the seal into the empty jar instead.
RAYMOND (to camera)
Keep your workspace clear. A cluttered space can lead to a cluttered mind.
He scoops peanut butter into the bowl and stirs. The bowl travels across the counter.
RAYMOND
Hold that a second.
CLARA
You’ve another hand.
He holds the bowl with his free hand. The spoon is stuck in the mixture.
RAYMOND
This is very dry.
CLARA
Syrup.
RAYMOND
Where?
She points at the maple syrup.
RAYMOND
Yes, yes, I was coming to that.
He adds syrup and stirs, watching the screen. Mixture catches on his cuff.
RAYMOND
That’s on my sleeve now.
CLARA
Keep going.
RAYMOND
Can you move the light? It’s catching it.
CLARA
Roll your sleeves up.
RAYMOND
They’re part of the look.
He rolls them up.
RAYMOND (to camera)
Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
He takes a handful of mixture and attempts to roll it. It spreads across his palms.
RAYMOND
Is this right?
CLARA
Use less.
He tries to return some to the bowl. More sticks to his fingers.
RAYMOND
It’s following me.
CLARA
Breathe.
RAYMOND
Don’t.
CLARA
Four hundred thousand and one.
RAYMOND
Stop recording.
CLARA takes her hands away from the phone.
RAYMOND
I can’t concentrate with you watching everything I do.
CLARA
It’s a video.
RAYMOND
And all the interruptions. Every time I get going, there’s something else. The cashews, the jar, the syrup. Could I just have one minute to do it myself?
[a beat]
CLARA
Absolutely. Take your time.
CLARA sits.
RAYMOND stands behind the bowl, hands coated in mixture.
He looks at the phone, then at CLARA.
RAYMOND
Would you press the button?
She gets up and checks the phone’s position.
CLARA
You’re on.
RAYMOND (to camera)
Good morning, everyone. Raymond here. Today I’m going to show you how a few simple changes can make your morning a little…
He looks at his hands.
RAYMOND
Stop.
CLARA waits beside the phone.
RAYMOND
I had it a minute ago.
CLARA
It’ll come back to you.
RAYMOND
Could you say the words and I’ll do the hands?
CLARA
Wash them first.
RAYMOND takes the tea towel and exits.
CLARA puts his bowl beneath the counter.
She brings out the prepared mixture and plate of finished protein balls.
RAYMOND returns, drying his hands on the tea towel.
CLARA looks at her phone.
CLARA
Someone’s commented.
RAYMOND
Wonderful. What do they say?
CLARA
Is he OK?
RAYMOND
That is fabulous, they are concerned. We have established a connection.
CLARA continues reading from her phone.
CLARA
Where is Clara? Please get her back.
RAYMOND
Who’s written that?
CLARA
Four hundred thousand and two…
RAYMOND
Resistance to change. Perfectly natural.
CLARA
Shall I come back?
RAYMOND
How many of them?
CLARA reads the screen.
CLARA
Most.
RAYMOND
Listening is also a leadership skill.
RAYMOND looks at the bowl of prepared mixture.
RAYMOND
When did you make that?
CLARA
I made it before you got up.
She puts the bowl in front of him.
CLARA
Hold this. Keep it here. When I point, lift the plate.
RAYMOND
Do you want me smiling?
CLARA
Your head’s out of shot.
He bends to look into the phone.
CLARA
Raymond.
He straightens and holds the bowl.
CLARA stands beside him, facing the phone.
CLARA (to camera)
Protein balls - no-bake. And everything you need is right here. Ground cashews, peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut butter and chia seeds. Mix them together, then roll a small spoonful between your palms.
She rolls a ball and sets it on the plate.
CLARA (to camera)
The quantities are in the caption. Put them in the fridge to firm up. I made these earlier.
She points.
RAYMOND puts down the bowl and lifts the plate.
CLARA (to camera)
They’ll keep for a few days in a sealed container. Assuming nobody finds them.
RAYMOND puts down the plate and reaches for a ball.
CLARA takes it first.
RAYMOND
And don’t forget to…
CLARA offers him the ball.
He takes a bite.
RAYMOND (mouth full)
Link in the bio.
CLARA (to camera)
Enjoy.
CLARA ends the live stream.
RAYMOND (mouth full)
You’ll cut the jar part, won’t you?
CLARA
It was live, Raymond. I thought it would be good for the preparation angle.
RAYMOND
How much will you keep in?
CLARA
Enough for a series.
CURTAINS