Summary: Sue and Tom obsess about their clothes and their food, respectively.
Style: Light-hearted. Duration: 8min
Scripture: Luke 12:22-31
Actors: 1V/O, 1M, 1F, 3+M/F
Characters
VOICE (authoritative but kind)
SUE in T shirt and shorts
TOM (quintessential Englishman) Very well dressed.
RAVEN(S) in black costumes with beaks
FLOWERS(S) dressed in lovely flowing material with petals round their faces
BIRD LOVER in green T shirt, binoculars, cap with seeds in each hand.
SETTING: Two tables sideways on with food/clothes. Hats including a furry one, different coloured T shirts, flowery wellies. Long mirror. Clothes rail. Bags with boxes/tins of food (can be empty), including tomato and BBQ sauce.
Script
[Sue is trying on clothes looking anxious. She looks in the mirror posing, unhappy about how she looks. Tom is taking “food” out of bags looking at the small print, his diary, worrying about what, how much and when he will eat (improvise) ]
SUE: [to audience] Oh, hi! Perhaps you can help me. How do I look in this? What about this hat? And these boots? [Responds to audience feedback, continues to worry]
TOM: [to audience] Oh hello! Bet you wonder what I am doing? Food, what a worry.
I’m trying to decide what to eat for the next week. It’s so difficult. [compares boxes and calories etc]
VOICE: Do not worry. [S &T unsure where voice came from then see each other and assume it was the other person]
SUE: Oh Hi. What’s your name?
TOM: Tom. And you are?
SUE: Sue. [they shake hands] You dress very well by the way!
TOM: Thank you!
SUE: Yes, I know, I shouldn’t worry…What do you think of this outfit?
TOM: That depends. If it’s for walking the dog, OK. For an interview – not really suitable.
SUE: I’m going to a wedding. [she changes as she speaks] It’s such a worry what to wear each day. And the weather in England is so changeable. One minute it’s fine, then rain – how do you cope with it?
TOM: You get used to it.
SUE: [has changed her clothes] How about this? [she gets more worried and panicky]
TOM: Doesn’t quite cut the mustard, I’m afraid. Oh mustard. I forgot to get some! Still, I’ve got sauce here. [compares brown and tomato] Which is the most healthy?
SUE: [agonising about choice of clothes] The white jacket or the pink? It’s such a worry!
TOM: Did you say it’s such a worry.
SUE: Yes I did.
TOM: What do you worry about?
SUE: Can’t you see? [indicates clothes]
TOM: Your appearance?
SUE: No! Clothes, I worry about clothes. You? [Tom indicates the food] Your weight?
TOM: No, I worry about food! [they turn back to what they were doing]
VOICE: Do not worry!
SUE: [turning] Well, I know you say that, but it’s become rather a habit. It gives me something to do!
TOM: Me too. I especially like to worry when I’m in a hurry [emphasis rhyming words]
SUE: [trying to beat his rhyming] Yes I love to worry in a hurry! I also worry about …furry…hats. [picks up a furry hat]
TOM: I worry about Murray….mints!
SUE: I worry about slurry… messing up my shoes. [laughs]
TOM: I worry about curry, korma’s my favourite. [laughs]
SUE: I worry about…. Bury, burial! [sobers up]
TOM: Death; don’t mention that!
SUE: Well, I like funerals – its so easy! You just wear black!
VOICE: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to you life?
[They look at each other realising the voice came from elsewhere, they look around the stage for the person.]
TOM: [to audience] Was that one of you?
SUE: [to audience] Did you see who it was? No? That’s a worry.
TOM: We’d better get back to our worrying.
[Sue puts on different coloured T shirts one after the other (not removing the last) and asks audience about which colour suits her. Tom brings box of food front stage and piles himself up with them, getting the audience to help and asking if it will be enough for a week, is it healthy etc. They more and more panicky and worried. Exasperated and frozen in indecision, Sue picks up more clothes in her arms and brings them front stage, Tom stands with pile of food in his hands - front stage]
VOICE: Do not worry about your life, about what you will eat.
TOM: [he drops his boxes in fright] Who is that?
VOICE : Do not worry about your body, about what you will wear.
SUE: [Sue drops the clothes] Aah! This is getting scary.
TOM: Let’s pretend we didn’t hear it, come on. [Sue and Tom pick up clothes/food and take them back to tables, folding them, putting food back in bags hurriedly]
VOICE: Consider the ravens! [enter RAVEN(S) flapping wings, looking peaceful and happy,] They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. [SUE and TOM try to ignore this intrusion, RAVENS approach looking around for food and Sue and Tom hide under their tables fearfully] And how much more valuable you are than birds!
BIRD LOVER: [Enter. He stands centre stage holding out seeds in both hands] Come on birdies! Where are you? Come and have some seed.
[RAVENS peck food from his hands happily. BIRD LOVER moves round stage as they do it, enjoying the bird experience. He exits. RAVENS flap after him and exit. Tom and Sue come out telling each other how ridiculous it is and reassuring each other that all is well. Enter FLOWER(S) being wild! Sue and Tom get under the table again unnerved at the strange flowers].
VOICE: Consider the wild flowers. [pause] They do not labour or spin. Not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. [flowers preen themselves, showing off their costumes to the audience] If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you — you of little faith! [FLOWERS exit]
TOM: [Comes out from under table angry] Now just a minute. What’s all this God and fire and faith stuff?
VOICE: Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
SUE: [supporting TOM, gets up] Leave him alone! Why can’t we worry?
VOICE: Because the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
S&T: [together] Our Father?
VOICE: Your Father knows that you need them.
TOM: He’s saying we should not worry.
SUE: Well, what shall we do if we aren’t allowed to worry?
VOICE: Seek God’s kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
TOM: So all we need will be given to us?
VOICE: If you seek God’s kingdom.
SUE: What does that mean - seek God’s kingdom?
VOICE: Put God first in your life and trust him to provide .
TOM: So you are saying it’s a choice between faith and worry?
VOICE: Yes.
TOM: But I want to be in control. I pick worry.
SUE: Me too. At least it’s my worry, mine, my own. (LOTR quote)
VOICE: That is your choice.
SUE: [Looks at her watch] Oh, look at the time! I’m going to be late for the wedding. Help me change out of these things will you?
TOM: No, sorry I have to get to Morrison’s before it closes. I’m going to be late! I can see some hurrying worrying coming up! [they look at each other and smile at the prospect of their favourite form of worry]
SUE: Worry in a hurry! Come on! [both freeze smiling]
……………………………….
© Copyright Pam Norman 2011, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and for what purpose the play is performed. She may be contacted at