Synopsis

Len is a man on the brink of death, lying in his bed in the large living room of his semi-detached house in Basildon. As he faces his final moments, his family gathers around him, each carrying their own burdens, grudges, and unspoken sorrows. Doreen, his sister, and Barry, her son, are ever-present, filled with silent grief and unresolved tensions. Len’s other sister, Maureen, arrives, igniting old feuds and unhealed wounds. The strained relationships and past conflicts surface, revealing the deep fractures within this working-class family.

As Len’s life ebbs away, his living room becomes a battleground of familial discord and buried grievances. Ken, Len’s old friend, provides moments of dark humour, masking the pain and inevitable grief with his crass jokes and blunt remarks. The arrival of Pam from next door, offering tea and cake, brings a fleeting respite from the tension, highlighting the ordinariness of their extraordinary pain. In the midst of this, the family members grapple with their emotions, facing the reality of Len’s imminent death and the legacy of their shared history. As the narrative unfolds, the play delves into themes of love, loss, family loyalty, and the socio-economic struggles of working-class life in Basildon.