Yen

by Anna Jordan

Hench is sixteen, Bobbie is thirteen. They're home alone in Feltham with their dog Taliban; playing PlayStation, streaming porn, watching the world go by. Sometimes their mum Maggie visits, usually with empty pockets and empty promises. Then Jenny shows up. This Bruntwood Prize–winning play explores a childhood lived without boundaries and the consequences of growing up on your own.

Genres: Plays, Theatre, Drama

96 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 2015

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, rounded up. (Minor spoiler-ish material ahead!)

Up until Scene 8 (of 13) I thought this was bloody brilliant. Clearly defined characters' realistic, if rather salty dialogue, and a different situation that I'd never really seen in contemporary theatre. But then Jordan had to interject some horrific animal abuse which killed the play for me - and rather ruined everything that came after also. I can't imagine Lucas Hedges and Ari Graynor playing mother and son, but apparently they were terrific in the MCC American premiere of this.

[Cori Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

this play has ruined my life

[Coral · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book after it came highly reccomended. I read it in one sitting and was originally not highly impacted by the storyline itself but instead drawn in by these characters who both seemed to embalise the imagination of a child and the pain of an abandoned adult. Its story is mainly set in one location which only adds to the build up of the story.

At just short of 120 pages its a really wonderful read that as time goes on it sits more and more in my mind and I can understand why it won the Bruntwood Prize for playwriting.

[Garden Utensil · Rating 4 out of 5]

was ultimately disappointed by where the play ended - but I was excited by the first seven scenes before the turn into crisis. Nothing that's immediately "wrong" in a way that other plays will hook audiences in a game of identifying what kind of world we are operating in.
I think I would have been more interested in a play without the assault and without the really explicit tragedy which, in my eyes, overwhelms the ending of the play. I was wanting to see more of Hench/Jessica navigating the terms of a relationship where there has been no clear example for Hench to follow, but we arrive at the crisis of this failure to navigate very suddenly, and much of what follows just seems like the plodding through consequence rather than a pushing forward through (for me) not entirely familiar territory. The state takes over, suddenly there are laws that are actually enforced rather than negotiated, and this felt much more familiar since the part of their lives that is subject to the state is the part that is covered by media, etc. and so is seen and reported on much more widely. And perhaps the idea was to take a known or familiar news story and then track a little back in time in order to create empathy for the criminal. Which doesn't really excite me as a goal. So maybe that wasn't the idea.

[Kristen Lo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is the play to produce if I every wanted to get fired from being a high school theater teacher. It is frightening. My star rating would be higher if I wasn't asked how much I "liked" the book. The story is compelling and I read it in one sitting because I couldn't look away.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely brilliant play. Read it as part of NHB play group. It was funny, moving, with very real characters that you empathise with - despite the situation and the ending being absolutely devastating.

[jagsshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

honestly don’t know about this. there’s so many good reviews on it but it’s hard to just read on the page, i think i would definitely want to see it performed to gauge what i really think. very interesting though.

[Sarah Gore · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this for Jennifer’s monologue but it is such a good play. a very character-driven story that shows the effects absent parenthood and trauma has on children/teens. some really good scenes in this!

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all the plays I've read while doing this course, this has been my favourite to read I think, between this and psychosis, I'm glad I was recommended this play.

[Lizzie Màiri Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy. Shit.

[Kelsey Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drama script from Samuel French. Four fantastic characters. I want to stage this. Could be used as a male-male serious duo or possibly a female-male serious duo.

[bookmaggot · Rating 4 out of 5]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Emilia Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This play is just so unique and so well written; it’s intense and captivating throughout, and the characters are fascinating.

[Emily Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartbreaking story with complex characters. Makes me question lots of things.

[Kae-Leigh Patricia Tapscott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some great monologues in this play. Will definitely use these in future auditions.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best plays I have ever read. Right from the very first page I was startled by Jordan's brilliant writing. Every character had their own distinct voice. I was particularly fond of Bobbie and his child-like nature and was shocked at the brother's situation. There was also a twist at the end that I was not expecting and that emphasised the boys' reality all the more.