The Never Never Nest (Supplementary)

Unit 6 – Supplementary

The Never-Never Nest

(A One-Act Play by Cedric Mount)

Warm-up

A. Essentials for a Comfortable Life

Fill the empty bubbles with some of them.

B. Priority Gadgets

List six gadgets you want to purchase in order of priority and give reasons.

S.No.	Gadgets	Reasons
1
2
3
4
5
6

C. Quick Questions

a. Do you think you can afford to buy all of these at once?
b. When we lack money for every want at the same time, what options are available?
c. Expand EMI – ________

The Play

Characters

• Jack
• Jill – Jack’s wife
• Aunt Jane
• Nurse

Scene

The lounge of Jack and Jill’s villa at New Hampstead. Minimal furniture: a table with writing materials and two chairs. Curtain rises on an empty room; Jack and Jill enter immediately, followed by Aunt Jane.

Dialogue

Jill: And this is the lounge.

Aunt Jane: Charming! Charming! Such a cosy little room! And such pretty furniture.

Jack (modestly): We like it, you know—handy place to sit in and listen to the radiogram.

Aunt Jane: Oh, have you got a radiogram as well as a car and a piano?

Jack: Why, of course, Aunt Jane. You simply must have a radio set nowadays.

Jill: And it’s so nice for me when Jack’s away at business. I even make him move it into the kitchen so that I can listen while I cook.

(They show Aunt Jane around.)

Jack: Sit down, Aunt Jane; you must be tired—and we’ve shown you everything now.

Jill: What do you think of our little nest, Aunt Jane?

Aunt Jane: I think it’s wonderful, my dears. The furniture—and the car—and the piano—and the refrigerator and the radio—what’s-it—it’s wonderful, really wonderful!

Jack: And we owe it all to you.

Aunt Jane: Yes, Jack, that’s what’s worrying me. That cheque I gave you for your wedding present—it was only two hundred pounds, wasn’t it? I—didn’t put two thousand by mistake?

Jill: Why no, Aunt Jane. What on earth made you think that?

Aunt Jane (relieved): Well, that’s all right. But I still don’t altogether understand. This house—it’s very lovely—but doesn’t it cost a great deal for rent?

Jack: Rent? Oh, no, we don’t pay rent.

Aunt Jane: But, Jack, if you don’t pay rent, you’ll get turned out—into the street. And that would never do. You’ve Jill and the baby to think of now, you know.

Jack: No, no, Aunt Jane. You misunderstood me. We don’t pay rent because the house is ours.

Aunt Jane: YOURS?

Jill: Why, yes; you just pay ten pounds and it’s yours.

Jack: You see, Aunt Jane, we realised how uneconomic it is to go on paying rent year after year when you can buy and enjoy a home of your own for ten pounds—and a few quarterly payments, of course. Why be Mr Tenant when you can be Mr Owner?

Aunt Jane: I see. Yes, there’s something in that. Even so, you must be getting on very well to keep up a place like this.

Jill: Oh, he is, Aunt Jane. Why, only last year he had a five-shilling rise—didn’t you, Jack?

Jack (modestly): Of course, that was nothing, really. I’m expecting ten this Christmas.

Aunt Jane (suddenly): Jack! I’ve just thought of something. That car—is it yours?

Jill: Of course it’s ours.

Aunt Jane: All yours?

Jack: Well, no. Not exactly all.

Aunt Jane: How much of it?

Jill: Oh, I should say the steering wheel—and one of the tyres—and about two of the cylinders. But don’t you see, that’s the wonderful thing about it.

Aunt Jane: I don’t see anything wonderful about it.

Jill: But there is, Aunt Jane. You see, although we could never buy a car outright, we can enjoy all the pleasures of motoring for a mere five pounds down.

Aunt Jane: And the rest by easy instalments, I suppose.

Jill: Exactly.

(Aunt Jane questions every item; each is “ours” only in part.)

Aunt Jane: Well, I’m not going to sit on Mr Sage’s part for anyone. (Stands up.) Now, tell me, how much do all these instalments come to?

Jack (consulting pocket-book): Actually—seven pounds eight and eightpence a week.

Aunt Jane: Good heavens! And how much do you earn?

Jack: As a matter of fact—er—that is—six pounds.

Aunt Jane: But that’s absurd! How can you pay seven pounds eight and eightpence out of six pounds?

Jack: Oh, that’s easy. You see, all you have to do is borrow the rest of the money for the payments from the Thrift and Providence Trust Corporation.

Aunt Jane: And how do you propose to pay that back?

Jack: Oh, that’s easy, too. You just pay it back in instalments.

Aunt Jane: Instalments! (Claps hand to forehead and sinks back weakly into chair, then leaps up again.)

Jack: Aunt Jane! Is anything the matter? Would you like to lie down?

Aunt Jane: Lie down? Do you suppose I’m going to trust myself in a bed that belongs to Mr Sage, or Marks and Spencer, or somebody? No, I am going home.

Jill: Oh, must you really go?

Aunt Jane: I think I’d better.

Jack: I’ll drive you to the station.

Aunt Jane: What! Travel in a car that has only one tyre and two thingummies! No, thank you—I’ll take the bus.

(She softens, opens her handbag.)

Aunt Jane: Now, I’m sorry if I sounded rude, but really I’m shocked to find the way you’re living. I’ve never owed a penny in my life—cash down, that’s my motto, and I want you to do the same. Here’s a little cheque I was meaning to give you anyway. (Hands it to Jill.) Suppose you take it and pay off just one of your bills—so that you can say one thing at least really belongs to you.

Jill (awkwardly): Er—thank you, Aunt Jane. It’s very nice of you.

Aunt Jane: There! Now I must be going.

(Jack sees her to the bus. Jill looks at the cheque—Ten pounds!)

Jill (to herself): Phew! That’s great! We can pay off the next two months on the car with that.

(She hurriedly addresses an envelope, endorses the cheque, slips it inside with a bill from her bag, seals it.)

Jill: Oh, nurse! I want you to run and post this for me. I’ll look after baby while you’re gone.

Nurse: Certainly, madam.

(Nurse exits.)

Jack (returning): Well, she’s gone! What a tartar! Still, she did leave us a bit on account—how much was it?

Jill: Ten pounds.

Jack: Great! We can …

Jill (nearly in tears): I—I’m afraid we can’t.

Jack: Why ever not?

Jill: You see, I—I’ve already sent it off for something else. Nurse has just gone to post it.

Jack: Well, that’s all right. Who have you sent it to?

Jill: Dr Martin.

Jack: Dr Martin! What on earth possessed you to do that?

Jill (sobbing): There! Now you’re going to be angry with me.

Jack: I’m not angry! But why waste good money on the doctor? Doctors don’t expect to get paid anyway.

Jill: Bu—but you don’t understand—

Jack: Understand what?

Jill (holding out the baby): Why; just one more instalment and BABY’S REALLY OURS!

(Black-out.)

About the Author

Cedric Mount is a distinguished playwright of his age. His one-act plays—Twentieth Century Lullaby, To Cut a Long Story Short, Nature Abhors a Vacuum—are witty, satirical and easy to perform, exposing the shams of contemporary society.

Glossary

• lounge – living room
• cosy – comfortable
• instalment – one of several parts of a debt paid at intervals
• absurd – ridiculously unreasonable
• thingummies – small articles whose names are forgotten
• tartar – person of irritable temper
• motto – short guiding phrase
• endorse – sign on the back (of a cheque)

A. Reading Comprehension

1. What did Aunt Jane like about Jack’s “little nest”?
2. Why did Aunt Jane suspect she had given too large a wedding cheque?
3. What would make Jack an owner instead of a tenant?
4. What sounded absurd to Aunt Jane?
5. How did Jack manage to pay £7 8s 8d out of £6?
6. What advice did Aunt Jane offer the couple?
7. For what purpose did Aunt Jane give the extra cheque?
8. “Just one more instalment and BABY’S REALLY OURS!” tells us the couple ____.

B. Paragraph Answers (100–150 words each)

1. Why is there a double negative in the title The Never-Never Nest? Elucidate with reasons from the play.
2. Bring out the humorous elements in the play.
3. How does the play expose the harsh reality of modern living?
4. Jill says they own the steering-wheel, one tyre, two cylinders and a sofa-leg. What does this convey?

C. Listening Activity

Listen to the passage read aloud and answer:

i. Our income is sufficient to meet our needs. True / False
ii. EMI is the only _ for people who buy very expensive things.
a) consolation b) setback c) option d) debt
iii. One is able to buy costly things with _ power offered by EMI.
a) physical b) withstanding c) honorary d) monetary
iv. If people fail to pay EMIs they may be subjected to _.
a) expulsion b) high pressure c) legal action d) dejection
v. People should learn to spend _ their means.
a) within b) beyond c) above d) beneath

D. Speaking Activity

Classroom debate:
“Is Equated Monthly Instalment Scheme a boon or bane to middle-class families?”

E. Writing Task

Put yourself in Aunt Jane’s place. Write a letter to Jack and Jill advising them not to spend beyond their means and suggesting ways to lead a debt-free life.

Form-Filling Practice

1. Visit https://www.jotform.com/form-templates/
2. Choose any template (registration, job application, online booking, etc.)
3. Click USE TEMPLATE → PUBLISH → OPEN IN NEW TAB
4. Fill the form online.
5. Explore more templates and practise.

Additional link:
http://www.experienceworks.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Practice_Online_application