They don't seem an obvious match. Joanne is spiky, defensive, a survivor; Paul is quiet, considered – and hiding profound grief for his father. But the pleasure he takes in cooking – and the astonishing food he prepares – creates a bond between them.
When the hotel where they both work closes and they start to spiral into poverty, it throws everything up in the air – first their plans for a cookbook and a restaurant, and, eventually, even their dreams of a future together…
Gareth Farr's play Biscuits for Breakfast is a tender, heartfelt drama about families – the ones we inherit and the ones we create – and the struggle to survive when times get tough. It opened at Hampstead Theatre, London, in May 2023, directed by Tessa Walker.
'Sparks fly in a foodie love story… Gareth Farr's two-hander has energy and passion and fire' - The Times
'Powerful… a stirring two-hander about love of food and lack of food' - The Stage
'Compassionate and heartbreaking' - WhatsOnStage
'A deeply touching, yet defiantly unromantic relationship drama… paints a picture of a society in which ambitions are thwarted and ordinary working people are driven into poverty… Everything about Farr's play rings true and it should serve as a wake up call to anyone who is prone to taking comfortable lifestyles for granted' - Reviews Hub
