Characters from the Play

Each week there will be 5 experts online to answer questions on Hungry the play; around food, nutrition, hunger and obesity.

We have experts within the area, ‘Ask Sam’ online counseling support, and we also have 4 characters from the play, across the five weeks who will be online to answer questions and take part in live chats! Let’s meet them:


The Characters

Ashley

Played by Sam Hudson

I'm a Scientist Hungry Zone character“Ashley loves Ruby and is only slightly concerned that she might ‘show him up’. He knows her outspokenness is mainly for affect but even so he doesn’t want to risk it. Throughout the play he becomes increasingly ground down by his family’s situation, and their lack of money and more and more aware of what others think of ‘benefit scroungers’ and increasingly his anger mounts. The only way he can see of getting out of the situation they’re in is to abandon his hopes of going to university and getting a job.
He actually likes having to wear a school uniform because he is self-conscious about his lack of designer casual clothes. He has a pair of trainers which are passable and he paid for out of his paper round money. They are looking very worn and old now and his money is now having to go towards the household expenses.”

Ruby

Played by Jemma Churchill

I'm a Scientist Hungry Zone character“Ruby has worked hard for her family all her life, she has worked just as hard at trying to make the best of things, and not let others down by giving in to feeling miserable. She has a big heart and likes to make people laugh.
Sometimes because she’s so outspoken this can backfire. She really wants Ashley to have a better life and would probably do anything for him.”

Suzanne

Played by Heather Bleasdale

I'm a Scientist Hungry Zone character“Susanna is middle class, effortlessly elegant and well groomed despite having to do her hair and make up maybe in the car or half way down the stairs. She means well and she has a social conscience but sometimes can’t see what’s under her nose.
She loves Xavier and is concerned that she doesn’t spend enough time with him but her work as a barrister puts increasing demands on her time. Partly in denial about Xavier’s weight but she also genuinely believes that people come in all shapes and sizes and it could be puppy fat that he’ll grow out of.”

Xavier

Played by Michael Andres-Tejada Da

I'm a Scientist Hungry Zone character“Xavier is defensive and unhappy about his weight but covers it with arrogant bluster. He lives in another world to Ruby and has no idea how different their lives are until he visits her in her daughter in law’s flat.
He goes to a fee-paying school but has gone to great lengths to bunk off games because he can’t bear the teasing and snide jibes of his classmates. He is lonely. He loves his mum but is slightly wary of his dad who, because he’s worried about Xavier likes to bring the weight issue up every time they speak via skype. “