Not in the Mood for Quiche Anymore is a thoughtful play which seeks to hold a mirror up to loneliness, the search for a fulfilling relationship, and the pitfalls of looking for “the one” in an era dominated by social media and the need to belong and be wanted.
In short, an unvarnished hefty slice of 21st century life is on offer here, seen through the eyes of a late 30’s something woman looking for social, professional and, above all, personal fulfilment.
Outwardly, Becks is the archetypal modern female. She is a teacher, has a circle of friends based upon her university days and teaching career. She is no shrinking violet, greeting us with a confident, “Never apologise for trusting your intuition”, whilst examining the dating app on her phone.
It is very clear that Becks is looking for love and wants a boyfriend; so, in a time where, generationally, there has been a shift in how prospective couples meet, the online realm dominating initial social interaction with dating apps now forming a fundamental part of our digital fabric, there is only way for her to proceed. A few swipes and texts later, and we join a nervous Becks in a bar for her first meeting with… Him.
At first, things look hopeful. Her online date, transformed into flesh and blood in the pub, seems ideal. After their first meeting, she is hooked, but as he reels her in, a question mark begins to loom ever larger about his past, and who he really is. The closer Becks gets to him, the more we realise that she is at risk of being caught in his net.
There are some disturbing clues laid down during Becks’ narrative about this man and his attitudes towards her, whether that be his early description of her as “wife material”, his insistence on not using a condom because he “prefers it that way”, (crassly leaving a £20 note when he leaves so that she can buy a morning after pill), and long intervals between his contacting her.
Becks continues, in an increasingly uneasy and ill at ease way, to find excuses for such behaviour, tellingly confiding to us at one stage that “I want him to depend on me.”
As reality bites, and she (and we) realise that he has a serious criminal conviction, Becks has some very important decisions to make, decisions which will affect the whole of her future life and happiness.
Delivering this strong narrative within the confines of a seventy-minute play, featuring one actor, four chairs, one stool and few props, is a formidable challenge, but it is one that Laura Matthews rises effortlessly to.
Her depiction of Becks is powerful yet sympathetically nuanced. Becks has an easy, confident, likeable manner which endears her to her audience. This is not to say that her characterisation shies away from some of the more flawed aspects of her character, with love blinding her to the terrible consequences of her boyfriend’s crime on his victims, lying to the authorities for him, rebuffing her friends and family to devote herself to his needs, and unwisely seeking solace in a one-night stand with a former pupil of hers.
However, the audience are generally on Becks’ side, recognising that her life is shot through with loneliness and fear of being alone, and appreciating that she ultimately cares deeply for those she loves, and generally wants to see the best in people.
While visiting a supermarket to get provisions for a romantic picnic with her new man, his sudden and brusque cancellation of the occasion means that she has to settle for putting ‘a lasagne for one’ in her basket. This scene is delivered in a sad, but never mawkish way, and is an excellent example of the balance which Matthews gives to her portrayal.
Similarly, her candid portrayal of the stark visceral nature of Becks undergoing an abortion, is compelling and memorable.
All in all, Matthews delivers a perfectly and thoughtfully observed characterisation, which is utterly believable at all times.
The pace of the narrative is consistently appropriate to the ebb and flow of the action, with Matthews expertly utilising the positioning of the chairs to frame each scene perfectly, taking us from a bar to a classroom, from a bedroom to a dance floor. Most effectively are the prison sequences, where the bright, harsh lighting complements the soundscape to evoke the cold bureaucratic harshness of visiting time.
The structure of the play could do with a little tightening in places, and some judicious pruning would help its focus. Becks relationship with her family, and the description of her spending Christmas with them, for example, adds little to the central thrust of the narrative.
As the show develops, and the sense of dread and unease about Becks’ relationship builds, we are expecting a climatic denouement, but this doesn’t quite happen, and the play has a very open-ended conclusion, throwing up more questions than answers, which some may find unsatisfying.
The fact that the audience leave wanting to know more, and caring about what happens next is a testament to the intrinsic strength of the main storyline, and the highly engaging, compelling way it has been delivered.
Not in the Mood for Quiche Anymore, in peeling back the glossy veneer of online dating and probing the murkier waters that may lie beneath, is a fascinating, occasionally witty and often poignant attempt to explore how loneliness manifests itself in the 2020s, and how the pressures and demands of social media and modern living can transform a person without them ever even realising it as they pursue love, happiness and belonging.
This is a show well worth seeing.
Review by Johnny Oxford
Becks wants a boyfriend. She meets her dream man online, yet the discovery of his criminal conviction rather complicates the matter. But just how bad can it be…?
Becks can’t believe it when she thinks she’s found her ideal partner to break her cycle of singledom, only there’s one small issue – he’s in prison. After their first date she’s hooked, but as he reels her in, a question mark looms over who he really is. The closer Becks gets, the more she’s at risk of being caught in his net.
Performed by Laura Matthews
Directed by Michael Gyngell
Written by Victoria Buse
Lighting Design by Laura Hulme
Stage Manager – Lee Robinson
NOT IN THE MOOD FOR QUICHE ANYMORE
Lion & Unicorn Theatre
21 to 25 October 2025
