Frank and Sophie are a married couple in their 30s who have
known each other since they were kids but don't have any of
their own.
In Act 1, their marriage is in trouble, no sex, no
communication. Every little thing bugs them and they
squabble like children, so Sophie has arranged for a
relationship/sex therapist session so they can talk things
through. It starts badly with Frank being on the toilet
while Sophie and the Therapist wait for him. The session
doesn't even get started as they fall straight into a
bickering argument about hygiene that moves onto deeper
subjects as sex rears its ugly head. Eventually they are
both past the point of no return, Frank has shown his true
colours and his misogyny has lead Sophie to say stuff that
she's never said before. It's a car crash. Frank has faced
some horrid home truths and he storms out.
In Act 2, it's 3 years later. They haven't seen each other
since that day and are now divorced. Frank is working as a
barman in a crappy bar where Sophie turns up to meet a date.
It's awkward, especially as the date never arrives but they
still have a drink together. They are both very different
people than they were three years ago. Frank has attempted
suicide and Sophie has been internet datingbadly.
Her
aversion to sex and the fact that she has had so much of it
as part of dating 'expectations' has left her bitter and
hard. They get drunk together and it all comes out. There's
anger, and understanding. They both see that what they had
was good. Sophie discovers that Frank has loved her since
they were kids and even carved a love heart on her favourite
bench, while Frank discovers that Sophie's previous love to
him had raped her. In the end we see them brought together,
not through some Shakespearean romantic destiny but because
in real life, at the end of the day, love and friendship
doesn't come with 'expectations' and that's worth a lot.
They leave together to go and shit on Gary Pearson's cat.