Introduction
The “Never-Never Nest” by Cedric Mount is a one-act play about a young couple named Jack and Jill. They have a habit of buying things on an Instalment basis. The play condemns the so called trend of young couples, who possess the habit of purchasing household items and houses in easy instalments. In the play, the couple “Jack and Jill” make full use of the buy-now-pay-later marketing system.
A Young Couple
Jack and Jill are a young married couple who had a small baby. One day Aunt Jane visits their residence. On reaching their home, Aunt Jane was astonished to discover that despite their low salary of Jack, they are living in a beautiful house with all sorts of comforts such as a radiogram, a piano, a car, and a refrigerator.
Aunt Jane was so shocked that she begins to wonder whether she had given them two thousand pounds or two hundred pounds at their wedding. She questioned how could Jack and Jill purchase all these things if she had not given them two thousand pounds because Jill was just a housewife while Jack earned a low salary.
When she asked about the rent of the house, Jack informed her that they do not pay rent as they own the house. He further informs that they had bought the entire house in installments just like they bought all the other things.
They Do Not Own Anything
Aunt Jane realizes that despite possessing everything that is needed in every family, Jack and Jill actually do not own anything because they had bought everything on Instalment. Even in their car, only a tire and one or two other materials have been purchased by them. Only one leg of the Sofa has been paid for. The earnings of Jack are only six pounds, while the total amount to be paid per week as installments are more than seven pounds.
On asking about how they would manage to pay such a huge amount, Jack replied that he would take a loan. Aunt Jane handed them a cheque for ten pounds while leaving their house. She requested the couple to make at least one article completely their own, using the given money.
Irony
Jill sent the money to Dr. Martin, while Jack was out with Aunt Jane at the bus stop. When Jack came back and asked Jill if he wanted to pay two months’ installments on the car using the given money, Jill informed him that she had already sent the money to Dr. Martin to make sure that their baby would become completely theirs.
