MUSTARD: SYNOPSIS
Adapted from Kat Sandler’s Dora Mavor Moore Award-winning play
Everyone on earth is born with an imaginary friend (known as a “Boon”) who appears as whatever that child wants to see most – duck, human, robot – and loves them unconditionally. A Boon lives with their Person until they are no longer needed (usually until their Person grows up), then retires to the Boonswallows, a dark, scary, and mysterious place.
When Thai was a little girl, her Boon was the lovable and hilarious Mustard who wore a funny hat and played with her all day long. When Thai’s father (Bruce) left her mother (Sadie) for another woman, Mustard stayed to comfort his best friend, vowing that he would never retire to the Boonswallows, ever.
But now, Thai is sixteen years old and Mustard still lives under her bed. No one but Thai can see Mustard, but his lingering presence seems to be affecting her – she can’t connect with the other kids at school, she’s starting to act out violently, and she’s even dating a college student (Jay) behind her mother’s back.
Sadie is also struggling. In the wake of her divorce from Bruce, she has slipped into a depression and become addicted to alcohol and pills. Thai and Sadie are caught in a relentless argument cycle at home, with Thai more or less consistently ending up grounded.
When Thai learns one day that she is accidentally pregnant with Jay’s baby and Mustard doesn’t comfort her, she sneaks out to find Jay instead. Left behind at home, Mustard is alarmed to discover that Sadie is about to overdose on pills. In a panic, he breaks one of the biggest Boon rules (remain visible only to your Person) by revealing himself to Sadie to save her life. But now, Sadie can see him too, and she’s terrified. She slowly begins to relax as Mustard explains who he is. He even reminds her that she once had a Boon of her own named Duck Duck, who of course went away to the Boonswallows long ago.
Mustard has been playing fast and loose with the Boon Rules by overstaying his welcome but with this latest infraction, he is officially in big trouble. An intimidating team of Boon Police, all once lovable Boons themselves, now hardened by years on the job, are sent in to encourage Mustard to head to the Boonswallows. When he refuses, they leave him with a painful warning and threaten to return if he does not cooperate soon.
Meanwhile, Thai shares the news of her pregnancy with Jay, who freaks out. However, determined to do the right thing, he over-compensates by delivering a melodramatic confession of his love. Unfortunately, the moment results in Sadie interrupting Thai and Jay in bed together.
Thai’s violent streak at school hits a breaking point and she seriously injures another girl in the schoolyard. Feeling shaken and lost, she asks Mustard what if something’s wrong with her - and if it’s him - is he supposed to still be here? And should she still be seeing him?
But Sadie is still seeing Mustard too and realizes Thai’s imaginary friend actually looks a lot like her ex-husband, Bruce. Yearning for connection, she arranges a date night for herself and Mustard – resulting in Mustard’s (first ever!) kiss, getting him in even bigger trouble with the The Boon Police...
The next day, Sadie is surprised that Thai has invited both Jay and Bruce to dinner. When Bruce arrives, Sadie thinks it’s Mustard playing a prank and tries to expose him. In a grand gesture, Jay proposes to Thai but accidentally spills the beans about the pregnancy. Bruce flies into a rage, but Thai breaks up the fight quickly, asking both men to leave. Sadie and Thai reconnect, realizing that while others may come and go, the love of a mother and daughter is forever.
Mustard has decided it is finally time for him to go. As he begins his transition away from the human world, he is surrounded by images of Boons who happily played with their human friends but accepted when their time with them was finished. The Boon Police soften into their former Boon selves and gather together to escort Mustard away to the Boonswallows.