Edible nut replacement?

[JonasA]

I'm in pre-production for the Nina Raine play 'Tribes' right now, and the script makes references to the cast eating, discussing and complaining about various kinds of nuts at numerous points in the play. It seems like the family just can't have a meal without a bowl of nuts somewhere on the table!

My question is, what do I do if an actor is allergic to nuts? Because they're described very specifically in the script (the characters comment that the chestnuts are 'rotten', 'come from the garden' and then someone eats one, etc.), it's going to mean doing some re-writing if they were substituted. To avoid having to deal with this, is there something which looks like nuts and are edible, but are very specifically not nuts? I need to replace chestnuts and pistachios.

Alternatively, do we just need to do a re-write? The play hasn't been cast yet, but it's hardly fair to cast actors based on whether or not they can consume pistachios.

 

[JLNorthGA]

How are you at baking? Do they have to be shelled before consumption? The reason I suggest baking is that you can bake a variety of shapes/sizes of a cookie that looks vaguely like a nut. People aren't really going to be able to tell the difference from 20' away. Of course if someone was gluten sensitive, that might be a problem.

Seriously though, baking is an easy fix. You can shape and bake a cookie quite easily. Matching color is also easy - you can use food dye or cocoa or whatever if the color isn't close enough out of the oven.

 

[Call911]

Did anyone else see this topic and think of nut as in nut/bolt?? Totally changes the suggestions.

But yes, from 20' away it just needs to be the illusion of a nut. Very easy to fake with baking.

 

[venuetech]

Its a real pain to actually eat on stage. Much better to "Act" like your are eating. that way when your line pops you have a chance to speak it clearly.

however if the show is in an irish pub... the props dept will need to supply a number of Pint's to wash all that "acting" down with.

 

[JonasA]

Thanks everyone! Because I'm not sure whether this will be a genuine issue or not, it's nice to know that there's a few ways to deal with it. Close inspection of the script doesn't actually indicate that they must eat the nuts (or pretend to), but knowing this director and the likely cast, if we put a bowl of anything edible on the table, at some point it will get eaten, so it's nice to know the options exist.

 

[len]

How are you at baking? Do they have to be shelled before consumption? The reason I suggest baking is that you can bake a variety of shapes/sizes of a cookie that looks vaguely like a nut. People aren't really going to be able to tell the difference from 20' away. Of course if someone was gluten sensitive, that might be a problem.

There's gluten free recipes and mixes available, too.

 

[derekleffew]

Did anyone else see this topic and think of nut as in nut/bolt?? ...

I thought of Alec Baldwin's Schweddy Balls.

While it may not eliminate the allergy issue, marzipan can be molded, shaped, and colored to resemble many different edible foodstuffs.

 

[Grog12]

....Maybe its just me but if I had a nut allergy I probably wouldn't audition for a role in this show.

 

[Van]

Yeah, I was thinking, " Hmm, an big ole bowl of 3/8" flange nut's would be pretty good right now..."

I like the Marzipan idea.
I actually saw an article the other day where a woman was trying to sue a shool to cut down te pecan trees that were on the property as her child had one of those, " If I look at a nut I die" allergys.

 

[gafftaper]

First of all, if you are going to follow the rules in the license agreement you signed to do the show, rewriting the script to not include nuts is not allowed without permission from the author.

I would just point the issue out to the director and let him/her deal with it. It's not your problem to solve at this point. People with a serious allergy will not want to even be on stage with a nut around them. They need to be warned in the audition announcements

 

[Van]

..... People with a serious allergy will not want to even be on stage with a nut around them. They need to be warned in the audition announcements

They're Actors, They're all NUTS !

 

[gafftaper]

They're Actors, They're all NUTS !

Hopefully the next version of CB will include a rimshot button.

 

[Les]

They need to be warned in the audition announcements

Warning: This show may contain nuts.

I actually saw an article the other day where a woman was trying to sue a shool to cut down te pecan trees that were on the property as her child had one of those, " If I look at a nut I die" allergys.

I can't believe how crazy some people can be. Do you think I can sue the school because I could get sick from eating the grass out front?

 

[MIKED]

Marzipan is made from almond paste so that kind of makes it a poor substitute for nuts.

Aloha,

MIKE D

 

[museav]

I actually saw an article the other day where a woman was trying to sue a shool to cut down te pecan trees that were on the property as her child had one of those, " If I look at a nut I die" allergys.

I must be allergic to some people like that because being around them makes me sick. Can I sue to have them removed?

 

[Dustincoc]

I must be allergic to some people like that because being around them makes me sick. Can I sue to have them removed?

Reminded me of this incident:
Colman Chadam, California Boy, Ordered To Transfer Schools For Carrying Cystic Fibrosis Gene

 

[Van]

Marzipan is made from almond paste so that kind of makes it a poor substitute for nuts.

Aloha,

MIKE D

Oh Sure! New guy shows up and slams us all ! GEEZ !

 

[derekleffew]

From Why can I eat Marzipan but not any other nuts? :

Although almonds are a nut, they are in the same family as pit fruits (peaches, cherries, etc.) so many tree nut allergic people can tolerate almonds.

Of course, "nut sensitive" people should know which nuts affect them adversely. There are Marzipan-substitute recipes as well.

N.B.: From The Peanut Institute - Peanut Facts :

While “nut” is in their name, peanuts are in fact legumes. Peanuts actually grow underground, as opposed to nuts like walnuts, almonds, etc. that grow on trees (and are sometimes referred to as "tree nuts").

So one can be allergic to peanuts, but not to other nuts, and vice versa.

 

[FatherMurphy]

A box of appropriately sized, shaped, and colored cereal might also provide a useable stand-in.

I also read 'edible nuts' as referring to hardware - wonder how well they'd work with explosive bolts?

 

[Van]

So one can be allergic to peanuts, but not to other nuts, and vice versa.

I'm allergic to Wingnuts.