A Change of Life

Lyrics

[MYRTLE, spoken] I do work hard, and honestly, I don't know what's wrong I somehow seem to have lost the reality of the reality No, no, suddenly I can't go on God, I've been an actress a long time I've always seen things clearly, but— [MANNY, spoken] Talk to me, come on [MYRTLE] What is driving this woman to Do the things that we all need her to do? Where's her sense of humor and fun? All she does is look through veils at everyone She has no goals, no sense of loss Or desire for contentment She is very Alien to me Pray say something that makes sense [SARAH, spoken] Do you expect to be funny in this scene? [MYRTLE] It has to make sense [SARAH, spoken] This woman you're playing is Is as helpless as you are, and as helpless as I am She has no weapons She wants to fall in love But time has passed her by, it's that simple, it's too late You understand that part of it, don't you What is it you feel this play doesn't express? [MYRTLE, spoken] Hope [SARAH] Tell me, Myrtle, how old are you? You must know how it feels to be without All the weapons granted in youth That are gone after the silent disarmament Thirty-eight or more forty-two? Tell me, Myrtle, how old are you? It matters You understand It must all make sense [SARAH, spoken] Tell me, where would you like to be funny? When Maurice beats you? Perhaps I can write you a funny line [MYRTLE, spoken] Yeah, would you? Please [MYRTLE] It has to make sense [MANNY] This woman is like all women She seeks immortality She doesn't know how She's flesh without soul You know what I mean A monument to mediocrity She's so middle class [MANNY, spoken] She's pitiful, it's great for the play [MANNY] She's not even a housewife [MANNY, spoken] Bitter at the prospect of failing at everything that is important to her As a woman [MANNY] She's not even a housewife [MYRTLE] That's going a bit too far Could we please just keep it on the level? [MANNY, spoken] Alright [MANNY] Anyway, she's too old for kids Blindly throwing herself away into the danger She says I'm stifling What does that mean? [SARAH] It just means she's having a change of life [MANNY] When she's drunk, what does that mean? [SARAH] It means she is having a change A change of life [MYRTLE, DOROTHY & MANNY] Tell me Sarah Tell me do This woman is who? Tell me Sarah Tell me do Is this woman you? [SARAH, spoken] No [MANNY, spoken] No? [SARAH] She's having a change [MANNY, spoken] Uh huh [SARAH, spoken] I've had mine already! [SARAH] A change of life! [MANNY, spoken] You wanna be young again, huh, is that it? What does that mean? Why don't you answer? Why don't you say, "I'm sorry?" Huh, you, you wanna be free, is that what you want? You wanna destroy me, is that what you want? You wanna shut the life out of everything, is that what you want? You wanna bury me, is that what you want? Let it, let it, let it! You gotta stop thinking about it and just do it, alright? Uh, Leo, let's take it from the top and run the lines first [LEO, spoken] Alright, you heard him, let's run the lines from the top Act one, scene one