book & lyrics by Jenifer Toksvig
with music by Kwame Brandt-Pierce
with music by Kwame Brandt-Pierce
Although the setting can be as specific or non-specific as desired, and although it is deliberately open to wide interpretation, MR FAST and MR SLOW remain completely unaware of the real meaning of their surroundings throughout the piece. They are simply aware that they exist, and of each other. This awareness begins only when the piece begins, and ends when the piece ends. During the piece, there should be no knowing reference on the part of MR FAST and MR SLOW to anything which they have not experienced during their existence within the piece. The TIMEKEEPER has done this before. Prior to the opening dialogue, there is a moment, a beat, a breath, during which the three characters are visible to the audience. They can do whatever you like.
TIMEKEEPER
One.
MR FAST
What?
TIMEKEEPER
That was one.
MR SLOW
What's a one?
TIMEKEEPER
It's the beginning.
MR FAST
What's a beginning?
TIMEKEEPER
It comes before a middle, usually.
MR SLOW
Oh.
MR FAST
What's a middle?
TIMEKEEPER
Wait and see.
MR FAST
So what was that, then?
TIMEKEEPER
One.
MR SLOW
Oh that was one.
TIMEKEEPER
No, that's another one.
MR SLOW
There's another one?
TIMEKEEPER
No... there's only one. But there are other kinds of one, and that's another one.
MR SLOW
I'm confusing.
TIMEKEEPER
The one that was the one came at the beginning, and soon afterwards there'll be another one, but I'll call that one another thing altogether.
MR FAST
Why?
TIMEKEEPER
Because I can. (beat) And because it's different than the first one.
MR SLOW
What one?
TIMEKEEPER
One!
MR SLOW
Oh, that.
MR FAST
So here we are. (beat) Where are we, actually?
TIMEKEEPER
We're here. Obviously. Hello.
MR FAST
Oh, hello.
MR SLOW
Hi.
(Hi, hello, etc. They greet each other as if meeting for the first time.)
MR FAST
So... here we are... at one.
TIMEKEEPER
In the middle of it, yes.
MR FAST
In the middle? But I thought you said that this was the beginning?
TIMEKEEPER
Yes it is, but when we move through the one we're always moving closer to the middle.
MR FAST
Why?
MR SLOW
Yes, why?
TIMEKEEPER
Why? Because that's the way it goes.
Testing was written at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. The two specifications for this project were that there must be 3 characters, and the piece must be 20 mins long, so we made three people spend twenty minutes.
