Three Maids, Pishtush and Nankipoo dialogue for 19 Nov 2019 Audition
We will be reading from the following passages (Green Chappell libretto)
YUM. Yes, everything seems to smile upon me. I am to be married today to the man I love best, and I believe I am the very happiest girl in Japan!
PEEP. The happiest girl indeed, for she is indeed to be envied who has attained happiness in all but perfection.
YUM. In ‘all but’ perfection?
PEEP. Well, dear, it can’t be denied that the fact that your husband is to be beheaded in a month is, in its way, a drawback. It does seem to take the top off it, you know.
PITTI. I don’t know about that. It all depends!
PEEP. At all events, he will find it a drawback!
PITTI. Not necessarily. Bless you, it all depends!
YUM. (in tears). I think it very indelicate of you to refer to such a subject on such a day. If my married happiness is to be – to be –
PEEP. Cut short.
YUM. Well, cut short – in a month, can’t you let me forget it? (Weeping.)
(Enter NANKI-POO, followed by PISHTUSH.)
NANK. Yum-Yum in tears – and on her wedding morn!
YUM. (sobbing). They’ve been reminding me that in a month you’re to be beheaded! (Bursts into tears.)
PITTI. Yes, we’ve been reminding her that you’re to be beheaded. (Bursts into tears.)
PEEP. It’s quite true, you. know, you are to be beheaded! (Bursts into tears.)
NANK. (aside). Humph! Now, some bridegrooms would be depressed by this sort of thing! (Aloud.) A month? Well, what’s a month? Bah! These divisions of time are purely arbitrary. Who says twenty-four hours make a day?
PITTI. There’s a popular impression to that effect.
NANK. Then we’ll efface it. We’ll call each second a minute – each minute an hour – each hour a day – and each day a year. At that rate we’ve about thirty years of married happiness before us! PEEP. And, at that rate, this interview has already lasted four hours and three-quarters! (Exit PEEP-BO.)
YUM. (still sobbing). Yes. How time flies when one is thoroughly enjoying oneself!
NANK. That’s the way to look at it! Don’t let’s be downhearted! There’s a silver lining to every cloud.
YUM. Certainly. Let’s – let’s be perfectly happy! (Almost in tears.)
PISH. By all means. Let’s – let’s thoroughly enjoy ourselves.
PITTI. It’s – it’s absurd to cry! (Trying to force a laugh.)
YUM. Quite ridiculous! (Trying to laugh.)
PEEP. The happiest girl indeed, for she is indeed to be envied who has attained happiness in all but perfection.
YUM. In ‘all but’ perfection?
PEEP. Well, dear, it can’t be denied that the fact that your husband is to be beheaded in a month is, in its way, a drawback. It does seem to take the top off it, you know.
PITTI. I don’t know about that. It all depends!
PEEP. At all events, he will find it a drawback!
PITTI. Not necessarily. Bless you, it all depends!
YUM. (in tears). I think it very indelicate of you to refer to such a subject on such a day. If my married happiness is to be – to be –
PEEP. Cut short.
YUM. Well, cut short – in a month, can’t you let me forget it? (Weeping.)
(Enter NANKI-POO, followed by PISHTUSH.)
NANK. Yum-Yum in tears – and on her wedding morn!
YUM. (sobbing). They’ve been reminding me that in a month you’re to be beheaded! (Bursts into tears.)
PITTI. Yes, we’ve been reminding her that you’re to be beheaded. (Bursts into tears.)
PEEP. It’s quite true, you. know, you are to be beheaded! (Bursts into tears.)
NANK. (aside). Humph! Now, some bridegrooms would be depressed by this sort of thing! (Aloud.) A month? Well, what’s a month? Bah! These divisions of time are purely arbitrary. Who says twenty-four hours make a day?
PITTI. There’s a popular impression to that effect.
NANK. Then we’ll efface it. We’ll call each second a minute – each minute an hour – each hour a day – and each day a year. At that rate we’ve about thirty years of married happiness before us! PEEP. And, at that rate, this interview has already lasted four hours and three-quarters! (Exit PEEP-BO.)
YUM. (still sobbing). Yes. How time flies when one is thoroughly enjoying oneself!
NANK. That’s the way to look at it! Don’t let’s be downhearted! There’s a silver lining to every cloud.
YUM. Certainly. Let’s – let’s be perfectly happy! (Almost in tears.)
PISH. By all means. Let’s – let’s thoroughly enjoy ourselves.
PITTI. It’s – it’s absurd to cry! (Trying to force a laugh.)
YUM. Quite ridiculous! (Trying to laugh.)
Our last few productions were just great! See the NODA write-ups (National Operatic and Dramatic Association). In July 2015, OSE received a regional award in the NODA South-East Awards for Excellence 2014 - for Musical Excellence in OSE's production of Carmen, and this year (2019) we were awarded the 2018 NODA South-East Region award for Best Opera
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