What is that unforgettable line? – Samuel Beckett
I love lines. Theater has some of the best lines, and I’ve
had the privilege of being able to deliver many of them. One of the best things about lines is you can
use them again in real life. Theater often
reflects life, or better yet, says things that can’t be or aren’t said in real
life. For fun, I thought I might revisit
some of my favorite lines….
There are many lines
that I’ve used frequently in everyday conversations, such as “I forgot” (Nunsense) – and as time goes on, I use
this more and more J. Others are “I’m gettin’ it” (Oklahoma), and “that’s not it at all….
(Horace)” (Hello Dolly!). Sometimes I’ll say something and I can tell
I’ve said it before, but am not sure where.
Like “it’s just a little doo-dad”.
Well, actually I don’t use the word “doo-dad” all that often, but it is
a handy little line to have around just in case.
Here are some lines
that I am able to pull up in conversations, but a little less often… and they
usually come with some kind of a character voice so I get a “look” when using
them… “Ahhhhhhhhhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha
haaaaaaaaaaa!” (Wizard of Oz), or
“not fun not fun not fun not fun not fun” (sung to the tune from Queen of the
night aria – Nunsense), or “(s)he likes
you… quite a lot” (Oklahoma).
I have some
absolutely favorite lines that I’ve said in shows, but nowhere to use
them. For example, one of my favorite
lines was “I have a bunion there that bothers” (Music Man). Actually, I do
have a bunion that sometimes bothers, so perhaps could use it, but who talks
like that in real life? Another favorite
was “Miss Starlett, Miss Starlett, Miss Starlett, Miss Starlett…..” (Went with the Wind, Carol Burnett
sketch) – but frankly, my dear, there are very few uses for this. Or for this line, “At Fontana de Luna there
are waters fed by springs coming from somewhere deep deep down” (Nine).
And if only I could find a use for this line - “My cousin is in ladies
underwear” (You Can’t Take It With You)
- but alas, it doesn’t come up often.
Sometimes lines are
just plain wise….For example a line from The
Sound of Music – “These walls were not meant to shut out problems. You have to face them. You have to find the life you were born to
live” Or, a line from Hello, Dolly! – “Then one night an oak
leaf fell out of my Bible….. a perfectly good oak leaf but without color and
without life. And I suddenly realized
that I was like that leaf… for years I had not shed one tear nor had I been
filled with the wonderful hope that something or other would turn out
well. And so I’ve decided to rejoin the
human race…” Or from Aunt Eller (wise
woman) in Oklahoma – “If you cain’t
fergit, jist don’t try to, honey. Oh,
lots of things happen to folks.
Sickness, er bein’ pore and hungry even – bein’ old and afeared to
die. That’s the way it is – cradle to
grave. And you can stand it. They’s one way. You gotta be hearty, you got to
be. You cain’t deserve the sweet and tender in life less’n you’re tough.” If only
I were as wise or gritty in real life as the characters I played.
Finally, there are
other lines that are extremely funny… in context, that is. My favorites:
“I think he means
‘peep’” (Music Man)
“Trickle, trickle,
trickle…” (Music Man)
“I think that’s when
we conceived Ralph…. our stepson” (I
Can’t Hear you When the Water is Running)
“And carry my bust
with pride” (A Funny Thing Happened on
the Way to the Forum)
This is the tip of
the iceberg, because most lines are forgotten eventually, especially when onto
another show. I suspect that my theater
friends have their favorites, or perhaps audience members as well. If so, please comment and share them.
