William Finn
Marvin at the Psychiatrist
[JASON]
My father says that love
Is the most beautiful thing in the world
I think games are
I think chess is the most
Beautiful thing
Not love

[WHIZZER, spoken]
Marvin at the Psychiatrist, a three-part mini opera. Part One.​

[MENDEL]
Do you love him?

[MARVIN]
Sorta kinda

[MENDEL]
Do you need him?

[MARVIN]
Sorta, kinda
He makes me smile a lot
Especially at mealtime
It makes me feel I'm sort of smart
[MENDEL]
Hm
Is he special?

[MARVIN]
He's delightful

[MENDEL]
And romantic?

[MARVIN]
Yes, and spiteful
But yet it seems that so am I

[MENDEL]
Just enjoy what you can
Love the boy, not the man

[MARVIN]
Man
Sorta stylish

[MENDEL]
Kinda very

[MARVIN]
Mmm, very, very sorta
[MENDEL]
And kind of hard to describe?

[MARVIN, spoken]
Yes, yes, I think that's very true.​

[MENDEL]
When he's naked

[MARVIN]
Yes?

[MENDEL]
Does he thrill you?

[MARVIN]
Yes!

[MENDEL]
Is he vicious?

[MARVIN]
Yes!

[MENDEL]
Would he kill you?
[MARVIN]
Yes
I think he's sorta kinda mean
But I love him, and I need it
If he loved me, I'd concede it

[MENDEL]
Don't despise what you feel
Love the friend, not the heel

[MARVIN]
Heel

[MENDEL]
He's sometimes worthless

[MARVIN]
Sometimes evil

[MENDEL]
Sometimes smarmy

[WHIZZER, spoken]
Part Two.​

[MENDEL]
Explore, Mr. Marvin
Your core, Mr. Marvin
Note how your wife, your ex-wife’s subtle glories
Coupled with her tragic stories
Move me in unreported ways

At her very first session
She made quite an impression
Do you mind that?
She was here to speak of Jason
And I find that
I hope Jason acts out more
'Cause there’s a few more things we need explored

[MARVIN]
Good

[MENDEL]
Good
You said she was withholding

[MARVIN]
Right

[MENDEL]
Well that’s not quite true

[MARVIN]
No?

[MENDEL]
Perhaps she held back love from you

[MARVIN]
Did she really?

[MENDEL]
I just know what I’m told
'Cause when I met your wife, she was anything but cold
It wasn't quite precise to say that she was ice
When I met your wife, she was very nice
Very, very, very
Was she faithful? Be objective

[MARVIN]
Yes

[MENDEL]
She was faithful

[MARVIN]
Yes

[MENDEL]
And you wanted to
Impress her

[MARVIN]
Yes sir, yes sir
But impress her I did not

[MENDEL]
Did she sweat a lot?

[MARVIN]
What?

[MENDEL]
Was she ruthless?

[MARVIN]
Huh?

[MENDEL]
Narcissistic?

[MARVIN]
Who?

[MENDEL]
Let me vary the mood

[MARVIN, spoken]
Yes, please.​

[MENDEL]
Does she sleep in the n***?

[MARVIN, spoken]
Nope.​

[MENDEL, spoken]
No. Does not sleep n***. Okay, going on.​

(sung)
I have questions
That should probably go unanswered
But there're questions
Like, does she wear a negligé
Could you blow and it would blow away?

Since the session’s nearly through
Tell me, what is going on with you?

[MARVIN, spoken]
Huh. So, now you’re interested in me?

[MENDEL, spoken]
Of course.​

[WHIZZER, spoken]
Part Three.​

[MARVIN]
My son's distressing

[JASON]
My father's snide

[MARVIN]
I'm convalescing

[JASON]
He's morbid and dissatisfied

[MARVIN]
What should I do now?

[JASON]
He loves another

[MARVIN]
I agree

[JASON]
I love my mother

[MARVIN]
Why not me?
We go to ball games

[JASON]
The ball is tossed

[MARVIN]
The pitcher's handsome

[JASON]
Yeah, and our team lost

[MARVIN]
Is that my fault, though?
Should I be blamed for that?

[JASON]
Explore museums

[MARVIN]
Admire art

[JASON]
We stand together

[MARVIN]
But we stand there looking miles apart
How do I reach him?
What words of wisdom?
What should I do now?

[JASON]
My father says that love
Is the most beautiful thing in the world
I think games are
I think chess is the most
Beautiful thing
Not love

[WHIZZER, spoken]
Marvin at the Psychiatrist, a three-part mini opera.​

[MENDEL, spoken]
Oh! The end.​