The Private and Intimate Life of the House
The Great Comet Original Cast Lyrics

I've aged
I've become old and frail

I've aged so very much
I've become extremely old and frail

I fall asleep at the table
I fall asleep at the dining table during meals

My napkin drops to the floor
I drop my napkin on the floor due to my old age

I'm full of childish vanities
I have superficial and petty interests

I forget things
I lose my memory frequently

And I live in the past
I often think about and dwell on the past

People enjoy me though
People find me entertaining and charming despite my flaws

I come in for tea in my old-fashioned coat and powered wig
I attend tea parties wearing outdated clothing and a powdered wig

And I tell stories
I love to reminisce and share old stories with others

And utter scathing critiques
I express harsh criticisms of others and their actions

This old-fashioned house
This traditional and antiquated house

With its gigantic mirrors and powered footmen
With large mirrors and footmen who wear powdered wigs

And this stern, shrewd old man
And this strict, cunning elderly man

A relic of the past century
Someone who belongs to the previous century

With his gentle daughter
With his kind and caring daughter

Is a majestic and agreeable spectacle
Is an impressive and enjoyable sight

But besides the couple hours during which we have guests
Apart from when we entertain guests for a few hours

There are also twenty-two hours in the day
There are twenty-two hours in which we have no guests

During which the private and intimate life of the house continues
During which our secluded and personal family life carries on

Bring me my slippers
Fetch my slippers for me

Yes father yes father
I will comply, Father

Bring me my wine
Get me my wine

Oh father
Addressing her father

And I never go anywhere
I never leave the house

Never invited
I'm never invited anywhere

For who would take care of him
Who would take care of my father in my absence

Who would take care
Who would care for my father

And I have no friends
I don't have any friends

All my friends are dead
All of my friends have died

Time is moving
Time is ticking away

It's now or never
It's time to act or lose the chance forever

My fate is slipping past me
My destiny is getting away from me

Silence! Silence!
Be quiet! Be quiet!

You shut your damn mouth girl
Stop talking, you disrespectful girl

I can hurt you
I can harm you physically or emotionally

But I never ever ever ever would
But I would never let that happen

This is just how it is
This is the way things are

It's just how he is
This is how my father behaves

He could beat me
My father could physically hurt me

Or treat me like a dog
Or treat me with disrespect

Make me fetch wood or water
Make me do menial tasks

And that's just how it is
That's just how it is in our household

Oh father
Addressing her father

I love you father
I love you, Father

I've abandoned the hope of getting married
I no longer desire to get married

Ah! What's this, a young suitor?
Oh! Who is this, a young man interested in me?

But don't sit down
Don't sit, I don't want you here long

I'm cold to you
I'm not friendly towards you

Yes I'm mean to you
Yes, I'm rude to you

Now be gone be gone be gone
Now leave, leave, leave

And don't come back!
Don't return here again!

Maybe I'll marry someone myself
Perhaps, I'll marry someone

Some cheap French thing
A Frenchman of low esteem

Oh that offends you does it?
Oh, does that insult you?

Ah, come in my dear, come in my dear, come in
Oh, come inside, my dear, come in

And he draws her to him
He pulls her closer to himself

And he kisses her hand
He kisses her hand affectionately

Embraces her affectionately
Hugs her lovingly

And I flush and run out of the room
I feel embarrassed and leave the room quickly

Come back here
Come here again

Let an old man have his fun
Let me enjoy myself, I'm old

Wipe away your tears girl
Stop crying, girl

I don't want your tears
I don't want to see you cry

On that horrible woman
Regarding that awful woman

Vile and inhuman
Disgusting and cruel

She's using you, Papa
She's taking advantage of you, Father

Wants your money Papa
She only wants your money, Father

To take advantage of your weakness like that
To use your vulnerability for her benefit

It's disgusting
It's revolting

My voice breaks
I start to cry

It's my money
It's my own money

And I'll throw it where I want
And I'll spend it as I please

Not at you!
Not on you!

And not at Andrey's harlot!
And not on Andrey's mistress!

Mine all mine!
It's all mine!

Insolent girl!
Rude girl!

Where-, Where-?
Where-, Where-?

Where, Where are my glasses?
Where are my glasses?

Oh God-
Oh, God-

Oh God I'm frightened
Oh, God, I'm scared

Where are my glasses?! where are they?! where?
Where are my glasses? I can't find them, where could they be?

They're there upon his head
They're on his head

The pride of sacrifice
The feeling of honor and pride for sacrificing oneself for others

Gathers in my soul
I feel a sense of pride within me

And he forgets things
He often forgets things

He falls asleep at the table
He falls asleep while sitting at the dining table

His napkin drops to the floor
His napkin falls to the ground due to his forgetfulness

His shaking head
His head trembles due to his old age

Sinks over his plate
He leans forward and falls asleep on his plate

He is old and feeble
He is elderly and frail

And I dare to judge him
And yet, I have the audacity to judge him

I disgust myself
I feel disgusted with myself

I disgust myself
I feel disgusted with myself