Tim Minchin, Milly Shapiro, Karen Aldridge, Ben Thompson, Samantha Sturm - Story 1: Once Upon a Time lyrics

Once upon a time
The two greatest circus performers in
The world – an
Escapologist who could escape from
Any lock that was ever invented
And an acrobat who was so skilled it seemed
As if she could actually fly – fell in love
And got married they performed
Some of the most
Incredible feats together anyone has
Ever seen and
People would come from miles around:
Kings! queens! celebrities! and
Astronauts! And not just to see their skill
But also to see their love for each other
Which was so deep
That it was said that cats would
Purr as they passed them
And dogs would weep with joy

They moved into a beautiful old house at the
Edge of town, and in the evenings
They would
Walk and take the air and each night, the
Children of the town would
Wait in anticipation, hoping for
A glimpse of the shiny white scarf
That the acrobat always wore
For then they knew that they had
Only to cry
"Tricks! Tricks!" and the great performers
Would instantly oblige with the
Most spectacular show, just for them

But although they loved each other
Although they
Were famous and everyone loved them
They were sad

We have everything

"We have everything that the
World has to offer, " said the wife

We have everything

"But we do not have the one thing
In the world we want most"

But the one thing

"We do not have a child"

Patience, my love

"Patience, my love
" the husband replied "Time is on
Our side even time loves us"

Oh, Matilda!

But time is the one thing no one is master
Of and as time passed, they grew quite old
And still they had no child at night
They listened
To the silence of their big, empty house
And they would imagine how beautiful
It would be if it
Was filled with the sound of a child playing
Oh, Matilda, this is very sad!
Do you want me to stop? Don't you dare!

Their sadness overwhelmed them, and drew them
Into ever more dangerous feats
As their work became the only
Place they could escape
The inescapable tragedy of their
Lives! And so it was
They decided to perform the most dangerous
Feat ever known to man! "It
Is called, " said the husband, announcing
The event to the world's press
Who had gathered to listen
With bated breath –

"The Burning Woman, Hurling Through the Air
With Dynamite in Her Hair, over
Sharks and Spiky Objects, Caught By the
Man Locked in a Cage"
And it is the most dangerous
Feat ever known to man!

"It is our destiny – "

– said the wife
Smiling sadly and slipping her hand into his

"It is where the loneliness of
Life has led us"