Show Synopsis:
Lillian Hellman and Mary McCarthy tell their competing stories about their lives, careers, and relationships. They debate the details surrounding the one time they met (and fought) at Sarah Lawrence College in 1948 and resign themselves to being inadvertently linked to each other.
Character:
Lillian Hellman, a stubborn and self-assured playwright in her 70s.
Mary McCarthy, an intelligent author in her 70s who believes truth and facts are essential tools.
Song Context:
Lillian and Mary are still flashing back to their childhoods, when Lillian was an only child and Mary was an orphan living with relatives. They sing to their dolls about the friendships they have with them.
Fun Facts:
1) This play was based on the real-life relationship between Lillian Hellman and Mary McCarthy, although they barely met.
2) Imaginary Friends is not a musical, but a play with music. The beginning of this song is the only time when a musical number focuses on Lillian and Mary.
3) Imaginary Friends' playwright Nora Ephron knew Hellman personally and agrees that not all of her stories were fact, which becomes the main source of friction between Hellman and McCarthy in the play.
"MARY
I belong to you,
You belong to me.
You play my fav?rite games,
Never call me names,
Never disagree.
All that lonely loneliness is through
With an imaginary friend
Like you.
LILLIAN
What was that you said?
You say the sweetest things
You always make me blush
With the kinda mush
Your devotion brings.
Close as ?A? will always be to ?B,?
That?s my imaginary friend
And me.
BOTH
Dancin? with my dolly down a country lane.
You?re just plain true blue,
Sweeter than the candy of a candy cane,
You remain imaginary.
MARY
I believe in you
LILLIAN
You believe in me.
MARY AND LILLIAN
Nice of you to come.
You?ll be Tweedledum,
I?ll be Tweedledee.
When I have a thought, you?ll have it, too.
You?re my imaginary friend,
?Maginary friend.
Let it never end.
Let it never end
?Cause I can depend,
Yes, I can depend
On ?
DOLLS
On me
When we go out and play?
LILLIAN AND MARY
When we go out and play
DOLLS
You?re always on my side
LILLIAN AND MARY
Always on my side
DOLLS
You never let me down,
Never sit and frown,
Never miss a stride
LILLIAN AND MARY
With me stride for stride
DOLLS
What?s more fun than monkeys in the zoo?
LILLIAN AND MARY
It?s an imaginary friend
ALL FOUR
Or two.
Dancin? with my dolly down a country lane,
Clouds and rain won?t do.
LILLIAN AND MARY
Waitin? for my daddy at the choo-choo train
ALL FOUR
We remain,
We remain
So very merry.
I belong to you,
You belong to me,
Sweeter than a yam
Or a jar o? jam
At a jamboree.
Icky-wicky thoughts go wicky woo
With an imaginary friend
?Maginary friend.
Let it never end,
Let it never end
?Cause I can depend,
Yes I can depend,
Yes I can depend
Upon a friend.
It?ll never end,
Not with an imaginary friend
Like you."