Time and the Conways
Time and the Conways
Time and the Conways is a British play written by J. B. Priestley in 1937 illustrating J. W. Dunne's Theory of Time through the experience of a moneyed Yorkshire family, the Conways, over a period of nineteen years from 1919 to 1937. It is widely regarded as one of the best of Priestley's Time Plays, a series of pieces for theatre which played with different concepts of Time that also includes An
"Kay: Remember what we once were and what we thought wed be. And now this. And its all we have, Allan, its us. Every step weve taken—every tick of the clock—making everything worse. If this is all life is, whats the use? Better to die, like Carol, before you find it out, before Time gets to work on you. Ive felt it before, Allan, but never as Ive done tonight. Theres a great devil in the universe, and we call it Time."
"Kay: Ill try to understand . . . so long as you really believe—and think its possible for me to believe—that Times not ticking our lives away . . . wrecking . . . and ruining everything . . . for ever . . . Alan: No, its all right, Kay. Ill get you that book. You know, I believe that half our trouble now is because we think Times ticking our lives away. Thats why we snatch and grab and hurt each other. Kay: As if we were all in a panic on a sinking ship. Alan: Yes, its like that. Kay: But you dont do those things—bless you! Alan: I think its easier not to—if you take a long view. Kay: As if were—immortal beings? Alan: Yes, and in for a tremendous adventure."
