something specific that kills me about “what would i do?” is the fact that marvin and whizzer are very interwoven characters, and here we see them not allowed to connect? for example: they finish each other’s sentences extremely often. during “thrill of first love,” they’re constantly interrupting each other, ( nine months / ten months & still it’s awfully trying / and we’re not denying ), and harmonizing – both vocally and physically! they are a couple that is super tactile with displaying their affection; marvin always plays with whizzer’s ears, whizzer can always be seen with a hand on marvin’s thigh, in “what more can i say?” marvin holds whizzer securely and runs a hand down his spine, etc, etc.
and now we see marvin, desperate to hold onto whizzer’s hand for as long as he can, scrambling to keep a grip on his lover. however, whizzer has to be escorted offstage, and the candle is blown out, and the world shrinks. when whizzer returns to reminisce with marvin, there’s miles between them, and you can kinda see their fists clenched at their sides, like they have to keep themselves from reaching out. they’re still harmonizing and repeating each other’s sentences, their faces fond, their voices soft, ( what would i do / what would i do & one hour more / one hour more ).
but then both whizzer’s voice and his very person fade, and we’re all just waiting for them to share the briefest touch, but whizzer has to leave before their song is allowed to end and the solo that became a powerful duet flickers and ends despondently. it’s unfair, and it’s unsatisfying, and it’s much like the ending of their story and the countless others needlessly ended during this time.
