Act 1, Friday Night

The play opens with Agnes, the female lead and a "handsome woman in her late 50's," discussing the possibility of suddenly and quite easily losing her mind. She speaks in a soft voice with a "hint of a smile on her face," suggesting a state of peace, despite the subject matter of her conversation. Her husband, Tobias, responds to her by reminding her that "there is no saner woman on earth" than herself. Tobias, as he speaks, seems to have nothing more important on his mind than deciding what kind of drink he wants to make for himself.

When Tobias reassures Agnes that "we will all go mad before you," Agnes admits that she could not really go mad because she needs to take care of him. But this does not stop her from discussing the topic. At one point, she refers to her musings...