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one of the commonest questions asked at the studio after 'where do i plug this in?' is, 'why is it called tollboothmusic?'. it's very distressing when friends start calculating the number of hours in the day, and work out that there is no way you can do what you do within the commonly believed 24 that exist. (quantum physicists amongst you would not see a problem in this and are wondering what all the fuss is about.) in 1961, norton juster wrote a most beautiful childrens' book about a boy called milo who was always bored, life was just too long and full of inconsequence; until one day a mysterious tollbooth arrives in his room which transports him to a universe populated with the strangest of characters and images. in the way of great literature, then begins a classic morality tale that turns milo's world around. he begins to realise that the world can be much more exciting if you stay open minded and determined to make it through. the book was called 'the phantom tollbooth', and it was many of the ideas and principles of the book that seemed to echo in the way the studio was running and so the name was born. working through the philosophy that if there were hours in the day, and something was worthwhile, then that was where those hours should go. all 29 of them! it's also about preserving balance in life personified in the book by two princesses; rhyme & reason - exiled to an aerial castle for many years so that the world milo visits has become divided and blinkered. though primarily a childrens' book, i read it when i was in my late teens, at an age when both levels of the book were still very clearly visible. friends of mine who i have evangelised to about its wonders have read the book and been very ambivalent towards it - most in fact giving up (lightweights!!!!). but others, about half, find something to treasure deeply in this simple morality meets philosophy tale. and milo was never bored again.....
find out more about (go mad, order it even! it's only about £4) 'the phantom tollbooth' at amazon.co.uk. |
