Act I. Scenes
intro
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Act II Scenes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Photos
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Pantom of the Opera - Act I scene 9
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Scene 9 A PERFORMANCE OF 'IL MUTO' BY ALBRIZZI0 (During the overture RAOUL, ANDRE and FIRMIN take their respective seats - RAOUL in Box Five, the MANAGERS in a box opposite) RAOUL Gentlemen, if you would care to take your seats? I shall be sitting in Box Five. ANDRE Do you really think that's wise, monsieur? RAOUL My dear Andre, there would appear to be no seats available, other than Box Five . . . (The front cloth rises to reveal an 18th Century salon, a canopied bed centre-stage. The COUNTESS is played by CARLOTTA. SERAFIMO, the page boy, is disguised as her maid and is played by CHRISTINE. At this point they are hidden behind the drapes of the bed, which are drawn. In the room are TWO EPICENE MEN: one a HAIRDRESSER and one a JEWELLER. The JEWELLER is attended by MEG. There is also an OLDER WOMAN, the COUNTESS' confidante. All a part from MEG are gossiping with relish aboutt he COUNTESS' current liaison with SERAFIMO) CONFIDANTE They say that this youth has set my Lady's heart aflame! 1ST FOP His Lordship sure would die of shock! 2ND FOP His Lordship is a laughing-stock! CONFIDANTE Should he suspect her God protect her! ALL THREE Shame! Shame! Shame! This faithless lady's bound for Hades! Shame! Shame! Shame! (The canopy drapes part and we see the COUNTESS kissing SERAFlMO passionately. As the recitative begins, the lights and music dim on stage, and our attention turns to the MANAGERS in their box) IN THE BOX : ANDRE Nothing like the old operas! FIRMIN Or the old scenery . . . ANDRE The old singers . . . FIRMIN The old audience . . . ANDRE And every seat sold! FIRMIN Hardly a disaster beyond all imagination! (They chuckle and nod to RAOUL in the opposite box. He acknowledges them) ON STAGE COUNTESS Serafimo - your disguise is perfect. (A knock at the door) Who can this be? DON ATTILI0 Gentle wife, admit your loving husband. ATTENTION BACK ON STAGE (The COUNTESS admits DON ATTILI0. He is an old fool) DON ATTILI0 My love - I am called to England on affairs of State, and must leave you with your new maid. (Aside) Though I'd happily take the maid with me. COUNTESS (aside) The old fool's leaving! DON ATTILI0 (aside) I suspect my young bride is untrue to me. I shall not leave, but shall hide over there to observe her! DON ATTILI0 (to COUNTESS) Addio! COUNTESS Addio! BOTH (to each other) Addio! (He goes, pretending to leave, then hides and watches the action) COUNTESS (CARLOTTA) Serafimo - away with this pretence! (She rips off SERAFIMO'S skirt to reveal his manly breeches) You cannot speak, but kiss me in my husband's absence! Poor fool, he makes me laugh! Haha, Haha! etc. Time I tried to get a better better half ! COUNTESS AND CHORUS Poor fool, he doesn't know! Hoho, Hoho! etc. If he knew the truth, he'd never, ever go! (Suddenly from nowhere, we hear the voice of the PHANTOM) PHANTOM'S VOICE Did I not instruct that Box Five was to be kept empty? MEG (terrified) He's here: the Phantom of the Opera . . . (General reaction of bewilderment. CHRISTINE looks fearfully about her) CHRISTINE It's him . . . I know it . . . it's him . . . CARLOTTA (Finding a scapegoat in CHRISTINE, hisses at her) Your part is silent, little toad! (But the PHANTOM has heard her) PHANTOM'S VOICE A toad, madame? Perhaps it is you who are the toad . . . (Again general unease. CARLOTTA and the CONDUCTOR confer and pick up from the opening of the scene) CARLOTTA (As the COUNTESS) Serafimo, away with this pretence! You cannot speak, but kiss me in my croak! (Instead of singing she emits a great croak like a toad. A stunned silence. CARLOTTA is as amazed as anyone but regains herself and continues. More perturbing, however, is a new sound: the PHANTOM is laughing - quietly at first, then more and more hysterically) CARLOTTA (as the COUNTESS) Poor fool, he makes me laugh - Hahahahaha! Croak, croak, croak, croak, croak, croak, etc. (As before. The PHANTOM'S laughter rises. The croaking continues as the chandelier's lights blink on and off. The PHANTOM'S laughter, by this time overpowering, now crescendos into a great cry): PHANTOM'S VOICE Behold! She is singing to bring down the chandelier! (CARLOTTA looks tearfully up at the MANAGERS ' box and shakes her head) CARLOTTA Non posso piu . . . I cannot . . . I cannot go on . . . PIANGI (rushing on) Cara, cara . . . I'm here . . . is all right . . . Come . . . I'm here . . . (ANDRE and FIRMIN hurry out of the box onto the stage. PIANGI ushers the now sobbing CARLOTTA offstage, while the MANAGERS tackle the audience) FIRMIN Ladies and gentlemen, the performance will continue in ten minutes' time . . . (He addresses Box Five, keeping one eye on the chandelier as it returns to normal) . . . when the role of the Countess will be sung by Miss Christine Daae. ANDRE (improvising) In the meantime, ladies and gentlemen, we shall be giving you the ballet from Act Three of tonight's opera. (to the CONDUCTOR) Maestro - the ballet - now! (The MANAGERS leave, the stage is cleared and music starts again. The BALLET GlRLS enter as a sylvan glade flies in. They begin the Dance of the Country Nymphs. Upstage, behind the drop, a series of threatening shadows of the PHANTOM. MEG is aware of them and dances out of step. When this culminates in one gigantic, oppressive, bat-like shadow, the garotted body of JOSEPH BUQUET falls onto the stage, causing the sylvan glade to fly out. Pandemonium.) CHRISTINE (calling for help) Raoul! Raoul! (RAOUL runs on stage and embraces her) RAOUL (to CHRISTINE, leading her away) Christine, come with me . . . CHRISTINE No. . . to the roof. We'll be safe there. (CHRISTINE and RAOUL hurry off) FIRMIN (Attempting to placate the audience as STAGE- HANDS and POLICEMEN crowd onto the stage) Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats. Do not panic. It was an accident . . . simply an accident . . . Scene 10 THE ROOF OF THE OPERA HOUSE (A statue of 'La Victoire Ailee' - the same as that which tops the proscenium. It is twilight. CHRISTINE and RAOUL rush on) RAOUL Why have you brought us here? CHRISTINE Don't take me back there! RAOUL We must return! CHRISTINE He'll kill me! RAOUL Be still now . . . CHRISTINE His eyes will find me there! RAOUL Christine, don't say that . . . CHRISTINE Those eyes that burn! RAOUL Don't even think it . . . CHRlSTlNE And if he has to kill a thousand men - RAOUL Forget this waking nightmare . . . CHRISTINE The Phantom of the Opera will kill . . . RAOUL This phantom is a fable . . . Believe me . . . CHRISTINE . . . and kill again! RAOUL There is no Phantom of the Opera . . . CHRISTINE My God, who is this man . . . RAOUL My God, who is this man . . . CHRISTINE . . . who hunts to kill . . .? RAOUL . . . this mask of death . . .? CHRISTINE I can't escape from him . . . RAOUL Whose is this voice you hear . . . CHRISTINE . . .I never will! RAOUL . . . with every breath . . .? BOTH And in this labyrinth, where night is blind the Phantom of the Opera is here: inside your/my mind . . . RAOUL There is no Phantom of the Opera . . . CHRISTINE Raoul, I've been there - to his world of unending night . . . To a world where the daylight dissolves into darkness . . . darkness . . . Raoul, I've seen him! Can I ever forget that sight? Can I ever escape from that face? So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face, in that darkness . . . darkness . . . (trancelike, then becoming more and more ecstatic) But his voice filled my spirit with a strange, sweet sound . . . In that night there was music in my mind . . . And through music my soul began to soar! And I heard as I'd never heard before . . . RAOUL What you heard was a dream and nothing more . . . CHRISTINE Yet in his eyes all the sadness of the world . . . Those pleading eyes, that both threaten and adore . . . RAOUL (comforting) Christine . . . Christine . . . PHANTOM (unseen, a ghostly echo of RAOUL's words) Christine . . . CHRISTINE What was that? (A moment, as their eyes meet. The mood changes.) RAOUL No more talk of darkness, Forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here, nothing can harm you - my words will warm and calm you. Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry -your tears. I'm here, with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you . . . CHRISTINE Say you love me every waking moment, turn my head with talk of summertime . . . Say you need me with you, now and always . . . promise me that all you say is true - that's all I ask of you . . . RAOUL Let me be your shelter, let me be your light. You're safe: No-one will find youQ your fears are far behind you . . . CHRISTINE All I want is freedom, a world with no more night . . . and you always beside me to hold me and to hide me . . . RAOUL Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime . . . Iet me lead you from your solitude . . . Say you need me with you here, beside you . . . anywhere you go, let me go too - Christine, that's all I ask of you . . . CHRISTINE Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime . . . say the word and I will follow you . . . BOTH Share each day with me, each night, each morning . . . CHRISTINE Say you love me . . . RAOUL You know I do . . . BOTH Love me - that's all I ask of you . . . (They kiss) Anywhere you go let me go too . . . Love me - that's all I ask of you . . (CHRISTINE starts from her reverie) CHRISTINE I must go - they'll wonder where I am . . . wait for me, Raoul! RAOUL Christine, I love you! CHRISTINE; Order your fine horses! Be with them at the door! RAOUL And soon you'll be beside me! CHRISTINE You'll guard me, and you'll guide me . . . (They hurry off. The PHANTOM emerges from behind the statue) PHANTOM I gave you my music . . . made your song take wing . . . and now, how you've repaid me: denied me and betrayed me . . . He was bound to love you when he heard you sing . . . Christine ... Christine ... RAOUL/CHRISTINE (offstage) Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime . . . say the word and I will follow you . . . Share each day with me, each night, each morning . . . PHANTOM You will curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you . . .! (As the roof of the opera house disappears, the opera curtain closes and the PRINCIPALS in 'Il Muto' appear through it for their bows, CHRISTINE conspicuously dressed in CARLOTTA'S costume. simultaneously, we hear the maniacal laughter of the PHANTOM and see him high above the stage, perilously rocking the chandelier. The lights of the chandelier begin flickering and, at a great cry from him, it descends, swinging more and more madly over the orchestra pit) PHANTOM Go! ! (The chandelier falls to the stage at CHRISTINE'S feet) ! |
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