Notes II - Phantom Of The Opera

THE MANAGERS ' OFFICE 
(The PHANTOM'S score lies open on the desk. 
ANDRE is impatiently flicking through it) 
ANDRE 
Ludicrous! 
Have you seen the score? 
FIRMIN (entering) 
Simply ludicrous! 
ANDRE 
It's the final straw! 
FIRMIN 
This is lunacy! 
Well, you know my views . . . 
ANDRE 
Utter lunacy! 
FIRMIN 
But we daren't refuse . . . 
ANDRE (groans) 
Not another 
chandelier . . . 
FIRMIN 
Look, my friend, what 
we have here . . . 
(He has two notes from the PHANTOM, one of which he 
hands to ANDRE, who opens it and reads): 
ANDRE 
"Dear Andre, 
Re my orchestrations: 
We need another first bassoon. 
Get a player with tone - 
and that third trombone 
has to go! 
The man could not be deafer, 
so please preferably one 
who plays in tune!" 
FIRMIN (reading his letter) 
"Dear Firmin, 
vis a vis my opera: 
some chorus-members must be sacked. 
If you could, find out which 
has a sense of pitch - 
wisely, though, 
I've managed to assign a 
rather minor role to those 
who cannot act! " 
(They are interrupted by the arrival of CARLOTTA and 
PIANGI both furiously brandishing similar notes) 
CARLOTTA 
Outrage! 
FIRMIN 
What is it now? 
CARLOTTA 
This whole affair is 
an outrage! 
FIRMIN 
Signora, please . . . 
ANDRE 
Now what's the matter? 
CARLOTTA 
Have you seen 
the size of my part? 
ANDRE 
Signora, listen . . . 
PIANGI 
It's an insult! 
FIRMIN 
Not you as well! 
PIANGI 
Just look at this - 
it's an insult! 
FIRMIN 
Please, understand . . . 
ANDRE 
Signor! Signora! 
CARLOTTA 
The things I have 
to do for my art! 
PIANGI (stabbing a finger at the open score) 
If you .an call 
this gibberish "art" ! 
(RAOUL and CHRISTINE enter: CARLOTTA bristles) 
CARLOTTA (dryly) 
Ah! Here's our little flower! 
FIRMIN 
Ah Miss Daae 
quite the lady 
of the hour! 
ANDRE (explaining) 
You have 
secured the largest role 
in this "Don Juan". 
CARLOTTA (half to herself) 
Christine Daae? 
She doesn't have 
the voice! 
FIRMIN (hearing this, to CARLOTTA) 
Signora, please! 
RAOUL (to the MANAGERS) 
Then I take it 
you're agreeing. 
CARLOTTA (aside) 
She's behind this . . . 
ANDRE 
It appears we have 
no choice. 
CARLOTTA (unable to contain herself any longer, 
points accusingly) 
She's the one 
behind this! 
Christine Daae! 
CHRISTINE (who has been silent till now, incensed at 
this) 
How dare you! 
CARLOTTA 
I'm not a fool! 
CHRISTINE 
You evil woman! 
How dare you! 
CARLOTTA 
You think I'm blind? 
CHRISTINE 
This isn't my fault! 
I don't want any 
part in this plot! 
FIRMIN 
Miss Daae, surely . . . 
ANDRE 
But why not? 
PIANGI (baffled, to CARLOTTA) 
What does she say? 
FIRMIN (reasonably) 
It's your decision - 
(Suddenly rounding on her) 
But why not? 
CARLOTTA (to PIANGI) 
She's backing out! 
ANDRE 
You have a duty! 
CHRISTINE 
I cannot sing it, 
duty or not! 
RAOUL (comforting) 
Christine . . . 
Christine . . . 
You don't have to . . . 
they can't make you . . . 
(MEG and GlRY arrive, the latter bearing another note 
from the PHANTOM) 
GIRY 
Please, monsieur: 
another note. 
(The MANAGERS gesture: "read it". As she reads, ALL 
react variously, as they are singled out) 
GIRY 
"Fondest greetings 
to you all ! 
A few instructions 
just before 
rehearsal starts: 
Carlotta must be 
taught to act . . . ," 
(The PHANTOM'S voice gradually takes over 
from her) 
PHANTOM'S VOICE 
. . . not her normal trick 
of strutting round the stage. 
Our Don Juan must 
lose some weight - 
it's not healthy in 
a man of Piangi's age. 
And my managers 
must learn 
that their place is in 
an office, not the arts. 
As for Miss Christine Daae . . . 
No doubt she'll 
do her best - it's 
true her voice is 
good. She knows, though, 
should she wish to excel 
she has much still 
to learn, if pride will 
let her 
return to me, her 
teacher, 
her teacher . . . 
Your obedient friend . . . 
(The PHANTOM'S voice fades out and GIRY takes over) 
GIRY 
". . . and Angel . . ." 
(Attention now focuses on RAOUL whose eyes are 
suddenly bright with a new thought) 
RAOUL 
We have all been 
blind - and yet the 
answer is staring us 
in the face . . . 
This could be the 
chance to ensnare our 
clever friend . . . 
ANDRE 
We're listening . . . 
FIRMIN 
Go on. 
RAOUL 
We shall play his 
game - perform his 
work - but remember we 
hold the ace . . . 
For, if Miss Daae 
sings, he is certain 
to attend . . . 
ANDRE (carried along by the idea) 
We make certain 
the doors are barred . . . 
FIRMIN (likewise) 
We make certain 
our men are there . . . 
RAOUL 
We make certain 
they're armed . . . 
RAOUL/ANDRE/FIRMIN (savouring their victory) 
The curtain falls - 
his reign will end! 
(ALL have been listening intently. GIRY is the first to 
express a reaction. CHRISTINE remains silent and 
withdrawn) 
GIRY 
Madness! 
ANDRE 
I'm not so sure . . . 
FIRMIN 
Not if it works . . . 
GIRY 
This is madness! 
ANDRE 
The tide will turn! 
GIRY 
Monsieur, believe me - 
there is no way of 
turning the tide! 
FIRMIN (to GIRY) 
You stick to ballet! 
RAOUL (rounding on GIRY) 
Then help us! 
GIRY 
Monsieur, I can't . . . 
RAOUL 
Instead of warning us . . . 
RAOUL/ANDRE/FIRMIN 
Help us! 
GIRY 
I wish I could . . . 
RAOUL/ANDRE/FIRMIN 
Don't make excuses! 
RAOUL 
Or could it be that 
you're on his side? 
GIRY (to RAOUL) 
Monsieur, believe me, 
I intend no ill . . . 
(to ANDRE and FIRMIN) 
But messieurs, be careful - 
we have seen him kill . . . 
ANDRE/FIRMIN (to GIRY) 
We say he'll fall 
and fall he will! 
CARLOTTA 
She's the one behind this! 
Christine! 
This is all her doing! 
PIANGI 
This is the truth! 
Christine Daae! 
RAOUL 
This is his undoing! 
ANDRE/FIRMIN (to RAOUL) 
If you succeed 
you free us all - 
this so called "angel" 
has to fall! 
RAOUL 
Angel of music, 
fear my fury - 
Here is where you fall! 
GIRY (to RAOUL) 
Hear my warning! 
Fear his fury! 
CARLOTTA 
What glory can 
she hope to gain? 
It's clear to all 
the girl's insane! 
ANDRE (to FIRMIN) 
Christine sings 
We'll get our man . . . 
PIANGI 
She is crazy! 
She is raving! 
FIRMIN (to ANDRE) 
If Christine helps 
us in this plan . . . 
RAOUL 
Say your prayers, 
black angel of death! 
CHRISTINE (vainly pleading amidst the tumult) 
Please don't . . . 
ANDRE (to FIRMIN) 
If Christine won't, 
then no-one can . . . 
GIRY (to RAOUL) 
Monsieur, I beg you, 
do not do this . . . 
PIANGI/CARLOTTA 
Gran Dio! 
Che imbroglio! 
ANDRE/FIRMIN 
This will seal his fate! 
CHRISTINE (bursting through the hubbub with a 
great cry) 
If you don't stop, 
I'll go mad! ! ! 
(to RAOUL, pleading) 
Raoul, I'm frightened - 
don't make me do this . . . 
Raoul, it scares me - 
don't put me through this 
ordeal by fire . . . 
he'll take me, I know . . . 
we'll be parted for ever . . . 
he won't let me go . . . 
What I once used to dream 
I now dread . . . 
if he finds me, it won't 
ever end . . . 
and he'll always be there, 
singing songs in my head . . . 
he'll always be there, 
singing songs in my head . . . 
(ALL stare at her) 
CARLOTTA 
She's mad . . . 
RAOUL (to CHRISTINE) 
You said yourself 
he was nothing 
but a man . . . 
Yet while he lives, 
he will haunt us 
till we're dead . . .