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 . .