(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 can 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 AND 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 AND FIRMIN

Help us!

GIRY

I wish I could . . .

RAOUL, ANDRE AND 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 AND 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 AND 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 AND CARLOTTA

Gran Dio!
Che imbroglio!

ANDRE AND 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 . . .

(CHRISTINE turns away unhappily)

CHRISTINE

Twisted every way,
what answer can I give?
Am I to risk my life,
to win the chance to live?
Can I betray the man
who once inspired my voice?
Do I become his prey?
Do I have any choice?

He kills without a thought,
he murders all that's good . . .
I know I can't refuse
and yet, I wish I could . . .
Oh God - if I agree,
what horrors wait for me
in this, the Phantom's opera . . .?

RAOUL (to CHRISTINE, very tenderly)

Christine, Christine,
don't think that I don't care -
but every hope
and every prayer
rests on you now . . .

(CHRISTINE, overcome by her conflicting emotions turns away and hurries out. RAOUL strides forward and addresses an imaginary PHANTOM)

RAOUL

So, it is to be war between us! But this time, clever
friend, the disaster will be yours!

(As lights fade, ATTENDANTS stretch a red, velvet rope across the downstage area. OTHERS bring on gilt chairs. CARLOTTA PIANGI and GIRY move downstage to take their places for the next scene)