ACT TWO
The Bridge
Yes – Mr. Andrews.
There is a series of small gashes below the
waterline along the three hundred foot section of the starboard
side.
There is water in the fore peak, 1 & 2 holds; in the
mailroom;
3 of her boiler rooms – all six of the six single
compartments have been breached.
That’s all right. You assured us those
compartments are watertight.
She was built to stay afloat if 3..perhaps 4
compartments flooded. Certainly not six.
Andrews what are you saying?
…Titanic is sinking, Mr. Ismay.
Nonsense!
God himself couldn’t sink this ship!
How long has she got Mr. Andrews?
An hour and a half, Captain…
two at the most.
Dressed in Your Pyjamas in the Grand Salon
Strange and quite disorienting being here…
Recently awakened from a dream…
How the lights burn,
Every crystal bright as a star!
Dressed in your pyjamas in the grand salon,
Looks to be bizarre in the extreme…
Things could improve if the steward opens the bar!
Oh…It’s a memory I’ll want to keep…
Now…I would like to go
Back to sleep…
Dressed in your pyjamas in the grand salon
Wondering if things are what they seem
Can you be sure? Do you ever
know where you are?
Mr. Astor, please your life belt
Mr. Guggenheim, please put it on now…
Captain’s orders
Ladies and Gentlemen, wear your life-belts!
Mrs. Widener, if you would, M’am
Mr. Thayer, we must insist now
It’s a mere formality
There is no cause for concern
We’ll be on our way!
A minor delay now…
A simple precaution…
A moment of rest…
We’ll be on our way!
We hardly need stay now…
In a moment or two she’ll be right again
Traveling west!
See here Mr. Etches, I demand to know
exactly what’s happening!
The latest word, sir, seems to be that she’s
damaged one of the wing propellers
and
we could be delayed for an entire day, sir.
I don’t like the way this sounds…
Not a bit, not a bit, not a little bit…
We spent eighteen hundred pounds
Not a bit, not a bit, not a little bit
This is not the sort of a voyage we paid for!
I demand to know what the ship is delayed for!
Right now!
How could this ever have come to pass?
Christ! Look who’s here!
It’s the second class!
Everything is gorgeous in the grand salon!
Stunningly appointed for the cream
Thousands of bucks
Gets a trip deluxe without par!
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Dressed in your pyjamas in the grand salon Feels to be bizarre In the Extreme How the lights burn Every crystal bright As a star |
Mr. Astor, please your lifebelt Mr. Guggenheim, please put it on now It’s a mere formality There is no cause for concern |
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We’ll be on our way! A minor delay A simple A moment of We’ll be on We hardly need stay now |
Recently awakened in a Every light is Everything surrounded by a haze! Strange and Recently |
We’ll be on A minor delay now! A simple A moment of rest! We’ll be on way! We hardly need… |
Strange and quite here! Recently awakened in a daze! Every light is burning with intensity! We’ll be on our way! Strange and quite disorienting being here! |
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Mr. Guggenheim, please Mrs. Widener, if you would It’s a mere formality Cause for concern |
Wondering if things Are what They seem… Can you be sure? Do you ever know Where you are? |
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We’ll be on A minor delay Now! A simple A moment of We’ll be on our way! We hardly need stay now Any minute now! Any minute Now Any minute Now! |
Strange and quite disorienting being here! Recently awakened in a daze! Every light is burning with intensity! Everything surrounded by a haze! Strange and quite disor- ienting being here! Recently awakened in a daze any minute! |
We’ll be on our way! A minor delay now! A simple precaution A moment of rest! We’ll be on our way! We hardly need… stay now! Any minute Now Any minute Now! |
Strange and quite here! Recently awakened in a daze! Every light is burning with We’ll be on Strange and any minute! |
We’ll be on our way!
We’ll be on our way!
We’ll be on our way!
our way!
our way!
The Upper Promenade
Captain!
Yes, Mr. Andrews.
I’m sure it hasn’t escaped your notice, Sir
but there are in excess of 2200 souls aboard this ship…
I am well aware of that!
But space for less than a thousand in the lifeboats…
I didn’t design this ship Mr. Andrews!
And I didn’t instruct the management on the number of boats.
Evidently 20 boats were enough to satisfy
the line! But how many would we need to
save everyone on board?
54. But the line thought that anything more
than 20 would take away too much deck
space from first class. And that means that
well over half of us are going to die
in approximately 90 minutes …
Not if a ship arrives!
Do you know of one?
I’m just on my way to find out!
Captain all first and second class passengers are
proceeding to the boat decks as ordered!
The 3rd class have been assembled below
on the well deck awaiting further instructions
Captain, I don’t think the passengers and
crew fully comprehend their predicament
yet. You will have to tell them!
Tell them what Mr. Andrews?
That more
than 1200 of them are going to be dead!
I think not sir! There would be general
panic.
They would kill each other in order to survive.
Awaiting instructions Captain…
I want you and Mr. Murdoch up top in
charge of loading the boats
But the 3rd class passengers Sir. They are all down below…
That’s not your concern, Mr. Lightholler.
Carry on!
Yes, Sir.
Are you taking it upon yourself to decide
who lives and dies?
I remind you that while
you are the Captain, you were not hired to play God!
Well then let it be God who decides!
Well it seems that God is already leaning toward the first class!
They are closest to the lifeboats!
Then perhaps – he’ll even the score by
sending us a ship!
The Radio Room
CQD! CQD! Titanic! CQD! Situation
critical! Repeat situation critical!
Radioman have you reached any..
Can’t you see I’m busy!
Go bother the captain!
This is the Captain!
Sorry Sir!
Sit down Mr. ..
Bride Sir. With the Marconi
international marine radio telegraphy…
Yes, yes! Sit down…
Sorry Sir!
And continue..
Yes sir!
Now have you reached any ships in
the immediate vicinity Mr. Bride?
6 or 7 sir! The closest seems to be
Carpathia- that’s the Cunard line..
Yes I know Carpathia, Mr. Bride…
They acknowledged our CQD at 11:58pm
saying they turned and are coming hard…
How far is she?
58 miles…
That’s more than four hours away!
Carpathia can’t be the only ship in
the vicinity Mr. Bride!
There was one other sir..
The Kalifornia. Her signal was
much stronger than the others.
I put her within 10 miles but since the accident – she hasn’t
responded..
Why not??
I don’t know sir…
EJ- You’ve got to do something!
What would you suggest Mr. Ismay?
We need another ship here immediately!
I’m afraid the nearest one to
respond is four hours away.
Four hours! We’ll be on the bottom by then!
What about the Kalifornia Mr. Bride?
You said that she might be close by…
I’m sure she is Sir. But still no response…
You must demand a response…
The smaller ships only carry one radio man Sir.
He must have signed off and gone to bed…
Well keep trying for God’s sake!
There’s a new distress call- SOS.
It’s hardly ever been used but
it’s easier to read than the CQD
and I thought perhaps if I tried…
Try anything you like Mr. Bride!
You must rouse that ship!!
Yes Sir! Titanic – SOS.
Situation critical!
Come in Kalifornia!
Where are you old man?!
Why the hell don’t you answer?!
The Blame
Surely something can be done to help us…
Thousands on board
Trusting and warm
Roused from their sleep
Sent up above
Unsinkable ship
What is she now?
What is she now?
Possibly she won’t go down
Possibly she’ll stay afloat
Possibly all this could come to an end
On a positive note…
Not unless the ship could fly
Not unless we all sprout wings!
Honestly sir, I have built her from scratch
And I know certain things!
If you know so much
Why didn’t you know to prevent this!
What’s to become of us all,
Now that providence sent this!
This is your work Mr. Andrews!
You have done us in!
Where’s her leakproof bulkheads?
Where’s her double skin?
That’s your job!
If someone must take the blame
It is you!
You!…
Innocent folk
Held in our care
Living their lives
Dreaming their dreams
Dreaming their dreams…
Possibly a ship will come
Possibly we’ll all be saved…
Dammit sir, Listen!
We’re hemorrhaging fast!
It’s our hull that’s been staved!
Couldn’t you design it right?
Whoever heard of steel that rips?
Ismay, I’m just in the business of building
It’s God who sinks ships!…
There stands the Captain
Who sailed us straight into disaster!
Oh, now it’s the Captain’s turn!
Pray who urged him to go faster?…
Well then, thank you Mr. Ismay
For your contribution!
Now please pray for some miraculous solution!
Your timing is perfect!
Now help us, please!
If you can!
Who called for speed and to break every record?!
Who had to keep all the millionaires happy?!
How dare you Smith!
I will not stand here indicted!
Who ignored warnings of icebergs when sighted?
Who, Sir, refused to extend up the bulkheads?!
You sir! To give the first class bigger staterooms!
And who undermined the position of Captain?
And who took a course too far north for the Season?
And who kept insisting
We land ever sooner?…
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And who should |
And who had to have |
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have posted |
both the largest and |
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More lookouts |
fastest?… |
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in darkness?… |
Who did it?!
Who did it?!
Who did it?!
Who did it?!
Who did it!?!
Possibly the Lord will act…
Possibly he will provide…
And indicate how
Our unthinkable fate
Can be somehow denied
Somehow denied…
Your work
No one else’s…
My doing
No one else’s…
There’s only one Captain
And I was in charge…
This is my ship
No one else’s…