Finale - New Musical West End Orchestra, Andrew Lloyd Webber

Hallo!

You there!

Signal Man!

Where in hell is the damn London train?

I’ve heard reports there is trouble on the line!

But is it expected?

My business here is over.

I must make my connection!

(The Signal Man looks at him strangely)

Man, why

Do you

Look at me

In that way?

I’ve done nothing wrong!

(The wires begin to sound)

What is this infernal noise?

The wires singing in the wind

(Glyde reacts strangely. The noise jangles his nerves)

They’re calling me with news, sir

There’s danger on the line!

This terrible noise in my head!

(The Signal Man runs off to his signal box)

Scene: «Laura Makes Glyde Confess»

(The noise of the wires reaches a terrible pitch.)

(Laura, dressed as «The Woman in White», appears. She reaches her hand out to

Glyde.

He swings round in surprise)

Oh, God… Anne Catherick!

(He tries to regain his composure)

This isn’t real!

This cannot be!

You do not exist!

Get away from me!

You know why I’m here

And what you must say

Sir, you must confess

Woman, stay away!

Tell the truth

Percival Glyde!

You’ll hear my voice

Inside your head

For all your life

And when you’re dead

You won’t be free

Till you express

What you have done

Till you confess

(He backs away from her; she persists)

You cannot hide

You can’t go far

Everywhere you go

I’ll be where you are

I know what you’ve done

We both know what’s true

Secrets must be told

I’m not afraid of you!

Everything you did

Everyone will know

That’s all in the past

Buried long ago!

Tell the truth

Percival Glyde

Didn’t you use me and hurt me?

You were a beautiful girl

Like none I’d ever seen

You were just fifteen

You and I both know the secret

Something that no one could prove

And who’d believe it’s true

From the likes of you?

You told me you were pregnant!

You told me it was mine!

It could have been a lie

It deserved to die

I had to drown your bastard!

I had no other choice

Before the child was due

I’d had enough of you

All that remains of your secret

Is buried in Blackwater Lake!

I watched while your disgrace

Sank without a trace

You beat me and you raped me!

And then you drowned my child!

When I was mad from grief

You imprisoned me

My precious little baby

The heart within my heart

The child I never knew

All because of you

And then you threw away

My life!

Your precious secret’s meaningless

No one alive remembers you

And you could save your prayers

For no one truly cares

It’s just like you were never born!

And no one ever mourned for you!

(Laura reveals herself)

You’re wrong

I mourn for Anne

Anne Catherick!

And the child of yours

That you destroyed!

Laura!

Her secret seals your fate forever

And the judgement that you can’t avoid

You have kept us both a prisoner

But the truth has set us free

It will lock you up

And damn your soul

For all of eternity!

You little witch!

You think you can trick me!

Come here!

I killed her

And I can kill you, too!

And the beauty of it is

No one will ever know

Because you’re dead!

You’re already dead!

(He lunges at Laura, grabs her by the throat. She falls to the tracks)

No!

(Hartright appears on the top of the cutting. He races down to help Laura)

Let go of her!

(He gets Laura free of Glyde. Glyde attacks Hartright. Marian enters)

The drawing master, I might have known!

Just give yourself up!

(The men fight. Hartright is gaining the upper hand but then he is knocked to

the ground.)

(The villagers are assembling. Their voices overlap)

He’s over there!

Don’t let him get away!

We know the truth!

We know exactly what you’ve done!

You see, Glyde?!

We all know what you’ve done!

You’ve signed your own

confession!

The game is over!

The game is never over!

(Glyde runs towards the tunnel)

Don’t go in there!

He said there’s danger on the line!

(Glyde runs into the tunnel. Hartright runs after Glyde. A huge vibration on

the tracks.

The sound of a train approaching.

Marian and Laura scream.

Steam everywhere.

Wires sounding, the train’s horn blowing.

A crash.)

(The Signal Man comes forward with his lantern. Other men run into the tunnel.

Marian is holding Laura back.

They are both crying.

There is a pause.

Then slowly Hartright appears from the tunnel, followed by men carrying the

lifeless form of Sir Percival Glyde)

And a year to the day…

The dead lie on the tracks…

The dead lie on the tracks…

(Police come forward. The crowd starts to dissipate)

Scene: «The Sisters Are Free»

(Marian and Laura cling to each other. Laura is crying with relief)

You were so brave

And now we’re free

It seemed like Anne was there with me

Her spirit was my guide

My sister by my side

With Anne I know we’ll never part

Her heart beats on within my heart

(They embrace and then Laura looks to where Hartright is. Marian sees this.

She goes to Hartright)

Go to her

Right away

That is where you belong!

How can I ask your blessing

With all that we’ve been through?

Our world has changed

You must find it in your heart

To overlook what we’ve done

And make another start

Once again

As we were

If not for me, for her

(Walter goes to Laura)

Every part of every thought

Leads me straight to you

And with all my soul

I believe my heart

The portrait that it paints of you

Is a perfect work of art

(Laura and Hartright embrace. They go to Marian. Laura takes off her shawl,

the shawl she wore as Anne Catherick, and places it around Marian.

Laura and Walter leave.

Marian is suddenly alone.

She is overcome with grief)

I close my eyes

And I still see his face!

(The sun starts to rise. Marian walks to the graveyard. The stonemason is

chipping out the name Anne Catherick and her dates 1839−1860 on Laura’s grave.

Marian watches.

As the day dawns, she is alone.

The stonemason continues to

tap.

Tap, tap, tap)

THE END