(Okay, okay, we love this version, but we had to put in one *small* editorial
comment........
WE ALL MISS THE BENCH SCENE!!!!!)

INT. OPERA HOUSE/FOYER/AUDITORIUM/BACKSTAGE. NIGHT.

(ALW note; martial introduction)

The AUDIENCE are taking their seats for the premiere of "Don Juan Triumphant".
MONTAGE to show that armed SOLDIERS and GENDARMES have taken
over the building. Supervised by RAOUL, ANDRE and FIRMIN, all exits from
the opera house are barred and sealed as the last of the audience filters into the
auditorium. The AUDIENCE is locked in. SOLDIERS guard all exits.
BACKSTAGE, STAGEHANDS, SINGERS and DANCERS are preparing for
the impending performances, watched by the SOLDIERS.

INT. AUDITORIUM/PIT. NIGHT. (CONTINUOUS)

Meanwhile, the orchestra has been tuning up. REYER takes his bow on his
podium to polite applause. He raises his baton. The OVERTURE begins.
(ALW note; Overture to be extended) It is incredibly dissonant, a cacophony
of sound; the AUDIENCE has never heard anything like it before. People are
horrified, consult their programmes, cough and whisper, fidget uncomfortably.
SOMEONE tries to leave but the doors are locked. REYER, pained by the
music he is forced to conduct, stuffs cotton plugs into his ears.
The CURTAIN rises.

INT. STAGE. NIGHT. (CONTINUOUS)

The awesome set, modern and severe, is dominated by two Moorish pillars with
spiraling stairs supporting a high balcony. Below, a pit of fire. Scrims hang from
the flies. CHORUS, including MEG as a GIPSY BOY and CARLOTTA as a
HAG, and DANCERS (8 MEN/8 WOMEN), dressed in an austere flamenco
style. The atmosphere is dark and erotic.

CHORUS

HERE THE SIRE MAY SERVE THE DAM,
HERE THE MASTER TAKES HIS MEAT!….
….SERVE THE MEAL AND SERVE THE MAID!
SERVE THE MASTER SO THAT, WHEN
TABLES, PLANS AND MAIDS ARE LAID,
DON JUAN TRIUMPHS ONCE AGAIN!

SIGNOR PIANGI as DON JUAN appears from behind the arch.

DON JUAN (PIANGI)

PASSARINO, FAITHFUL FRIEND,
ONCE AGAIN RECITE THE PLAN.

PASSARINO

YOUR YOUNG GUEST BELIEVES I'M YOU -
I, THE MASTER, YOU, THE MAN.

DON JUAN (PIANGI)

WHEN YOU MET, YOU WORE MY CLOAK…
WHEN IT'S LATE AND MODESTY
STARTS TO MELLOW, WITH THE WINE…

PASSARINO

….I COME HOME! I USE YOUR VOICE -
SLAM THE DOOR LIKE CRACKOF DOOM!

DON JUAN (PIANGI)

I SHALL CRY "COME HIDE WITH ME!
WHERE, OH, WHERE, OF COURSE - MY ROOM!"

PASSARINO

POOR THING HASN'T GOT A CHANCE!

DON JUAN (PIANGI)

HERE'S MY HAT, MY CLOAK AND SWORD.
CONQUEST IS ASSURED,
IF I DO NOT FORGET MYSELF
AND LAUGH…..

Laughing, DON JUAN puts on PASSARINO's clothes, wrapping the cloak
around him and covering his head with the hood. He strides upstage and
disappears behind the scrims. Although we do not know it yet, the Punjab
Lasso does its work and SIGNOR PIANGI is no more. When we next see
DON JUAN, it will be the PHANTOM. Meanwhile, AMINTA
(CHRISTINE) enters.

AMINTA (CHRISTINE)

"….NO THOUGHTS
WITHIN HER HEAD,
BUT THOUGHTS OF JOY!
NO DREAMS
WITHIN HER HEART,
BUT DREAMS OF LOVE!"

PASSARINO

MASTER?

DON JUAN replies upstage:

DON JUAN (PHANTOM)

PASSARINO - GO AWAY!
FOR THE TRAP IS SET AND WAITS FOR ITS PREY…

PASSARINO exits.

The PHANTOM, disguised as DON JUAN pretending to be PASSARINO,
is standing downstage. He now wears PIANGI's robe, the cowl of which
hides his face. The scrims lift as he moves downstage towards CHRISTINE.
CHORUS and DANCERS leave the stage.

DON JUAN

YOU HAVE COME HERE
IN PURSUIT OF
YOUR DEEPEST URGE,
IN PURSUIT OF
THAT WISH,
WHICH TILL NOW
HAS BEEN SILENT,
SILENT…
I HAVE BROUGHT YOU,
THAT OUR PASSIONS
MAY FUSE AND MERGE -
IN YOUR MIND
YOU'VE ALREADY
SUCCUMBED TO ME,
DROPPED ALL DEFENCES,
COMPLETELY SUCCUMBED TO ME -
NOW YOU ARE HERE WITH ME:
NO SECOND THOUGHTS,
YOU'VE DECIDED,
DECIDED…

DON JUAN is now half-way towards AMINTA. The SILHOUETTES
of MALE DANCERS appear behind him.

DON JUAN

PAST THE POINT
OF NO RETURN…
…WHAT WARM
UNSPOKEN SECRETS
WILL WE LEARN?
BEYOND THE POINT
OF NO RETURN…

DON JUAN has arrived downstage right. The MALE DANCERS disappear.
He slowly begins to ascend the stairs leading up to the balcony. AMINTA,
downstage left, now sings alone.

AMINTA (CHRISTINE)

YOU HAVE BROUGHT ME
TO THAT MOMENT
WHERE WORDS RUN DRY,
TO THAT MOMENT
WHERE SPEECH
DISAPPEARS …….
….AND NOW I AM
HERE WITH YOU:
NO SECOND THOUGHTS
I'VE DECIDED,
DECIDED…..

The SILHOUETTES of VOLUPTUOUS FEMALE DANCERS
appear behind her.

AMINTA

PAST THE POINT
OF NO RETURN -
NO GOING BACK NOW:
OUR PASSION-PLAY
HAS NOW, AT LAST,
BEGUN…

She starts up the stairs on her side.

AMINTA

PAST ALL THOUGHT
OF RIGHT OR WRONG -
ON FINAL QUESTION:
HOW LONG SHOULD WE
TWO WAIT, BEFORE
WE'RE ONE?

Both AMINTA and DON JUAN are on the balcony.
Slowly they walk towards each other.

AMINTA

WHEN WILL THE BLOOD
BEGIN TO RACE,
THE SLEEPING BUD
BURST INTO BLOOM?

WHEN WILL THE FLAMES
AT LAST CONSUME
US…?

The pillars of the set swivel isolating CHRISTINE and DON JUAN
from the ground. The PHANTOM's trap is sprung. RAOUL and
SOLDIERS appear in the WINGS. There is no way of reaching
the balcony. The PHANTOM and CHRISTINE are face to face.

BOTH

PAST THE POINT
OF NO RETURN,
THE FINAL THRESHOLD -
THE BRIDGEIS CROSSED, SO STAND
AND WATCH IT BURN…
WE'VE PASSED THE POINT
OF NO RETURN…

Very slowly, the entire set starts to REVOLVE. Up on the set balcony,
the PHANTOM is holding and caressing CHRISTINE.

PHANTOM

SAY YOU'LL SHARE
WITH ME ONE
LOVE, ONE LIFETIME…
LEAD ME, SAVE ME
FROM MY SOLITUDE…
SAY YOU WANT ME
WITH YOU
HERE BESIDE YOU…
ANYWHERE YOU GO
LET ME GO TOO -
CHRISTINE,
THAT'S ALL I ASK OF…

We never reach the word "you", for CHRISTINE quite calmly removes the
PHANTOM's cowl, mask and wig. For the first time, EVERYONE sees the
whole of the PHANTOM's horrifying skull. At the same time, the REVOLVE,
has revealed PIANGI hanging by the neck from the set. Screams. POLICEMEN,
STAGEHANDS, rush onto the stage in confusion. Also: ANDRE, FIRMIN,
RAOUL, MME GIRY, CARLOTTA and MEG. Screams and gunshots.
Very fast: the PHANTOM grabs CHRISTINE and jumps from the balcony.
They swing from a rope into darkness. In the confusion and unnoticed, a scrim
catches fire. PIANGI is cut down from his gibbet.

ANDRE

Oh, my God…my God
We're ruined, Andre - ruined!

CARLOTTA runs on with her little dogs.

CARLOTTA

What is it? What has happened? Ubaldo!

(Rushing over to PIANGI's body)

Oh my darling, my darling… Who has
Done this….?

We notice the two little dogs sniffing PIANGI's corpse.
FIRMIN kicks one of them out of the way.

CARLOTTA

(Hysterical, attacking ANDRE)

You! Why did you let this happen?

MME GIRY

(To RAOUL)

Monsieur le Vicomte! Come with me!
I know where they are! But remember:
Keep your hand at the level of your eyes!

MEG demonstrates:

MEG

Like this, monsieur - I'll come with you.

MME GIRY

No, Meg! No, you stay here!

(To RAOUL)

Come with me, monsieur, do as I say.
But hurry or we shall be too late…

They rush off. MEG stares after them. She rushes off too.
Behind her, the scrim erupts into flames. Pandemonium.