"To The Edge"

The Forum Opera

The Story - and the performance

Act 2 - TO THE EDGE

a performance of the opera rehearsed in Act 1

Scene 1

A corridor in the Presidential mansion. Mona (played by Hywa) is at a photocopier, making copies of secret documents. The President's Wife (Felicia) catches her. The Wife suspects something.

Mona copies secret documents

The President's Wife challenges Mona

Mona - 'I'm only the secretary - but so much more in truth'

Scene 2

The President's office in his mansion. The President (James) barks orders down the phone. He is leaving tomorrow for Edge City. His Wife seeks to console him, and to ask him to spend time with her instead. The President exits angrily. The Wife sings of her suspicions and concerns for him.

The President - 'No mistakes this time - there is a crisis'

The Wife - 'Let's spend a few days together'

Scene 3

A warehouse in Edge City. Anton, the leader of the guerrillas, (Romeo) is lying on a mattress in a darkened room, speaking on the phone. Mona, his partner, is there, and teases him.

The guerillas in the darkened warehouse

The guerillas conspire

Anton - 'we are in danger - security, absolute'

Scene 4

The Presidential Suite in a hotel in Edge City. The President has arrived to deal with the crisis, but also for a rendezvous with Mona. He is on the phone to her. There is a knock on the door - Anton enters, disguised as a waiter, and delivers breakfast. His wife rings - she will be on the next plane to Edge City.

The President - 'Mona my love'

Anton, disguised as a waiter, checks out the Presidential suite

The Wife has rung - she'll be on the next plane

Scene 5

The warehouse. Mona is making herself glamorous for her rendezvous with The President. Anton enters, saying he has found the President, and they are ready to spring the plot. He cautions Mona, but she throws herself at him, and...

Anton returns in triumph - 'I have found him. We cannot fail'

Mona asks - 'Will be be together, afterwards?'

Scene 6

The Presidential Suite. Mona has arrived unexpectedly early to see the President. He pushes her into the bathroom since he is expecting his wife. There is a knock. A hotel 'boy' enters and leaves suitcases. The Wife enters, waving a piece of paper about the plot. He dismisses her warnings. There is a knock. Anton enters as a waiter, with champagne. Mona burst in from the bathroom.

Anton takes out a gun, and demands that The President abandons The Project, or he will be killed. This growing drama is interrupted by the 'boy' re-entering, and holding out his hand again. The others attempt to continue. Then the 'boy' starts slowly to undress, causing chaos - this was not in the script. The Wife grabs the gun, with startling consequences.

The President - 'My spies, they tell me nothing'

Mona bursts in - 'Darling, I couldn't wait'

The Wife arrives with evidence of the plot - 'Here is the proof'

Mona jumps out - 'Champagne my friends'

Romeo springs the trap - 'Stand back against the wall'

Romeo - 'Cancel the project, and live - if not..'

X butts in again

The President justifies his actions - 'I only have your interests at heart'

X disrupts the action - by stripping

X dismisses the gun as 'A toy'

The Wife shoots X

Romeo and James dispose of the body

Felicia, left alone, prays for James

James goes back to the pub, to work on his poem

Hywa sings - ' and I liked the change'

Felicia - 'Of a mother's sorrow there is no end

Romeo - 'Better get back to the wife or ther'll be hell to pay'