Down Once More .../Track Down This Murderer - Live At The Royal Albert Hall/2011

SCENE EIGHT the labyrinth underground

(Meanwhile, down below, we see the PHANTOM
And CHRISTINE in the boat
Crossing the underground lair)

PHANTOM (furiously propelling the boat onwards)
Down once more to the dungeon
Of my black despair! Down we plunge
To the prison of my mind!
Down that path into darkness deep as hell!

(He rounds on her, bitterly)

Why, you ask was I bound and chained
In this cold and dismal place? Not for any
Mortal sin, but the wickedness of
My abhorrent face!

(He hears the offstage voices
Of the pursuing MOB)

Track down this murderer! He must be found!
PHANTOM (Moving off again) hounded out by
Everyone! Met with hatred
Everywhere! No kind word from
Anyone! No compassion
Anywhere!

Christine, Christine why, why?

(RAOUL and GIRY appear above they
Make their way down
Meeting a pack of rats mADAME GIRY
Screams and lowers her guard the
Rats and the RATCATCHER pass them mADAME
GIRY raises her hand again)

Your hand at the level of your eyes!

At the level of your eyes

Your hand at the level of your eyes!

He lives accross the lake
Monsieur this is as far as I dare go rAOUL
Madame Giry, thank you

(She turns to go back up
The slope rAOUL looks
At the water he removes his coat and plunges
In the MOB appears at the top of the
Slope they come down to the lake edge
Their torches flickering)

MOB track down this
Murderer he must be found!
Hunt out this animal
Who runs to ground! Too long he's
Preyed on us but now we know
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Deep down below

He's here: the Phantom of the Opera

(They turn back up the slope
Perhaps there is another
Way in the gate to the lair descends
As the rest of the lair appears)

BEYOND THE LAKE
(The dummy of CHRISTINE sit's crumpled
On a large throne
The PHANTOM brings CHRISTINE roughly
Out of the
Boat she frees herself and backs away as he
Stares blackly out front braving her terror
She addresses him fiercely)

Have you gorged yourself at last, in your
Lust for blood?

(No reply)

Am I now to be prey to your
Lust for flesh?

That fate, which condemns me
To wallow in blood has also
Denied me the joys of the flesh
This face the infection
Which poisons our love

(He takes the bridal veil from the dummy
And moves slowly towards her)

This face which earned
A mother's fear and loathing a mask
My first unfeeling scrap of clothing

(He places the veil on her head)

Pity comes too late
Turn around and face your fate:
An eternity of this before your eyes!

(They are almost touching she
Looks coldly into his
Face he puts the ring in her hand)

This haunted face holds no horror
For me now it's in your soul
That the true distortion lies

(The PHANTOM suddenly senses RAOUL's
Presence behind the portcullis
RAOUL comes out of the water)

Wait! I think, my dear we have a guest!

(To RAOUL)

Sir, this is indeed an unparalleled delight!
I had rather hoped that you would come
And now my wish comes true
You have truly made my night!

Free her! Do what you like
Only free her! Have you no pity?

Your lover makes a passionate plea!

Please, Raoul, it's useless

I love her! Does that mean nothing?
I love her! Show some compassion

PHANTOM (snarls furiously at RAOUL)
The world showed no compassion to me!

Christine christine

(to PHANTOM)

Let me see her

PHANTOM (dryly) be my guest, sir

(He gestures
And the gate rises rAOUL enters)

Monsieur, I bid you welcome!
Did you think that I would harm her?
Why should I make her pay
For the sins which are yours?

(So saying, he takes the Punjab lasso and
Before RAOUL has a chance to move
Catches him by the neck the end of the rope
Of which the PHANTOM has let go
Remains magically suspended in mid-air)

Order your fine horses now!
Raise up your hand to the level of your eyes!
Nothing can save you now
Except perhaps Christine

(He turns to her)

Start a new life with me
Buy his freedom with your love! Refuse me
And you send your lover to his death!
This is the choice -
This is the point of no return!

The tears I might have shed
For your dark fate
Grow cold, and turn to tears of hate

Christine, forgive me, please forgive me
|I did it all |for you, and all
|for nothing |

|Farewell |my fallen idol
|and false friend |We had such hopes
|But now those hopes |Are shattered

|Too late for |turning back
|too late for |prayers and
\useless pity

|Say you love him |and my
|life is over!

|Past all hope |of cries for help:
\no point in fighting

|Either way you choose |he has to win

|For either way |you choose
\you cannot win!

So, do you end your days with me
Or do you send him to his grave?

Why make her lie to you, to save
Me?

|Angel of Music

|Past the point |of no return

|For pity's sake \Christine, say no!

|who deserves this?

|PHANTOM |The final threshold

|Don't throw your life \away for my sake

|Why do you curse |mercy?

|His life is now the prize
|which you must earn!

|I fought so hard \to free you

|Angel of Music

|You've passed the point \of no return

You deceived me i gave my mind
Blindly

PHANTOM (to CHRISTINE) you try my patience
Make your choice!

(She reflects for a moment
Then with resolutions moves slowly
Towards the PHANTOM)
CHRISTINE (quietly at first, then with growing emotion)
Pitiful creature of darkness
What kind of life have you known?
God give me courage to show you
You are not alone

(Kisses him long and full on
The lips the embrace lasts
A long time rAOUL watches
In horror and wonder

The PHANTOM takes a lighted candle
And holds it above RAOUL's
Head a tense moment but
The suspended rope suddenly
Falls harmlessly - the PHANTOM has
Burnt the thread by which the noose was held
Resigned, he addresses RAOUL
As we hear the offstage voices
Of the approaching MOB)

|MOB (Some) |Track down this murderer
|he must be found! |Hunt out this animal
|who runs to ground! |
|Too long he's preyed on us
|but now we know: |the Phantom of the Opera
|is there |deep down below
| |MOB (Others)
|Who is this monster |this murdering beast?
|Revenge for Piangi! |Revenge for Buquet!
|This creature |must never go free
| |PHANTOM
|Take her - forget me - forget all of this
|Leave me alone - forget all you've seen
|Go now - don't let them find you!
|Take the boat - leave me here - go now
Don't wait
|Just take her and go - before it's too late
\Go go now - go now and leave me!

(RAOUL and CHRISTINE move off towards
The boat the PHANTOM looks
Mockingly at his mask the musical
Box starts up magically
And he listens to it)

Masquerade paper faces on parade
Masquerade hide your face
So the world will never find you

(CHRISTINE re-enters and walks slowly towards
Him she takes off
Her ring and gives it to the PHANTOM)

PHANTOM christine, I love you

(She hurries off the PHANTOM puts
The ring on his finger)

CHRISTINE (in the distance, to RAOUL as the boat pulls away in the distance)
Say you'll share with me, one
Love, one lifetime say the word
And I will follow you

RAOUL share each day with me

CHRISTINE each night

BOTH each morning

PHANTOM (looking after her) you alone
Can make my song take flight
It's over now, the music of the night

(The PHANTOM walks slowly towards the throne
He takes his place on
It, sitting on his cloak the
MOB, including MEG, appears above
Climbing down the portcullis they enter the
Lair mEG crosses to the
Throne and picks up his mask
In her small hand)