"They're going mad, sir." "It's the students." "Down with tyrants!" "All right, let them in." " Swine!" " Beast!" "Into the valley of death!" "Into the jaws of hell!" "Rode the 600!" "You're sitting on my cloak." "Filling up down below?" " Not a sausage." " Not a tiara." "Ah, here you are, Terry." "Thank you." "I can't see him anywhere." " Programs." " Oh, two, please." "One here." "Thanks, pal." "Quite a turnout down below." "Old Palmer's music had better be good." "Boronskaja would hardly be dancing the leading role if it wasn't." "Boro who?" "Who exactly is Boronskaja?" "Since you've stood in a queue for six hours... waiting to see her dance, I should have thought" "Not to see anybody." "To hear." "Have you ever heard of Professor Palmer?" " Never." " Never." "You will." "The program says "Heart of Fire, music by Andrew Palmer. "" "Our professor at the academy." "So Boro what's her name had better be good." "She's hardly likely to be anything else." "There he is." "Palmer!" "Palmer!" "Lermontov!" "Lermontov!" "Livy!" " Good old Livy!" " Good old Livy!" "We know him." " Do you remember my Scythian rhapsody?" " Forget it." "That's it, your rhapsody." "That's the maestoso to it." " Must be an accident." " Did you show him your rhapsody?" " I show him all my work." " You don't think that he lifted it?" " Of course not." " Shhh." "She's a great patron of the arts." "Vicky." "Vicky!" "Vicky, Lermontov's coming." "I say, that's yours too, isn't it?" "Yes." "Steady on, old boy." "Well, what are you waiting for?" " Shhh!" " Quiet." "Please, do you mind?" "Oh, really!" "Oh." "Ah, dear Professor Palmer, we're all very proud of you... and I hope you're very proud of yourself." "You're too kind." "Lady Neston, Mr. Lermontov." " So we meet the great man at last." " Enchante, madame." "Well, I never imagined I should succeed in getting you here." "I think I must be a very clever woman." "If some fat harridan is going to sing, I must go." "I can't bear amateurs." " Neither can Lady Neston." " What do you mean?" "She has, I believe, a niece who dances professionally." "Hello, Professor." "Now please don't get up, Mr. Lermontov." "Now, are you prepared for a surprise?" "Do you mean a surprise, Lady Neston, or a shock?" "Well, to take the plunge," "I've asked my niece to dance for us tonight." " What would you call that?" " A shock." "Oh, well, you're certainly very candid." "You know, Mr. Lermontov," "I wouldn't dream of boring you with the performance of an amateur." "My niece has been dancing leading roles for some time now." "The critics think very highly of her work." "How would you define "ballet," Lady Neston?" "Mm, well... one might call it the poetry of motion, perhaps, or" "One might, but for me, it is a great deal more." "For me, it is a religion." "And one doesn't really care to see one's religion practiced... in an atmosphere such as this." "I hope you understand." "Attractive brute." "Mmm, I'll have a champagne cocktail, please." " Yes, sir." " Champagne cocktail, please." "Yes, madam." "You know, at parties, everybody's supposed to be very happy." "But perhaps you dislike them as much as I do." "Still, as parties go, I think it might have been worse." " Do you?" " It very nearly was a great deal worse." " Oh?" " Thank you." "We were, it appears, to be treated to a little dancing exhibition." "But now I understand we are to be spared that horror." "Mr. Lermontov, I am that horror." "Mmm." "It's a bit late for apologies, isn't it?" "Yes, a little late, I think." "All the same, I'm sorry." "I'm terribly sorry." "But you're not sorry I didn't dance, are you?" "May I ask why?" " Well, because, my dear Miss" " Victoria Page." "My dear Miss Page, if I accept an invitation to a party," "I do not expect to find myself at an audition." "Yes, you're quite right." "Why do you want to dance?" "Why do you want to live?" "Well, I don't know exactly why, but I must." "That's my answer too." "Come with me." " Where to?" " We are going to have a little talk." "But I don't think I want to talk to you." "Don't you worry." "I'll do the talking." "Can I see Mr. Lermontov now, please?" "What is it, Dimitri?" "It is a young man called Craster." "He has been here a hundred times, and 100 times I have told him you are asleep, but he will not believe me." "Then either you are a very bad liar, or Mr. Craster is a man of good sense." "Show him in and serve breakfast." "Mr. Craster." "What can I do for you, Mr. Craster?" "I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Lermontov, but it's a matter of very great importance to me." "Yes?" "Last night I wrote you a letter." "It was a silly letter, and I'd like to have it back before you read it, please." "I see." "That's the one." "Unfortunately, Mr. Craster, I have already read this letter." "Oh." "Mr. Lermontov, please." "You are one of Professor Palmer's pupils." "You say you've written a string quartet and a piano concerto." "Yes." "Very interesting." "Would you care to play me something?" "Something of your own, I mean." "Of course, if you wish it." "This is a study I wrote for the piano." "But I'm thinking of orchestrating it... and putting it into an opera I'm working on." "What, are you finished already?" "That was very interesting." "I hope I haven't ruined your breakfast." "By the way," "I need a new coach for the orchestra." "Would the idea interest you?" "Would it interest" "I shouldn't be able to pay you much money at first, of course- eight pounds a week and expenses." "It would be absolutely marvelous." "Then get yourself some breakfast and come over to Covent Garden." "Thank you." "And your letter, Mr. Craster." "If you take my advice, you'll destroy it immediately and forget all about it." "The Heart of Fire is your work, isn't it?" "You see, Mr. Craster, these things mostly happen unintentionally." " I know." "That's why" " That's why it is worth remembering... that it is much more disheartening to have to steal... than to be stolen from, hmm?" "Good morning." "?" "Never mind the abuse You have a new excuse?" "?" "You went to Covent Garden in the morning?" "What a corker!" "Of course I tried to get her." "I tried to get her twice." "Ta-ta." "Here you are, son." "Hey!" "You'll pardon me." "This is the way to the stage, isn't it?" " Name?" " Julian Craster." " What name?" " Julian Craster." "Not on the list." " Lunch, Irina?" " Yes." " But I have an appointment." " I'm sorry, but I've got my job to do." "It's not likely he would ask me to come here" " Good morning, George." " Oh, bonjour, madame." " How is Madame George?" " Oh, she is tres jaloux." "Very jealous." "That bit of a photograph we had took together." "Compris?" "Oh, here we are." "They've been looking all over London for you." " Ah!" " That's what I said." " How long do you expect me to wait?" " I'll send for the S.M." "What is your name, young man?" "Julian Craster." "I have an appointment with Mr. Lermontov." "Julian Cra" " Cras" " Craster." " Craster." "Well, if this young man is invited by Mr. Lermontov, you can pass him, yes?" "Ca va by me, madame." "Ca va by me." "Follow me, young man." " Est ce que vous" " Comment?" " Are you a dancer?" " Yes, at night." "Not very much in the morning." " I don't know very much about ballet." " You are artiste?" "Yes, I'm a composer." "Ahh, and you wish to see who?" "Well, I'm afraid I'm not quite sure." "They are all there." "Make your choice." "Excuse me." "Can you tell me who's in charge here?" "No idea, mate." "There's about five or six of 'em that thinks they are." " Can you tell me who's in charge here?" " Don't ask me anything." "I'm just somebody's mother, and that doesn't mean much around here." "Can you tell me who's in charge here?" "In charge of what?" "Mr. Lermontov asked me to come here this morning." " Why?" " He's engaged me." " Not as a dancer, I hope." " No." "Allons, mes enfants." "Au boulot!" "And" "Well, Mr. Ratov, Mr. Ljubov wants it moved." "It's on the plan, and there it stays." "Well, if you say so." " Merci." " Good morning, madame." "Ah, here comes the great Boronskaja at last." "And today she's only 43 minutes late." "Am I supposed to congratulate myself on that?" "I tell you, Irina, my patience is at an end." "This time I shall go to Lermontov and explain to him... how no theater is big enough to hold both you and me!" " I might as well start packing." " Oh, there is no hurry." "After all, he might choose to dispense with my services." "He's quite crazy enough." "But if we go, we go together, Grischa darling." "Promise?" "Kuschka." " Who are you?" " Victoria Page." "I expect Mr. Lermontov has spoken to you about me." " He's invited me to come here" " Oh, this is too much." "He invites them." "I teach them." "I get rid of them." "He forgets them." "And now, unhappy girl, will you please go to the far corner of the stage... where you'll meet five other young ladies... to whom Mr. Lermontov has also extended his hospitality." "Jackie!" "Jackie!" "Encore!" "Quiet, please!" "I want to rehearse the first act of Heart of Fire." "Will everybody not concerned leave the stage, please?" "Hurry along, boys." "Stand back." "Is that so?" "Well, I agree." "Where are you going, my dear?" "I'm going to talk to Mr. Lermontov." "Don't you think it would be better to wait until after the rehearsal?" "Oh, no, that's all right." "You see, I know him personally." "Oh, well, that makes all the difference, of course." " Ratov!" " Yes, Boris?" "No, stay where you are." "I'll come up." "Good morning, Mr. Lermontov." " Good morning, Ratov." " Boris." "Look here, we must do something about this foreground piece." "The girls last night had hardly room to move." "Ljubov was right, after all." " Aha, Ljubov" " Ljubov is always right." "We know." " Do you really think so?" " Yes." "Well, well, well." "Take it away." "Take it away." "Well, you see, my dear, Mr. Lermontov is a very busy man." "Now, why don't you go and wait over there with the others?" " Ivan, are you ready?" " Yes." "Yes, I will." " Sergei Sergeivitch." " Yes?" "Are you acquainted with either the works... or person of Julian Craster, composer and conductor?" " No." " Nor I, which proves, my dear fellow, how sadly we lag behind the times." "For here he is in our midst." "Lermontov has engaged him this morning." "Chin up." "Class dismissed." "?" "Da-dee-dee-dee-dee Da-da-da-da-da-da?" "?" "Da-dum, dee-dee Da-da-dum, dum?" "?" "Da-dee, dum?" "No, gentlemen." "Figure 29, sing." " ?" "Tee-ah, dee-?" " I think that will do." "Thank you, gentlemen." "The brass could do with your attention, Craster." "Tomorrow." "Gentlemen, I'm very sorry to bring you here so early in the morning." "But I've been in front for this ballet on more than one occasion, and I really must" "There are one or two things I really must put right." "So, um, Heart of Fire overture, please." "From the beginning." "Oh, by the way, trumpets, two bars before figure two" "Have you got an "E" natural?" "No, I've got an "E" flat." "Ah, makes all the difference, doesn't it?" "It should be "E" natural." "Right, from the beginning." "I know it's difficult to get your lips set, but we ought to be able to come in together." "And even more pianissimo." "Less strings." ""A" oboe." "From the beginning, please." " That's nice." " Mr. Craster!" "Precisely what is going on?" "I can only suppose that you've taken leave of your senses." "Do you realize that by calling the orchestra one hour early, we shall have to pay them?" "And why are you rehearsing Heart of Fire?" "Did I ever ask you to do that?" "Tell me." "I'm interested." " Well" " I'm sure Mr. Lermontov will be too." "Well?" " I like it." " You like it?" "I have no doubt you also like the national anthem and the "Marseillaise. "" "I hope you're not thinking of summoning the full orchestra at dawn... to practice those noble melodies." "Well, I'll leave this young man to you, Lermontov." "After all, he is your discovery, not mine." "Mr. Craster, I must ask you to exercise in future... a little more control over your natural ambitions." "Why you should have chosen Heart of Fire for this early morning escapade" "Good morning, gentlemen- is a mystery that I shall never hope to solve." "May I see that wrong note in the score, please?" "Mmm." "However, there are passages in Heart of Fire... which no one need be ashamed of." "Thank you, Mr. Lermontov." "Good morning, Miss Page." "Oh, good morning, Evans." "Is Lord Oldham with you?" "Yes, miss." "Be careful, miss." "Good morning, Peter." "Oh, hello, Vicky." "What are you doing here?" " What are you?" " I'm having lunch with Boris Lermontov." "You know, the fellow who runs the ballet here." "Oh." "Business or pleasure?" "Oh, a bit of both." "What about you?" "Shopping or slumming?" "Now don't you worry, Grischa." "I'll bring her back at 3:00." " How are you, madame?" " How are you?" "Hello, Peter." "I hope we haven't kept you waiting." "No, not at all." "Oh, Boris, I don't think you've met a friend of mine." " Vicky Page." " How do you do?" " Can we give you a lift anywhere?" " No, thank you, Peter." "Excuse me, Miss Page." "Who?" "Victoria Page?" "Mm, yes, she may dance." "Good morning, my dear young ladies." "I hope I find you all very well this morning." "There are just one or two things I would like to say to you today." "As you know, the ballet is leaving on Saturday for Paris." "I can't imagine anything more enchanting than being able... to invite all of you to accompany us there." "But I'm afraid this great pleasure must be denied me." "To those whom we must regretfully leave behind..." "I'd like to say just this, please." "Don't be discouraged." "The fact that we can't take you with us doesn't mean that you are bad dancers." "It means that this year, unfortunately, we haven't got enough room." "Now will you please step out, Miss Fane, and you, Miss Baynes, and you, Miss Hardiman and Miss Lovitt, please?" "Yes." "May I thank you four ladies very much for the hard work you've done this year, and I'm sure my gratitude is echoed here by Mr. Ljubov." "Yes, and maybe next year we shall be meeting you again." "Good morning." "Vicky, he means us!" "Listen, mes amies." "I am fiancee." "I get married." "My dear child." "All my love and best wishes for your happiness." "Irina, my little horror," "I wish you the greatest happiness with your new partner." "Merci, but Grischa- Where is Grischa?" " I am here, Irina." " Grischa darling, do you hate me?" "I could never hate you, Irina, but how can I ever forgive you?" "Ah, but you will forgive me, that I know." "Don't quarrel with your husband as much as you've quarreled with your conductor." "Where is Boris Lermontov?" "He has nothing to say to me?" "Boris!" "He has no heart, that man." "Entrez." "Mr. Craster, I have a job for you." "Good." "Do I understand you have not been altogether very happy with us so far?" " Well, I" " Well, what?" "Well, coaching an orchestra is not exactly a young composer's dream." "The job I have for you may not be exactly a young composer's dream either." "All the same, I hope you do not consider it entirely unworthy of your talents." "The ballet of The Red Shoes is from a fairy tale" "...of red shoes." "Oh, I beg your pardon." "The ballet of The Red Shoes... is from the fairy tale by Hans Andersen." "'Tis the story of a girl who's devoured by an ambition... to attend a dance in a pair of red shoes." "She gets the shoes, goes to the dance" "At first, all goes well and she's very happy." "At the end of the evening, she gets tired... and wants to go home." "But the red shoes... are not tired." "In fact, the red shoes are never tired." "They dance her out into the streets." "They dance her over the mountains and valleys, through fields and forests, through night and day." "Time rushes by." "Love rushes by." "Life rushes by." "But the red shoes dance on." " What happens in the end?" " Oh, in the end she dies." " Yes, I remember." " The music was by Felipe T. Bertran." "He did it for us last year during our South American tour." "You'll find here some passages marked with a blue pencil." "They are bad, and I would like to see, Mr. Craster, what you can do in the way of a little... rewriting." " Oh." " You can take your time." " There is no hurry." " Thank you." "Oui, je viens." "Thank you." "Ah, look at our Boronskaja." "She's in wonderful form tonight." "I'm not interested in Boronskaja's form anymore, nor any other prima ballerina who's imbecile enough to get married." "Oh, come now, Boris." "She's out, finished." "You cannot have it both ways." "The dancer who relies upon the doubtful comforts of human love... will never be a great dancer." "Never." "That is all very fine, Boris, very pure and fine, but you can't alter human nature." "No?" "I think you can do even better than that." "You can ignore it." "Boris." "Adieu." "Well, Irina, now you'll be able to sleep as long as you like... and eat sweets all day... and go to parties every night." "And you, now you will be calm." "The class will start on time." "No more shouting." "No more hysteria backstage." " No more" " No more Irina." "Ah, Monsieur Lermontov." "Miss Page." "Are you very tired?" "Yes, thank you." "I mean, I'm not very tired." "Messieurs, je vous presente Miss Victoria Page." "Monsieur Boudin, le directeur general de I'opera." " Mes hommages." " Monsieur Rideaut, le regisseur." "Enchante, mademoiselle." "You have already visited Monte Carlo, mademoiselle?" "Yes, I was here last season with my aunt." "Oh, then you know the Hotel de Paris?" "Yes, but I believe I'm staying" "Hotel de Paris." "You'll be very comfortable there." "La voiture de Monsieur Lermontov vous attende, Miss Page." "Bonsoir, mademoiselle." "Montez, mademoiselle." "You look dressed up for a conference." "Hello." "Is there a conference on?" "Yes." "They're all arguing in there." "I've been here since 7:00." "Oh, there you are, Miss Page." "Will you come in here, please?" "I was just going out, Mr. Lermontov, when I got your message." "Miss Page..." "I have asked you to come here tonight... because we are preparing a new ballet, and I've decided to give you a chance... and let you dance the principal part in it." "But there's one thing I must tell you at once." "My belief in your possibilities... is not shared by my colleagues here." "However, it is hardly necessary for me to add... that whatever their personal belief may be, they will all give you their best." "The rest, of course, is up to you." "Well, Miss Page, that's all." "We shall start work early tomorrow morning." "I suggest you now forget all about your party and go straight home to bed." "Yes, I will." "And, Miss Page... good luck." "Thank you." "Well, what happened?" "I've got a part in a new ballet." "A new ballet?" "What ballet?" "The Red Shoes!" "Now listen to this, Mr. Craster." "It is impossible." "Well, I couldn't rewrite that bit, could I?" " Why not?" " You didn't blue pencil it." "Horrors like that don't need to be blue pencilled." "Well, as a matter of fact, I did have some ideas." "Where are they, my dear fellow?" "We need a score." "If you'll allow me." "Well, it's the church scene." "Let's get rid of this sentimental hymn tune... and take a foursquare chorale." "Something like this." "Then, I thought, all the way through we might have a church bell coming in." "All of a sudden, the strings" "Then as the priest appears, it's taken up with the brass." "?" "Bum, bum, bum Bum-bum-bum?" "?" "Bum?" "Shall I play you "The Dance of the Red Shoes"?" "Thank you, Mr. Craster." "Thank you." "This time, I want you to change everything." "I want a new score." "There you are, Mr. Lermontov." "And where's the orchestration?" " When do you want it?" " Yesterday." "You said you wanted to work, then go home and work." "I don't want to see your face until you've finished it." "You won't." "Why aren't you in bed?" "Oh, you gave me quite a fright." "I meant to." "Why aren't you in bed?" "I was ordered to, but I was much too excited to sleep." " So here I am." " Are you?" "I haven't seen you." " Thank you." " By the way, you haven't seen me either." "Has he sent you to bed too?" "No, I'm just working on the score of my new ballet," "The Red Shoes." "Is that my ballet too?" "Yes, I suppose it is." "I wonder what it feels like to wake up in the morning... and find oneself famous." "You're not likely to know if you stay here talking much longer." "So, good luck." "Good luck." "She's putting too much into it." "Why don't you tell her, Grischa?" "Mind your own business." "She has to dance with me at the dance at the fair before this." "And the big stuff still to come." "She can't dance everything full out." "She ought to know that." "How do you expect her to know it, Ivan Ivanovitch, if you never once dance full out yourself before opening night?" "Here are the designs for the costumes, Boris." "One moment." "Sit down, will you, please?" "I'm so sorry, Mr. Ljubov." "Something will have to be done about the music." "She starts the pirouette a beat too early." "The tempo's wrong." "It's too fast." " It's the right tempo." " Of course." "Once more!" "She'll be all right." "I hope so." "Still unconverted, Sergei?" "Well, of course, she's a charming girl, but" "Oh, I know nothing about her charms, and I care less." "But I tell you, they won't wait till the end." "They'll applaud in the middle." " Oh, come now." " Sergei, I'll take a bet." "Oh, enough, enough!" "Miss Page, we are trying to create something of beauty." "While you continue to wave your arms like a scarecrow... and bend your knees like an old cart horse... we are unlikely to succeed!" "Well, well, it's a bet." "Come on, let me see your sketches." "The girl." "Dejeuner." "Rendezvous a 2:00." "Do you still think I can do it?" "Well, at the moment, you look as if you were finding it a little difficult." "But when we open in two weeks, I hope you'll find the whole thing simple." "And don't forget, a great impression of simplicity... can only be achieved by great agony of body and spirit." " Voila." " Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh." "You don't want to ruin your breathing, do you?" "And from today, I've arranged that you shall have your lunch in my office." "Craster." "Now, will you sit over there, please?" "Merci." "Mr. Craster, at the piano." "Do you usually have a musical accompaniment to your meals?" "No, Miss Page, I do not." "But I'm afraid this is going to be your fate for the next two weeks." "Mr. Craster is going to play The Red Shoes music... at every lunch, tea and dinner you take until we open." "I see." "Yes." "In this way, you should become quite familiar with the music." "Yes, I think I probably shall." "The music is all that matters." "Nothing but the music." "Huh?" "Mr. Craster?" " Certainly." " Bon appetit." "Votre service, mademoiselle." "Some composers specialize in lunchtime music, don't they?" "Some." "You?" "In my time." "Look, do you mind not playing that at the moment, please?" "It's the right tempo." "Let's take the ballroom scene." "That's the most digestible part of the score." "The ballroom's out." "It's been cut." "Cut as a scene, but it's still there in my score." "I wrote this dance for a ballroom." "Anyone who understands anything about music will see a ballroom." "Even Lermontov will see a ballroom." "Even you." "And when you're lifted up into the air by your partner, my music will transform you." "Into what?" "A flower swaying in the wind." "A cloud drifting in the sky." "A white bird flying." "Tell that to Ratov." "He would love your birds and flowers." " You don't?" " If you were a dancer, you'd know" "Just a minute." "Nothing matters but the music!" "And it's hard enough to get off the ground anyway... without being a bird or a flower." "Aren't you going to imagine anything on the first night?" "Yes, a wall between me and the audience." "My music will pull you through it." "Miss Page, I am not a circus conductor, and you are not a horse." " It's too fast." " You would not find it too fast" " Both of you!" " You would not find it too fast... if you would allow the slow passage to come to an end before you start." "My downbeat marks a pause." "We understand it, don't we, gentlemen?" "Ne c'est pas?" " You come in on the second beat." " Impossible." "One, two, tia, tia!" "It's quite simple." " You see this baton?" " Yes." "Well, follow it!" "Oh!" " Good luck." " Good luck." "Vicky." "Vicky!" "Dance whatever tempo you like." "I'll follow you." "Right, Ivan." " Time to go down, Craster." " Good luck, Mr. Craster." " Thank you, Mr. Lermontov." " Nervous?" " No." " Come on!" "Do I" "What the devil have you got to worry about?" "It's a fine score." " Is it?" " A magnificent score." "I only wish I- Go on." "Grischa." " Grischa." " Oh, Boris!" "Mon Dieu!" "The red shoes!" " What?" " The red shoes are not there!" "Monsieur Rideaut, what have you done with the red shoes?" " Mais, Monsieur Ljubov" " Don't waste time." "Where are they?" "Are you sure you haven't hidden them yourself?" "No, no, no, no." "Yes!" "Fool, fool!" "Oh, ca alors." "Boris, look here." "Elephants." "Clumsy elephants." " They have ruined my decor." " Calm yourself, Sergei." "But the door, the door, it won't shut." " Then somebody must hold it." " Who?" "But who?" "The call boy will have nothing to do then anyway." " Dimitri, get the call boy." " Give it to me." "Hold the door." " Best of luck, Miss Page." " I can't remember my first entrance." "Oh, you mean you think you can't remember it." "What about this?" "Yes, that's it." "It's all right when I hear the music." "Since you're undoubtedly going to hear the music, it's undoubtedly going to be all right." "The music is all that matters, and nothing but the music." "If I had any doubts about you at all, I should be nervous." " Am I nervous?" " No." "You're not dancing for an audience." "You're dancing for Ljubov, Ratov, myself- people for whom you've been dancing many times before." "I believed in you from the very beginning." "But now everybody does." "I want you to dance tonight with the same ecstasy..." "I've seen in you only once before." "At the Mercury Theater?" "Yes, at the Mercury Theater in London... on a wet Saturday afternoon." " Forty seconds." " Coming." "Good luck, my dear." "You're a magician to have produced all this in three weeks from nothing." "My dear, not even the best magician can produce a rabbit out of a hat... if there isn't already a rabbit in the hat." "It's a pity the theater only holds 300." "We could have filled the Albert Hall tonight." "Yes, but what we are creating tonight the world will be talking of tomorrow." "Good boy." "Rideaut." "Ca va?" "Any swelling?" "I mean the head." "All that clapping, bravos, roses." "Poof!" "All that's nothing." "But when I, who have seen Pavlova Karsarvina dance, tell you that last night you were not bad- not good, but not bad- that's something." "Now I tell you truth." "It was... good." " Thank you, Mr. Ljubov." " My name is Grischa." " Mine is Vicky." " How do you do?" "Arm straighter." "So, Boris Lermontov wants to see you." "Why in class time?" "Why?" "Silence!" "E. Gras." " More cables for Boris Lermontov." " Hello, hello?" " Who is it?" "Oh, it's you!" " Monsieur Lermontov" "No, no, no." "It's fine." "Thank you so much for ringing me." "You are not disturbing me at all." " I always have time for congratulations." " Monsieur Lermontov" "Oh, yes, I agree." "The music" " C'est un trouvaille." " Monsieur Lermontov" "A most distinguished score." " Monsieur Craster?" " Yes." "Of course." "He's under contract to me." "Yes." "He's going to." "He's starting on a new ballet." "Right away." "Full of gaiety and charm." "La Belle Meuniere, book by Marcel Lucien." "Yes." "Oh, yes." "It's a wonderful role for her." " Au revoir, Lermontov." " Au revoir, cher madame." "Not this season." "Next season." "Au revoir, Monsieur." "Merci beaucoup, merci beaucoup." "Yes, it was very kind of you to ring me." "Thank you so much again." "No more calls- not even congratulations." "Where's those papers?" "Thank you very much." "Yeah." "Well, Mr. Craster, that's all." "Thank you very much." "I am proud of you." " Mr. Lermontov, I would like to" " Some other time, I beg of you." "Ah, yes." "La Belle Meuniere." "Do you read French?" "Well, read it, and we'll talk about it some other time, huh?" "Mademoiselle Page." "Come in, Miss Page." "Come in." "Sit down." "I want to talk to you about your future." "When we first met at Lady Neston's, you asked me a question to which I gave a stupid answer." "You asked me whether I wanted to live, and I said yes." "Actually, Miss Page, I want more- much more." "I want to create- to make something big out of something little- to make a great dancer..." "out of you." "But first, I must ask you the same question:" "What do you want from life?" " To live?" " To dance." "We have two months left of the season in Monte Carlo- not much time, but enough- two months." "Then we go on tour." "Rome, Vienna, Copenhagen," "Stockholm, then America." "Then next year, London again." "All the big parts for you." "Coppelia, Lac des Cygnes, Giselle," "The Sleeping Princess, Les Sylphides, La Boutique." "We will create them all afresh with you." "You shall dance." "And the world shall follow." "You shall" "Not a word." "I will do the talking, you... will do the dancing." " Good night, Boris." " Good night, Grischa." " She was not bad tonight." " She'll be all right." "All right?" "Not bad?" "But she's a flame- a spirit!" "Still dancing, Grischa?" " Good night, Boris." " Good night, Sergei." "Vicky was wonderful in Boutique." "Just a little Dresden shepherdess." "We should reconstruct the theatre." " What's wrong with the theatre?" " It's too small." " Good night, Lermontov." " Good night, Livy." " Her timing's a miracle." " Keep her up to it." " Good night, Boris." " Good night, Grischa." " Good night, Boris." " Good night, Sergei." " Good night, Mr. Lermontov." " Good night, Vicky." "Good night, Boris." "Good night, Sergei." "Eh, thank you, Monsieur Boudin." "That's all." " Good night, Boris." " Good night, Grischa." " Eh, Boudin." " Oui." "Which is esteemed to be the very best restaurant this year on the coast?" " La Reserve." " Oui, oui." "La Reserve." " Good night, Lermontov." " Eh, good night, Livy." "Book me a table." " For... two?" " Yes." " Julian." " Yes?" "I never said good night to Lermontov." "Monsieur Dimitri, eh, no." "Miss Page has still not come in." "Monsieur Ratov..." "uh, not here either." "Monsieur Ljubov- 317- no." "Ah, Monsieur Dimitri, I have just heard... they've all gone to supper at the Old Port of Ville Franche with Ljubov." "C'est son anniversaire!" "His birthday." "Voila!" "Gateau!" "Gateau!" "Boris Lermontov!" "Good evening, Grischa." "Have I permission to join your party?" "Get me a chair!" "What a pleasure, Boris!" "A chair for Boris Lermontov!" "Two chairs for Boris Lermontov!" "Make way there." "A throne!" "A throne for the great Boleslawsky." "Take mine, Lermontov." " Oh, no." "Take mine." " No." "Sit down." "It's your birthday." "Sit down." "Well... it seems a long time since I sat down to supper with my entire family." "Thank you." "But it appears that the great Miss Page is not with us tonight." "Don't you miss another member of our happy little family?" "No." "No." "I can't say I do." "Why should you?" "You're a busy man." "Have a drink, Lermontov!" "Grischa." "Of course we all know you're a busy man, Boris Lermontov, but do you mean to tell me you have noticed nothing?" "Oh, don't exaggerate." "Boris, we have a little romance in our midst." "A great romance!" " Romeo Craster!" " And Juliet..." "Page." "And when... did this great romance begin?" "With The Red Shoes." "Ch-Charming." "And where have they taken themselves tonight?" "What does it matter where they have gone?" "They are young, they are together... and they are in love." " Darling." " Mm-hmm." "I've decided I do believe in destiny after all." "Do you, my darling?" "I'm very glad." "Cocher." "Cocher." " You'll wake him." " But I want to know where we are." "Cocher." "Co" "One day when I'm old," "I want some lovely young girl to say to me," ""Tell me where in your long life, Mr. Craster, were you most happy. "" "And I shall say, "Well, my dear," ""I never knew the exact place," ""but it was somewhere on the Mediterranean." "I was with Victoria Page. "" ""What?" she will say." ""Do you mean the famous dancer?"" "And I will nod." ""Yes, my dear, I do," ""but then she was quite young..." ""and comparatively unspoilt." ""We were, I remember, very much in love. "" "Did you see that?" "She smiled at Craster." "I don't think so." "I suppose you'll be sending me to an occulist next." " Watch her dancing." " With pleasure." "A debutante at a charity matinee." "Yes." "Yes!" "Yes, all right." "Thursday." "Uh, good evening, Mr. Lermontov." "The score is still a bit rough, but I see you've had time to look at it." "Yes, Mr. Craster." "I have looked at it." "However, it is not about your music that I wish to talk at the moment." "So to come to the point, what is all this I hear about you and Miss Page?" "Oh, I see." "Could Dimitri" "Get out." "Well, Mr. Craster?" "Yes." "We're in love." "I see." "Did you see Miss Page's performance in Lac des Cygnes?" "I was conducting it." " Did you enjoy it?" " It was the loveliest thing I've seen." "It was impossible." "And you know why it was impossible?" "Because neither her mind nor her heart were in her work." "She was... dreaming." "And dreaming is a luxury I've never permitted in my company." "Miss Page wants to be a great dancer." "Perhaps she has spoken to you about her... ambitions?" " Oh, yes." " She's not, however, a great dancer yet." "Nor is she likely to become one if she allows herself... to be sidetracked by idiotic flirtations." "Mr. Lermontov, you..." "don't understand." "We really are in love." "And, Mr. Craster," "I have had time to look at your latest effort" " Yes?" " And find it equally impossible." "That's not true." "It's good." "Childish, vulgar and completely insignificant." "In that case, I'll relieve you of it." "There are, of course, so many first-class ballet companies... to which you may take it with advantage." "I don't know that it's my greatest ambition to work for the ballet." "Some of us think it's rather a second-rate means of expression." " Oui, Monsieur Lermontov?" " Mr. Craster's leaving the company." "Pay him two weeks' salary and get the receipt." "Spotlight!" "Oh, hello, Boris." "I was just coming to say good night." " Good night." " Is anything the matter?" "No, no, but before I forget it, don't do any more work on the new ballet." " I decided to scrap it." " Scrap it?" "What do you mean?" "I've worked out half the choreography already." "That boy Julian is really gifted." "It's one of the finest scores we ever had." "Julian Craster is leaving the company, and I don't wish to discuss the matter." "Oh, you don't?" "Well, I do!" "Do you think I don't know a brilliant score when I hear one?" "Do you think I've been working day and night for weeks... for the pleasure of being told I am wasting my time?" "I tell you, Boris," "I've had enough of this fantastic lunatic asylum!" "I am through with it!" "I resign!" "I think you've made a very important decision." "Hello, you two." "Isn't love wonderful?" "Bonsoir." "Hello." "Well, what did he say?" "Ah, of course he doesn't really want you to go, Grischa." "He is very sorry." "Well, in that case, I will... think about it." "What about Julian?" "I have never seen him quite as bad as this." "He talked a great deal about ingratitude and, uh, disloyalty... and he said when personal relations started to inter" "Yes, I know that bit." "My dear children, I'm very sorry." "Boris may feel different in the morning." "In the morning, he's leaving for Paris... by the 8:15 train." "Has the famous Miss Page come to see me off?" "I'd like to talk to you." "I want you to tell me why you've quarrelled with Julian." "There's only three minutes." "May I suggest, Miss Page, that such matters are hardly your business?" "However, since you've gone to all this trouble" "Mr. Craster's been unwise enough to interfere with certain plans of mine." "And that is something I do not permit." "I thought once there would be no room in my life for anything but dancing." "You will think so again, my dear." "But if Julian goes, I shall go too." "And what exactly do you intend to do?" " I shall dance somewhere else." " Oh, yes." "That won't be very difficult with the name I've given you- always provided I release you of your contract." "But even if I do, will it be quite the same?" "I have never pretended to myself that it would." "I could make you one of the greatest dancers... the world has ever known." " Do you believe that?" " Yes, I do." "And all that means nothing to you?" "You know exactly what it means to me." "The train is leaving." "Good-bye, Mr. Lermontov." "Miss Page is coming!" "Julian!" "Julian!" "I'm coming with you!" "Hurray!" "Fool." "Fool." "Oh!" "Come in." "You're late." "I hope you didn't work too hard." "All finished." "I have the injunction with me." "Boris, don't tell me you've changed your mind again." "I" " I don't want to stop her doing anything." "She can dance whenever she likes." " Except The Red Shoes." " What about the boy?" "That's different." "Everything he's written while under contract is mine." "That's in the contract." "The Red Shoes and his work on La Belle Meuniere." "I am not interested in anything else he may write." "But if you keep The Red Shoes in the repertoire, you will have to pay him." "The Red Shoes is no longer in the repertoire!" "Oh." "I understand Patrick Trevelyan is in Paris." "Yes." "I dined with them both last night." "Oh?" "Boronskaja is with him?" "Yes." "Anything I can do?" "How's the marriage?" "A success?" "Patrick seems to think so." "Would you like me to arrange a meeting with Irina?" "Not arrange- a chance." "Oh, Boris!" " Good night, Boris." " Good night, Irina." " Good season?" " For the Ballet Lermontov, always." " Good night, Boris." " Good night, Sergei." "Sergei!" " Yes?" " Would you come in and wait, please?" "But of course, Boris." " Good night, Boris." " Grischa, please come in and wait." "Oh." "Conference." "Letters." " Nobody writes to me." " That's not true." "Yours, from Vicky." " From Vicky?" " Mm-hmm." " How is that girl?" " Read it and you'll see." "This is from Julian." "It's all about his new opera." "He describes the whole structure." "Enormous talent, that boy." "He says... she is an inspiration- a miracle." "Thank you, Mr. Boudin." "That's all." "Good night." "Well, I see it's mail day." "From our two young rebels." "Deserters." "I hope they're happy." " Read mine." " Yes, read this too." "It might make you sorry to have lost that young man." "I doubt it." "By the way, that reminds me." "Jacques sent me the new score of La Belle Meuniere." "I like it, and I'd like you all to hear it at once." " We might open with it in London." " With Irina?" "We can discuss that." "The part is light, all gaiety, fire." "Perhaps you would be good enough to glance through it." " And no prejudice, please." " I hope you say it to yourself." " Every day." "Eh, good night, Sergei." " Good night." " Good night." " On second thought," "I think I would like to read those letters." "My letter was only meant to be read by me." " See you later, Boris." " Good night, Sergei." "I could hardly let him read it." "She calls him a monster- a gifted, cruel monster." "You should have told him that." "I" " I am sorry to be late, Boris Lermontov." "Lady Neston was in front tonight." "She arrived this morning." "She is staying for several weeks." "And Miss Page is joining her next week for a short holiday." "We seem to be destined to meet at railway stations." "What are you doing again?" "Waiting for you, of course." "Won't you sit down?" "But you know, my dear Vicky, how I'm always looking for great dancers." "We all have missed you, and I was hoping that by now you would have started to miss us a little." "I have." "You only have to say the words." " How is everybody?" " Including me?" " Including you." " Never better." " How is Grischa?" " Always fighting with Boronskaja." " And she?" " Always fighting with Grischa." " And how is old Sergei?" " Getting younger." " And you?" " Getting older." "And you?" "You are happy?" "Yes." "Very happy." " As a dancer, I mean." " I haven't danced very much, you know." "Oh, I know, I know." "I know every time you have danced." " But you never stopped working." " No." " And you never stopped going to class." " Never." "And why isn't he with you?" "His opera has been accepted at Covent Garden." "It's in rehearsal now." " Would he give it up if you ask him?" " I don't know." " You do know." " I wouldn't ask him." "Then why is he asking you?" "Does he know what he's asking?" "We are preparing a new ballet." "We've been working at it for weeks." "The costumes and the decor are the most beautiful things Ratov has ever done." "Grischa is full of enthusiasm, and you know what that means." "Nobody else has ever danced The Red Shoes since you left." "Nobody else ever shall." "Put on the red shoes, Vicky, and dance for us again." "This is the B.B.C. Third Programme." "I am speaking from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London." "Tonight is the first night of Cupid and Psyche, a new opera by a young British composer, Julian Craster, whose only well-known work until now... has been the score for the ballet The Red Shoes." "The Red Shoes was a great success... when produced at Monte Carlo last year with the Ballet Lermontov, but has not yet been seen in this country." "Oh, something must have gone wrong, I'm afraid." "I think somebody is going to make an announcement." "Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to announce... that Mr. Julian Craster, the composer, who was to conduct his own opera, has been suddenly taken ill." "Sir Hartley Mingies will conduct in his place." "Here comes Sir Hartley Mingies now." "I'll announce the names of the cast during the interval." "All the way down from London I wondered if I'd find you here." "And here you are." "You left your first night?" " Yes." " Oh, Julian!" "Why didn't you?" "At last." "It's all right now, my sweetheart." "There's a train going to Paris at 8:00." "We'll be on it together." "Better hurry up and get changed." " But I'm dancing tonight." " Walk out." "Good evening, Mr. Craster." "Won't they be missing you at Covent Garden tonight?" "Oh, for God's sake, leave me alone, both of you!" "Please, Julian." "Wait until after the performance." " It'll be too late then." " You are already too late, Mr. Craster." "Tell him why you've left him." " I haven't left him!" " Oh, yes, you have left him." "Nobody can have two lives, and your life is dancing." "Vicky, you could dance anywhere else in the whole world." "Would you be satisfied with anything less than the best?" "If you would, you would never be a great artist." "And would you make her a great dancer as well?" "Never." "Why do you think I've waited day after day since you snatched her away... for a chance to win her back?" " Because you're jealous of her." " Yes!" "I am, but in a way that you will never understand." "Wait!" " Well, Vicky?" " I love you, Julian." "Nobody but you!" "But you love that more." "I don't know!" "I don't know!" "If you go with him now, I will never take you back." "Never!" "Vicky, do you want to destroy our love?" "Adolescent nonsense." "All right." "Go, then." "Go with him." "Be a faithful housewife... with a crowd of screaming children and finish with dancing forever!" "Vicky, look at me." "Good-bye then, my darling." "Julian!" "Juli" "Vicky." "Little Vicky." "There it is, all waiting for you." "Sorrow will pass, believe me." "Life is so unimportant, and from now onwards you will dance... like nobody ever before!" "Mademoiselle Page, ou allez vous?" "Ladies... and gentlemen," "I'm sorry... to tell you... that Miss Page... is unable... to dance tonight," "nor indeed..." "any other night." "Nevertheless, we've decided... to present..." "The Red Shoes." "It... is... the ballet... that made her name," "whose name... she made." "We... present it... because... we think... she would have... wished it." "Julian?" "Yes, my darling?" "Take off the red shoes."