SCENE 14: DIVA

1973

A dressing room in the opera house seven years later. Alexandra is getting ready to perform in the opera theatre. With her are her parents and her daughter, now aged 10.

KEN

My daughter,

The star.

You bloody beauty!

EILEEN

Language, Ken.

KEN

For chrissake, Eileen

This is a special occasion.

EILEEN

Your father never changes,

All these years...

KEN

Too bloody right

I don’t!

EILEEN

Language, Ken,

We're in the Opera House!

ALEXANDRA

I still can’t quite believe it...

KEN

I thought I'd never see the day:

Fourteen years,

A hundred-

No, I tell a lie,

A hundred and two -million quid.

Dollars.

EILEEN

Two governments...

KEN

God knows how many architects...

And it was worth every last bloody cent.

Although I wonder when they'll get ’round

To building the car park?

CLARE

Or painting it?

EILEEN

And... so many steps dear.

All right for you young ones...

Stephen enters with the Maestro

STEPHEN

Darling, another well wisher

MAESTRO

Welcome back, my dear.

Magda would have been proud of you:

Covent Garden,

La Scala,

And now...

ALEXANDRA

And now

Where it started

All those years ago.

Sixteen years

I've longed for this;

Dreamed of singing in this building.

MAESTRO

And what do you think of it, now?

ALEXANDRA

It's a wonder:

A wonder it was ever built,

A wonder it was ever finished,

And a wonder you couldn't see

What it could have been

If you'd trusted the Architect.

On the outside

The greatest building of our time.

On the inside...

We’ll put on brave faces,

Pretend the stage and pit

Are just the right size,

While you and the orchestra

Enjoy the comforts

Of the major hall.

MAESTRO

And what a splendid concert hall it is!

ALEXANDRA

Odd really,

For an opera house

MAESTRO

What’s in a name?

ALEXANDRA

The constant reminder

You thought us second best.

MAESTRO

Look, the time for all this is past.

The building works

And the public love it.

ALEXANDRA

But it’s not what it could have been.

MAESTRO

Nothing ever is,

My dear.

ALEXANDRA

Well tonight when I sing,

My dear,

It will be in

The theatre of my dreams,

Not the compromise of your making.

And I have one aim out there:

To sing so well,

So well,

You and your cronies

Will feel sick with regret

At the thought of the masterpiece

You defaced.

Now get out!

The Maestro is speechless. He attempts to say something but gives up and leaves. The others don't know what to say.

ALEXANDRA

Now please,

Youll all have to go

Or there'll be a diva

Dying for the love of an Aztec Prince

In a dressing gown and hair net.

Somewhat relaxed by this, Eileen, Clare and Ken take their leave.

KEN

Do your old man proud Sandy.

(To Stephen)

And don’t let the band

Drown out the star

Will ya, son!

STEPHEN

Ken, my life wouldn’t be worth living,

They go

Nervous?

ALEXANDRA

Petrified.

STEPHEN

This came for you,

It might help.

It’s from Denmark...

He gives her a telegram. As she reads it the set transforms into:

Scene 15