Bride's Scene-- "The Night Was Alive"

Barrett: Excuse me.
Bride: Who’s there?
Barrett: Barrett. (pause, more loudly) Barrett.
Bride: (startled, stops keying) Oh, yes, the stoker. I remember. Welcome to the most important place on the whole ship. What can we do for you, Barrett?
Barrett: I heard you can send a message back to England.
Bride: You heard right all right. Sitting right here I can communicate with important people all over the world. I would explain how it works, but--(sound of the telegraph)--message coming in. (takes down message, then replies with a couple of quick keys) Ice warning from the Baltic--that’s your old ship, isn’t it? I’m awfully busy, Barrett...so what is it you wanted?
Barrett: Shouldn’t the Captain know about that iceberg warning?
Bride: Oh, not to worry. I’ve already sent him a half dozen just like it. If you ask me, they don’t know what the bloody hell they’re doing up there--excuse my French--it’s like we say in the telegraphy business--you can’t be a radio operator and remain a Christian.
Barrett: How much would it cost to send a message back to my girl in England? Sort of a romantic message? (hands picture of girl to Bride)
Bride: (admires her) Very pretty....but romantic or not, minimium rate is 2 pounds, 4 pence.
Barrett: Two bloody quid? That’s twice what they pay me to America and back. (starts to run out)
Bride: Now, hold on! Maybe I could give you a professional discount.
Barrett: How much’s that then?
Bride: (does figure in his head, mumbling) Ah.....nothing. They’ll never know the difference.
Barrett: Ta very much. You must be sort of romantic person yourself.
Bride: No, not me. Romance and telegraphy don’t mix. How can you communicate with only one person when you have the whole world talking to you? I’ll need her name and address.
Barrett: Darlene Watkins, Bilsthorpe, Nothinghamshire. (Bride begins keying the address, Barrett leans in and removes one of the ear phones, to Bride’s annoyance) What’s that you’re doing?
Bride: Darlene Watkins, Bilsthorpe, Nothinghamshire. So, what’s the rest of it?
Barrett: I don’t know. It’s got to be just the right thing. Darlene’s sort of funny like. She said if I didn’t take her serious, she knew someone who would. I’m not due for two weeks yet, so I might as well come straight out with it.
(sings)
I'll be coming back to you, Darlene,
back to your dark eyes and hair.
Marry me when I return, Darlene,
and until that day, my love, take care
Be thee well.
May the Lord who watches all watch over thee.
May God's heaven be your blanket as you softly sleep.
Marry me.
When you're finally in my arms you’ll plainly see
this devoted sailor's heart and soul
are yours to keep!

Bride: Yours-to-keep...
Every day from g-m-o-m
"good morning, old man"
to g-n-o-m
"good night, old man",
my telegraph sends its messages to ships at sea
sending out its dit dit-dah-dit dah-dit
dit dit-dah-dit dah-dit
dit dit-dah-dit dah-dit...
I was young and shy, detached and sad
spent my days indoors, a home-bound lad
hardly spoke, few friends.
I kept to myself to myself,
quite alone.
Then I found Marconi's telegraph;
it could span the planet's width by half
fifty yards, two thousand miles
the same!
touch the spark...Sound the tone.
And the night was alive
with a thousand voices,
tapping out each word,
like a thousand people
joined with a single heartbeat,
tapping out our dit dit-dah-dit da-dit
dit dit-dah-dit da-dit
dit dit-dah-dit da
everywhere...

Barrett: (with Bride) Marry me.
May the lord who
watches all
watch over thee.
Marry me.
May God's heaven be
your blanket
as you sleep.
Marry me...
Marry me...
Bride: (with Barrett) It's alive with a thousand voices
and every one of them
connected to me.
So alive with a thousand voices
those people
joined with a single heartbeat
tapping out our dit dit-dah-dit da-dit
Dit dit-dah-dit dah-dit
Dit dit-dah-dit da
Barrett: Signed "Fred."
Bride: (keys that, then sings) Everywhere.
(sound of reply, Bride listens, then says) Message received.

All text and lyrics copyright to Peter Stone and Maury Yeston, 1997.
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