In the "Crazy Twenties", Manhattan's Broadway was at its peak. In 1925, the street was densely populated with more than 80 theaters, and by 1929 there were close to 100.
Everything came to an end during the stock market crash.
In just a few months, the number of theaters on Broadway has dropped back to five years ago, and poor business has forced theaters that were not competitive enough to close.
The long street still has neon lights flashing, but it no longer has the bustling bustle of traffic, giving people a sense of depression and desolation.
The Durants drove slowly onto Broadway in a car. They used to have a full-time driver, but now in order to save money, Durant fired the driver and had to drive himself every time he went out.
The car stopped at the entrance of the Netherlands Theater. There was a large poster on the outer wall of the theater with a large ship pattern printed on it, as well as "Titanic", "Amazing Love", "Works of the Wizard of the East", "Screenplay by Eugene O'Neill", etc.
words.
"Darling, this is it!" Mrs. Durant said excitedly. She used to come to watch stage plays every week, but now she can only come once a month. The ticket price here is too expensive, which is far less cost-effective than going to the movies.
The Durants bought tickets and found a seat at the back.
Before the show started, Durant looked at the tickets boredly and suddenly exclaimed and cursed: "Damn it, it's actually a play!"
"Isn't it a musical?" Mrs. Durant said in surprise.
"We were fooled!" Durant said angrily.
Broadway is most famous for its musicals, which combine drama, song and dance and other forms, and are deeply loved by the American middle class. People come here just to watch the singing and dancing, and don’t even pay much attention to the plot. Early musicals did not even have fixed scripts
None. It is only in recent years that I have begun to pay attention to screenwriting, but the main content is still singing and dancing.
Of course, Off-Broadway also has some theaters starring plays, but they are not very popular with the American people.
The Durants complained about this and finally paid to watch the show, but it turned out to be a boring drama.
The performance time is coming, but the auditorium is only half full. Compared with the previous sold-out venues, business is really difficult.
Theater owner Jarald Hans shook his head helplessly. He could only hope that the performance of "Titanic" would be successful. Just like the theater next door performing "Waterloo Bridge" (the original stage version of "The Blue Bridge"), in
After achieving great success, it actually maintained an average attendance rate of 90% per game.
"Far Eastern Wizard, please create a miracle again." Boss Hans made a cross on his chest.
The male and female actors backstage were all nervous. Although the actor Andrew Bock has been on stage for several years, he has remained unknown; the heroine Linda Moorman even became a monk halfway. She used to be a nightclub singer and only started acting in dramas last year.
Inviting two young actors to star in "Titanic" was a request made by the drama director, who said he wanted to bring a new experience to the audience.
The theater owner Hans agreed because he could save money by hiring young actors, and the cost of a drama is far lower than that of a musical. Business is not easy to do these days, so save money if you can. Even if the performance is not good, you will not lose money.
so many.
"Jack is ready to appear!" the director shouted.
Andrew took a deep breath. This was an opportunity he had not yet easily won. He must not make any mistakes.
The stage is equipped with double curtains, and the front curtain slowly opens, revealing a model of a large ship.
There were many extras standing on the "ship", these were guest appearances by the backup dancers of the musical, and the same was true for the farewells "on the shore". Just as they waved goodbye, the voice-over sounded: "The Olympic-class luxury cruise ship Titanic is
The most advanced and largest giant ship in the world is about to make its maiden voyage today."
The heroine and the second male lead appear.
The second male number looked up at the ship: "It's spectacular, isn't it? Rose."
The heroine said disdainfully: "It's not a big deal, not much bigger than the Olympic. Carl."
The second male said: "Don't underestimate it, Rose. The Titanic is different from other passenger ships. It is a hundred feet longer than the Merrittage, and the ship is extremely fast, and the interior is very luxurious."
"Humph!" the heroine snorted and got on the boat, and the second male lead quickly caught up.
The back curtain slowly opened, and there were several people sitting at a gaming table.
The male protagonist faces the audience, wearing shabby clothes, sitting on the bench carelessly...
The plot advances scene by scene, and even viewers who have read the original novel are gradually immersed in the story.
When the male protagonist Jack stood on the bow of the ship, opened his arms and shouted "I am the king of the world", Mrs. Durant couldn't help but cover her mouth and said to herself: "Oh, what a handsome guy."
The appearance of the upstart fat woman and her rude and straightforward words and deeds made the audience burst into laughter. Every time she appeared after that, there was laughter.
In the sixth act, when the Titanic hit an iceberg, the audience couldn't help but hold their breath and looked at the stage without blinking.
The play is different from novels and movies, and a lot of cuts have to be made. For example, characters such as the gentleman who maintains his manners and etiquette as he awaits death, and the old couple who hug each other while sleeping do not appear at all. However, the scene of the ship band is still retained, and they stand on the stage.
It was used as a background of human flesh and played in three acts.
After the protagonist at the front desk left, musician A put down his violin and said: "Okay, it's over. Goodbye Harry, and I wish you good luck."
"Goodbye, Werner."
"goodbye."
The musicians said goodbye to each other as if they were at the end of a concert in a concert hall, surrounded by panicked passengers fleeing for their lives.
After everyone turned to leave, musician A picked up the violin again, and the melodious sound of the violin spread throughout the theater hall. Other musicians turned around and joined the performance again.
Mrs. Durant was already wiping away tears, but until the hero and heroine said the line "you_jump, i_jump" again, her tears started to flow down.
"Dear, don't be sad, it's just a show." Durant handed over the handkerchief.
"I know, but I can't help it, it's so touching." Mrs. Durant wiped her tears and kept sobbing.
"Oh no, go back and save them!"
"Damn it, that bastard got into a lifeboat with women and children."
"God, I don't want to watch it anymore, it's so uncomfortable."
"..."
Eugene O'Neill's script was well written, without any delay. The climax came one after another, and the audience couldn't help but burst into screams and curses.
The hero lay on the wooden board and spoke with his last strength: "Listen, Rose. You will be saved... live. You will have many children... full of descendants. You will live a long life and die in a warm bed.
Not here, not tonight, not... death like this, do you understand?"
"Winning the boat ticket is the happiest thing in my life. I am lucky to know you, Rose...I am satisfied. I have one more wish, you must promise me to live on and not despair...
…No matter what happens, no matter how difficult it is, please promise me that you will definitely do it..."
"I promise you."
"We must do it..."
"I will definitely do it, Jack... I will definitely do it..."
The heroine hummed in a daze: "Fly, Josephine, get on my spaceship... She flies and flies... She flies into the sky... Fly, Josephine, get on my spaceship...
…”
In the audience, Mrs. Durant had tears streaming down her face, and the handkerchief she used to wipe her tears was completely soaked.
The backup dancers used blue techniques to simulate the waves of the sea. The upstart fat woman knocked out the crew member, drove the boat back with other female passengers, and rescued the heroine who was on the verge of death.
The heroine murmured: "Jack, I will survive, no matter what happens, no matter how difficult it is."
The curtain falls and the performance ends.
"Pah, pah, pah!!!!"
The warm applause lasted for five minutes and did not stop until the actors took their curtain call.
Theater owner Hans breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: "It seems... the performance was a success."
