Final draft 12-19-02
FOUR DAYS AFTER TITANIC
(one act play)
by Paul Stewart
The play takes place during the senate subcommittee hearings investigating the sinking.
Titanic foundered on a Monday morning, the rescue ship arrived in New York that Thursday evening to a crowd of 40,000. A colorful trust-busting senator (and former street performer) was given all the power and resources to launch an immediate investigation. He even boarded the rescue ship and served subpoenas to keep key people from slipping away.The very next morning Friday April 19, 1912, survivors testified. (The senate inquiry lasted 17 days. The final report was issued May 28.) The disaster hearings began in New York’s Waldorf-Astoria conference room. A lot of the dialogue is from the actual transcripts. There were also reports of lots of the witnesses gossiping and talking to reporters in the corridors. Some of the action takes place in flashback scenes during the night to remember.
This draft calls for a cast of 11. Roles for five male adults, four woman adults, and two kids: one male, one female. All characters can play multiple, non-speaking roles except for Senator Smith.
CAST: (With costume notes)
SENATOR SMITH – 53 Narrator, chairman of investigation, American
from Michigan, dresses like a Senator/railroad owner, with derby
CHARLES LIGHTOLLER – 38, 2nd officer, highest ranking survivor
(refined British accent) regular suit pants, officer’s hat and blazer.
BRUCE ISMAY – 49, managing director of White Star lines (upper
crust pompous British accent) A fine suit, as PHOTOGRAPHER and generic lifeboat passenger he takes off a thin villain looking moustache and switches coats.
HAROLD LOWE - 29, fifth officer, on the one lifeboat that went back
(Refined Walsh accent, ladies liked him) Has officer’s coat and hat similar to Lightoller. Also plays American con artist WANE.
FREDERICK FLEET – 25, lookout who spotted the iceberg (very
thick cockney accent,) beat up clothes and watch cap.
MRS. WHITE- Middle age, First Class (British very aristocratic
old money accent, but likeable, not too snobbish.)
MRS. SHELLEY- (30s) Second class passenger, chronic complainer
(American, from Montana middle class want-a-be)
Fictional or composite characters who don’t testify:
WANE –20s American, First class steward/con artist in love (Same
actor as LOWE) puts on a Clark Gable moustache and a middle class coat and newsboy type cloth cap.
KATE O’BRAIN – 3rd class, Irish suffragette, loves Wane. Wears
middle class dress. Can have a different skirt and life vest for sinking scene. Wears a big immigrant’s shawl for lifeboat scene.
MARGO LANE – Reporter and Suffragette. American, wears a middle
class business skirt suit. Can also wear a big shawl to play a third class passenger for sinking and lifeboat scene.
Also parts for NEWSBOY and BOY and GIRL PASSENGER. Sometimes everyone who’s not acting in the foreground sings in the darkened background. The CHORUS is anyone who can sing.
ADDITIONAL COSTUME NOTES:
To help the audience accept actors quickly switching roles, luckily we have a wide difference in costume, class and accents of the characters. Everyone wore hats and some of the facial hair then was huge. In photos most of the suits were dark and relatively standard to any old fashion looking suits. It’s the collars, scarves, watch chains and headwear that really show the period. They also may have gloves, fancy canes and umbrellas when they’re coming or going. It was rainy in New York when the hearings began. All the males who play multiple roles keep the same generic dark pants and shoes on.
Unfortunately the hearings were a very male dominated affair. Only two woman survivors actually testified, another four wrote vividly detailed affidavits the SENATOR read out loud during the hearings.
The good news is there were woman present as spectators inside the hearing room and in the photos they have giant hats they didn’t have to take off like the men did. Although the suffragette passenger story is fictional, the woman’s rights movement was very present. There were lots of stories and debates from suffragettes in the press about equal rights abolishing the tradition of "woman (and children) first."
SET:
The Senate inquiry was a rushed together affair. Most of the furniture was removed from the hotel conference room, leaving a large table and chairs. (The hearings moved to Washington the next week, but the format remained similar.) It is not a trial but an inquiry with people sitting in rows around the table, although at times it seems like a trail. A lot of people had stacks of notes and papers in front of them.
We can perhaps do without the table (or make it small and in the back) and stick to just chairs. A platform in the middle of the stage may act as an informal witness stand. However too many characters have to speak one after another. Sort of a stream of thought montage. Usually getting up and moving before and after testify will be awkward. Perhaps they can be lined up in a panel. Except for maybe moving a few chairs this area doesn’t have a set change.
SENATOR is usually the only one standing during the "hearings" scenes. When he addresses the audience he walks towards them and the hearings area goes dark. Since we assume the hearings are always going on with people coming in and out the actors in that area do not have to freeze, (no pun intended.) They just sit still during "hallway" and "flash back" scenes. Often they will enter those other scenes. Sometimes they may need to change character, other times not.
Any area in front can pass as a "hallway" or behind-the-scenes area. Example: In the middle of SENATOR’S introductory speech to the audience, ISMAY comes up and asks if he can go back to England now. (Although no one but SENATOR breaks the forth wall.)
However most of the time the hallway area is up front at stage left. Two benches could be enough furniture. The "flashback" area can be up front to stage right. The only flashbacks are during the night of the sinking. A spotlight is not that important on scenes where SENATOR addresses the audience. However, to achieve the dream-like effect during the flash back scenes a spotlight will help hide that there’s no multi-million dollar boat set.
The play will make extensive use of prerecorded sound and music. All the singing is live. Often the play should have a dream-like quality; the lighting should reflect this. But there’s also bursts of realism.
The stage is dark. Slowly we began to hear singing, it gets louder but stays somewhat soft and ominous. Perhaps it should be sung slower than normal to not sound too upbeat. This is a popular camp song dating back to at least the ‘20s with many versions.
CHORUS
IT WAS ON ITS MAIDEN TRIP WHEN AN ICEBERG HIT THE SHIP. IT WAS SAD, IT WAS SAD, IT WAS SAD WHEN THE GREAT SHIP WENT DOWN (TO THE BOTTOM OF THE…) HUSBAND’S AND WIVES, LITTLE CHILDREN LOST THEIR LIVES. IT WAS SAD WHEN THE GREAT SHIP WENT DOWN.
Spotlight on NEWSBOY who enters from stage left. He has to yell to be heard over the chorus. He speaks out to the audience.
OH, THEY BUILT THE SHIP TITANIC TO SAIL THE OCEAN BLUE, FOR THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A SHIP THAT WATER WOULD NEVER GO THROUGH. THE RICH DIDN’T LIKE THE POOR, SO THEY PUT THE POOR BELOW, WHERE THEY WERE THE FIRST TO GO. IT WAS SAD WHEN THE GREAT SHIP WENT DOWN.
NEWSBOY
Extra, extra read all about it! Titanic survivors arrive here in New York today! Senate investigation begins tomorrow morning! Over a thousand people are presumed dead! Get your paper, get your paper here!
Exit NEWSBOY. The second the last lyric is sung, the lights come up revealing the makeshift senate hearing room. It consists of nothing but a table, chairs and a raised platform. Most of the cast is on stage and had been acting as chorus. SENATOR SMITH is the only one who’s not sitting. Smith almost always has a folder of papers in his hand.
Kindly tell the committee your name and circumstance.
The following is a montage of witness testimony. At first these lines are spoke with no pause as a run-on sentence.
ISMAY
J. Bruce Ismay, first class passenger and managing director of White Star Shipping Line.
FLEET
Fredrick Fleet, able seaman and lookout…At just about seven bells I reported an ice berg right ahead, a black mass.
LIGHTOLLER
There was no moon, no wind, the sea was flat calm, smooth as glass so there was no waves to spot breaking around the berg.
ISMAY
…I awoke to a slight grinding noise…
MRS. WHITE
It was as though we went over a thousand marbles…
MRS. SHELLEY
Then the engines stopped…No one knocked on our door. There was no alarm. When we walked outside people commenced to appear in life preservers…
We start to hear voices of a calm crowd and the band begins to play.
MRS. WHITE
Then the band moved right outside on the deck…
For a moment the dialogue of the witnesses overlaps, and the pace speeds up, although they continue to talk as if they’re not competing with others. (Just a short line each, then can make up something.)
People have began to leave the hearings area and put on life vests and enter to the flash back area to stage right which will serve as Titanic’s deck under a spotlight. The mood is calm now, but growing more tense. Everyone is talking (adlibbing) among themselves. The following dialogue should be heard over others adlibbing.
Although the characters may be named in this scene, they’re not necessary being the same character, only similar. Example: the audience doesn’t know ISMAY yet, so he’s really just being a generic first class passenger. (But he can change his moustache and hat.) And of course the lighting will be dim.
LIGHTOLLER is the first to lead people over a bit further. He has simply put on his uniform hat and wears no life vest.
LIGHTOLLER
C’mon, into the lifeboats. Nothing to worry about folks, simply a safety precaution. You’ll row back aboard by morning.
IMMGRANT/MARGO
The water is so far down, I’m frightened.
WANE
Oh, she can’t sink, she’s just banged up.
KATE (to Margo)
Do you think this vest makes me look fat?
WANE
You look lovely…Let me tie these up for you.
WANE ties up the straps on KATE’S vest, there is instant chemistry.
KATE
Aren’t you the perfect gentleman. We’re not used to getting waited on in steerage.
CREWMAN/FLEET
I’ve just heard from the wireless room, no less than three ships will be here soon.
LIGHTOLLER
You heard me, woman and children first!
MRS. WHITE
Over on the starboard side they’re letting men leave with the women.
FLEET runs off stage.
LIGHTOLLER
Does anyone here have boating experience!?
ISMAY
She’s starting to list quite badly.
WANE
How bad could it be, the band is still playing.
PASSENGER/ISMAY
The lifeboats are gone. Let’s finish our card game. Drinks are on the house.
PASSENGER/WANE
If we die, we die as gentleman.
IMMIGRANT/MRS SHELLEY
My baby, where’s my baby!
Then we begin to hear hull-twisting noises of the ship’s nose going down. We hear a few distant gunshots. The actors begin to lean and jerk, (but not too much as to make it corny.) Some people panic while others, stay calm though terrified. Plenty of room for ad-libbing here. FLEET reappears and comes back with a minister’s collar on.
LIGHTOLLER
EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF!
FATHER BYLES
PREPARE TO MEET GOD!
Some people huddle around FATHER BYES and say the Lord’s prayer. The band gets louder, people begin to sing "nearer thy God to me" over the sounds of the boilers exploding and sinking noise.
CHORUS
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God to Thee.
The sounds and music stops. Lights come up on SENATOR. Everyone freezes, stage picture for a moment while
he talks. Then they disappear into the shadows.
SENATOR (to audience)
Hello, welcome to 1912. I’m Senator William Alden Smith chairman of the disaster hearings.
A few people begin to quietly sing: "Husbands and wives, little children lost their lives, it was sad when the great ship went down."
SENATOR
May I please talk now! (Singing stops, back to audience) This is a play about life, as it deals with death and responsibility. I can assure you that I’ve been dead since 1932. I’m sort of a ghost brought back through transcripts, notes to bring truth to the legend.
OK, you’ve all seen the moving picture shows leading up to and ending right after the whole thing with the big iceberg. But I can not begin to tell you what a worldwide frenzy of shock and finger pointing went on in the days and months following the sinking.
You see rich socialites filled up the headlines in the days before movie and sports superstars. Now with several of them frozen solid bobbing up and down off the coast of New Foundland, along with 1,500 other souls, the world wanted answers. This before the world wars numbed us to death tolls.
I, along with others asked the good Lord how He could let 54 children thrash in the freezing water while scores of men sat in tuxedos in half-full lifeboats ignoring their screams.
While the 705 survivors were still steaming home on the rescue ship, Carpathia, I asked President Taft to allow me to head a Senate subcommittee to immediately begin investigating. When the rescue ship landed in New York, I boarded it with my team, we served subpoenas and began these hearings the very next day. I gave the press full access.
During the 17 days of hearings, a lot happened off the record in back rooms and these very corridors. I can’t give you all the answers only glimpses at the truth behind everyone’s personal agenda. Even my own. God gave me all the resources to find the truth but didn’t answer me. Perhaps it’s because I -
Enter ISMAY, unaware of the audience.
ISMAY
Excuse me Senator Smith…
SENATOR
Ismay, I told you I am not letting you go back to England.
ISMAY
I’ve contacted a number of marine architects, company personnel, these experts would be far more valuable than me. I –
SENATOR
You are the chairman and manager of White Star lines!
ISMAY
J.P. Morgan now owns the company that-
SENATOR
You are the president of his trust!
ISMAY
I was still only a passenger, the ship may have been owned by Americans but it was registered in Briton and most of the crew was British.
How much longer can you keep me here?
SENATOR
Most of the passengers were Americans. And do I need to tell you most of the passengers are dead?! We intercepted your wireless reports, we know you were planning to try to sneak back.
ISMAY (trying to be intimating)
You don’t seem to understand-
SENATOR
(stands toe to toe with Ismay)
You know I’m a rich man too, I’ve owned railroads. But I didn’t grow up rich and spoiled like you. As a kid I supported my family performing on street corners. I’m a very resourceful man, Mr. Ismay.
Exit SENATOR. LIGHTOLLER walks up to ISMAY shaking his head.
ISMAY
The nerve of that cowboy.
LIGHTOLLER
I’m told he’s a railroad lawyer with no experience in nautical affairs.
ISMAY
He and the press are turning me into a scapegoat!
LIGHTOLLER
Sir, they need somebody. The Captain, first officer, and architect chose to go down with the ship.
ISMAY
Maybe they had things to feel guilty about. You Mr. Lightoller, are the highest ranking surviving officer!
LIGHTOLLER
I climbed aboard an over-turned lifeboat AFTER your ship was halfway to the bottom of the Atlantic. You jumped aboard a dry lifeboat.
ISMAY
I’ve done nothing wrong! May I remind you that if you don’t support me, your desire to ever be a captain at White Star will sink to the bottom as well.
Exit ISMAY stage right, LIGHTOLLER walks to stage left where lights come up. FLEET is sitting on a bench reading the newspaper, LIGHTOLLER is pacing about, he stares at his pocket watch. On the other side of the bench is KATE reading a book.
FLEET
Lights, ya atta read some of these bloody lies.
LIGHTOLLER
Reporters are trying to find answers like everyone else. What they don’t find they invent.
FLEET
Says I claimed the berg was so big, I saw a polar bear on it! A bloomin’ bloody po-
LIGHTOLLER
Don’t talk like that with a woman present.
FLEET
She don’t mind, she told people in the lifeboat she wishes she was a man. Came to America for it.
KATE
I beg your pardon.
FLEET
Ya want rights just like a man, don’t ya? A suffer-somethin’ I seen her type in marches down the street.
KATE
I’m a suffragette. I’m already an American citizen. I was just visiting family back in Ireland. (gets in his face)
Fighting for equal rights and for the vote does not make me wish I was a man.
FLEET (gives her a dirty look)
Molly Brown and her hens took charge of me lifeboat, and I didn’t like it.
KATE
Although if I were I would use my fist to make your nose even more crooked.
LIGHTOLLER
(ushering Fleet away) You can’t be serious. His nose couldn’t be any worse.
Enter WANE. To appear different than British LOWE, American WANE never takes off his derby and in his scenes he has a thin moustache. He also as his arm in a sling.
FLEET and LIGHTOLLER move several feet away, both parties can have private conversations but still hear each other. WANE and KATE greet and kiss, you can tell new love is in the air.
WANE(tipping hat)
I’m back darling.
KATE
Don’t you look handsome in that new hat.
LIGHTOLLER
They subponaed that Yankee first class Steward?
WANE
I’m just here to be with my future wife.
FLEET
Known each other all four days have you?
KATE
We’re not officially engaged.
LIGHTOLLER
Oh, yes, those two became lovebirds on the boat deck.
KATE
Sir, I was third class, he made sure I had a seat. Never once thought of himself.
LIGHTOLLER
Worst sea disaster in history, and they begin a courtship.
FLEET
Well, we all had a lot of free time the last few days aboard the Carpathia, didn’t we?
WANE
Kate, I’ve got some wonderful news…
FLEET
Look at you twos. An army of charities greets us last night. Givin’ the pilgrims food, clothes, homes to stay in. (to Lights) You gets a new uniform and pocket watch, I get a crummy bunk and broken down shoes. You find a wife in your lifeboat.
WANE
No, I helped man boat eight…
FLEET
Ha, busted his wrist climbin’ in, he did.
WANE
Officer Murdoch called out for any men with sailing experience, by the time he asked me to jump in, the boat was ten feet down. Winged, I manned the tiller.
FLEET
You’re no seaman. Look at his hands. Smooth as a baby’s bottom. Countess of Rothes never took her hands off the tiller in boat eight.
WANE
You weren’t in my boat!
FLEET (smirking to Lights)
Read it in the times this morning, I did.
KATE
You mean Mr. Lightoller had to read it to you?
FLEET (mad)
You claimin’ I can’t read?
KATE
Oh, no. I’m claiming you can’t see past your nose!
LIGHTOLLER
(pulling Fleet away)
Fleet, stay back. We see a lot of con artists work first class. He could be a dangerous sharper.
Enter an aggressive PHOTOGRAPHER (same actor as Ismay) and reporter MARGO. While the cameraman tries unsuccessfully to set his camera up to get a good shot, MARGO jots in at note pad. WANE and KATE are off to the side.
MARGO
Mr. Lightoller, can you answer a few questions?
FLEET
Who let them in!? Look a bloomin’ female newsman!
KATE and MARGO wave like they know each other well.
FLEET
Oh, she’s one of them free modern woman, is she.
MARGO (talking rabidly)
Mr. Lightoller, why were there no life boat drills? Was an American Ship registered in Briton because their safety rules are more relaxed?
FLEET
You don’t care about all them families broken up. You just wanna sell papers.
MARGO
Our readers want the truth! Your company sent us press releases raving about new luxuries and safety features.
LIGHTOLLER
Yes, but no one from White Star ever claimed the ship unsinkable, you reporters invented that. It was no secret that modern liners had too few lifeboats. It was our own arrogance, perhaps criminal negligence, but there is no big secret the Senator is dancing around looking for.
MARGO
Do you think Senator Smith’s grandstanding has anything to do with the rumor he plans to run for president in 1916?
LIGHTOLLER
Perhaps. OK, that’s enough for now, good day.
KATE
I would be the first to vote for Senator Smith.
LIGHTOLLER gently forces them off stage. As he turns thinking they are gone the PHOTGRAPHER burst back in and takes a flash photo of FLEET and LIGHTOLLER and exits. (Old flashes made a "poof" noise.)
FLEET (rubbing eyes)
All these flashes…I’ll go blind.
WANE (polite as can be)
Don’t you think it’s a little too late for that?
Infuriated FLEET makes a lunge at WANE who’s several feet away. LIGHTOLLER pulls him away and has to practically carry him offstage.
LIGHTOLLER
Easy, mate, the hearings are about ready to start up again.
As he exits FLEET still wants a piece of WANE.
WANE
If it weren’t for my broken hand…
KATE
What is the exciting news?
WANE
Early this morning, I sold my story to The Post. It’s enough money for us to get married.
She hugs him. Lights go up on SENATOR reacting to young lovers.
SENATOR
The thing that is "blind" is love. There were two marriages by survivors who meet aboard the rescue ship. You see-
MRS. SHELLEY (begins testifying)
There was so many hoards of people on deck I
couldn’t see past.
SENATOR
You’ll have to excuse me.
He rushes over to join the hearings.
MRS. WHITE
There was practically no excitement as we thought the Titanic was one big lifeboat. I had to be pushed into a lifeboat.
MRS. SHELLEY
As we were being lowered I saw portholes disappearing. When we hit the water I saw where the danger lay. Too perfect a night. We had only starlight, no breeze, the flat sea looked like oil.
MRS. WHITE
Then when it came time to row, one man’s oar was all over the place. I said "why don’t you put it in an oarlock." "You mean that little hole?" he said.
SENATOR
Didn’t they assign two seaman to your boat?
MRS. WHITE
Dinning room stewards who escaped with the pretense of being oarsman.
MRS. SHELLEY
Oh, some of the crew were gentleman. Others took out cigarettes and began smoking, joking about not having to work for a while.
MRS. WHITE
A marvel of mechanism couldn’t avoid a chunk of ice. Who would allow something so unbearable to happen?
The woman can be seated next to each other while ISMAY is seated further away on the panel. SENATOR can make transitions in whom he’s questioning by pausing, finding a note in his file, then pacing over to the different witness.
SENATOR
Mr. Ismay, I understand your father was the founder of White Star Lines?
ISMAY
Yes, he was.
SENATOR
Is it true that when you commissioned the building of Titanic you made no limitations as to her cost?
ISMAY
None whatsoever. We wanted the biggest, most luxurious, yet safest ship, regardless of cost.
SENATOR
Yes, we’ve learned about chandeliers and one way trips costing four thousand dollars, and even for 35 dollars your steerage accommodations were the best afloat. We know about double hulls, water tight compartments that failed. But-
ISMAY
It was inconceivable. An iceberg had never taken down a big ship.
SENATOR
They were a known hazard! So why so few lifeboats?
ISMAY
We had over the number required by the British Board and Trade.
SENATOR (referring to file)
All we hear is how you complied with The British Board and Trade’s hopelessly outdated regulations that defy common sense.
ISMAY
The regulations were developed at a time when you could reasonably calculate passenger capacity based on the tonnage of the vessel.
SENATOR
Then in just a few years ships began to be built much bigger…But can you explain to me why the lifeboats you did have were only half-filled?
ISMAY
That was a tragedy. Something you need to take up with the crew.
SENATOR
You dined with the Captain, did you see him receive ice warnings Sunday night?
ISMAY
I did sir. He didn’t seem too concerned.
SENATOR
Did you urge him to light up more boilers, increase the speed to get out of the ice floes?
ISMAY
No. I was a passenger first. The captain is in complete control and responsible for whatever happens on his ship. Regardless of a company representative. Is that not true?
SENATOR
Yes. Yet a Captain can later be demoted for not following the wishes of the owners.
ISMAY
Captain Smith was retiring!
SENATOR
You claimed to have helped load the boats. Witnesses say you barked orders.
ISMAY
I was present when Mr. Andrews, the ship’s architect told the captain Titanic was only hours away from sinking. A sense of urgency was necessary.
SENATOR
Why did you get into a lifeboat when the call was for woman and children only?
ISMAY
It was what I believed to be the last boat. I looked around, seeing no woman or children on the deck, I then stepped into the boat after it was already being lowered down.
SENATOR
When it’s convenient, you’re a representative of the company, the president. But later when it’s convenient to be just a passenger, you become one and don’t look back!…(glances at watch) Let’s take a recess.
SENATOR pauses and takes a break. Maybe he sits down for a moment. The lights come up in stage left, KATE is sitting on a bench holding hands with WANE. At first WANE is reading the paper not paying much attention to what the others are saying.
The lights stay up in the hearings area, for a few minutes action will happen in both places, to create a sort of split-screen effect. While there is action in the hallway area, SENATOR and others can slowly move and talk silently among themselves as if their scene is still going on. The audience will be directed toward the hallway and vice-versa.
MARGO enters hallway area looking like she has just walked in from a woman’s rights march. She has on a colorful banner under her arm and around her shoulder and carries a protest sign. She eventually sets it down, removes banner and takes out her note pad.
KATE
Margo, how did it go?
MRS. WHITE leaves the hearing area and strolls over, using a cane.
MRS. WHITE
Margo Lane? You used to write the society column for the New York World?
MARGO
I’m a news reporter now.
MRS. WHITE
Good heaven, and they let you march on your lunch hour?
MARGO (nods)
We went all the way up to Wall Street this time. My feet hurt!
KATE
I wished I’d been able to march with you. I don’t think they ever going to call me as a witness.
MARGO
That’s a shame Kate, a story about you could have helped our cause of suffrage.
KATE
How? When they find out I lobby for female emancipation, they’d ask if I questioned the life saving policy. Without thinking twice I climbed right on to a boat of all female passengers, just three male crewmembers.
MRS. WHITE
Oh, my dear, we all have selfish survival instincts, even subconsciously. And these stories of bravery among men? They didn’t think she’d go down, they made jokes of us needing a pass to get back on in the morning.
MARGO
After she was gone, I don’t hear many stories of men wanting to row back and save anyone.
KATE
Men or women.
MRS. WHITE
Equal rights doesn’t have to mean equal risk.
MARGO
I would have chosen to meet my fate along side my husband as a few first class women did.
KATE
Better death than dishonor? What if you had young children?
MRS. WHITE
Titanic was conceived, built and destroyed by man’s hands. Let them die first until woman are treated equally.
MRS. WHITE goes back to hearings area.
MARGO
I wish I’d been given a press pass today.
WANE
The truth isn’t in there. All week I’ve been at the port listening to crewman gabbing to other seaman.
MARGO
But each one seems to have a different version of the same story.
WANE goes back to glancing at his paper. The lights stay up in the hallway area. Action resumes in hearings area. Unlike most witnesses FLEET is nervous and uncomfortable, clutching his cap.
SENATOR
Fredrick Fleet, how far off was this "black mass" when you saw it?
FLEET
Don’t know.
SENATOR
I understand you’re not good at estimating distances.
FLEET
Not good with numbers, but I see plenty good.
SENATOR
Why were there no binoculars in the crow’s nest?
FLEET
Don’t know, they were there, then after we left South Hampton they wasn’t there.
SENATOR
What’s missing was a chain of communication.
LIGHTOLLER
Glasses are not always used. They can narrow the view. It’s a matter of opinion.
SENATOR (holding up paper)
Admiral Peary was just interviewed. The very discoverer of the North Pole says on a clear night, such as the night the Titanic foundered, binoculars would have been very valuable at seeing the berg earlier.
SENATOR (to Fleet)
And when you rung up the bridge by phone in the crow’s nest and after you told the officer about the berg what did he say?
FLEET
He said "thank you."
The spectators moan at such a travesty. ["Thank you" became a headline in many of that day’s stories.]
While WANE makes a comment those in the hearings area do not freeze and the lights stay up. They just talk softly or look at paper work while the action is directed back to the hallway area.
WANE
They won’t tell you how First Officer Murdoch must have panicked. He tried to turn a ship big as a city sharply to miss the berg. That left the vulnerable side of the ship open. He ended up shooting himself in the head, you know.
SENATOR
What we see is a ship rushed into its maiden voyage. No general alarm given. No chain of command, no organized routine of evacuation…
Mr. Lightoller, you put people aboard the lifeboats regardless of class, nationality or pedigree?
LIGHTOLLER
Yes.
SENATOR
Do you know of gates being locked to prevent steerage passengers from going up top?
LIGHTOLLER
From the beginning I saw some second and third cabin passengers entering lifeboats. Language was a barrier. And no one was there to give proper instructions of which boat deck to go to.
WANE
I heard several gates were locked after the collision.
KATE
A group of us were escorted up without a problem.
WANE
Unless you were a first class woman or child, surviving the Titanic was the luck of the draw. Standing in the right place at the right time.
SENATOR
Did you see families separated?
LIGHTOLLER
I did.
SENATOR
25 percent of steerage survived. 42 percent of second class and 60 percent of first class! More men from first class survived then children from steerage!
LIGHTOLLER
I was in charge of the port side. Only later did I learn First Officer Murdoch was starboard letting couples on and often single men.
SENATOR
Why, do you think he would do that?
LIGHTOLLER
Scores of woman looked down and didn’t want to go down ropes into a cold black sea. It seemed safer on the ship. We were led to believe the lifeboats were only a precaution. Captain Smith didn’t want a panic.
SENATOR
So when no one else near seemed willing to go, you simply lowered a half-full boat? One boat only had 12 passengers!
LIGHTOLLER
It was a confusing night sir.
WANE
Look at the consistent facts on how unorganized things were. It’s no rumor Captain Smith lost his mind. But the big shots will look harsh if they attack the dead. He was the most popular captain of any steam line.
SENATOR
Then when the ship was listing and people began to crowd the boats you still didn’t fill them to capacity…Yes, yes, no one thought she’d founder. We hear of so many passengers being asked to help man boats. Yet you say it took only two crewmen to man a boat. Out of 20 boats that would be 40 saved. Why were 214 members of the crew saved and put before children!
LIGHTOLLER shrugs and says nothing.
FLEET
I was ordered onto boat six!
KATE
Could it be true survival often simply meant which side of the boat deck you chose to walk up?
MARGO (looking at the paper)
A single man in third class got aboard one crowded boat while a famous millionaire with a pregnant wife was refused a seat in another boat lowered with plenty of room.
[The pregnant bride and soon to be widow of Col. John Jacob Astor, ended up covering a crying 21 year old Irish immigrant with her shawl to keep him from being pulled out.]
End of the two scenes going back and forth. The lights go down on stage left as WANE, MARGO and KATE exit.
SENATOR
Mrs. Shelley, you’ve written an affidavid that states Mr. Ismay showed you the Marconigram warning of ice. And rather than slowing down he said "we’ll put on more boilers to speed out of it"?
MRS. SHELLEY
No, I said that’s what Mrs. Ryerson told me.
SENATOR (reading)
Yet, in her sworn affidavit she makes no mention of it. Only of how the band kept playing and how the ship broke in half.
MRS. WHITE
I say the ship went down intact, because the funnel toppled over some say she broke in two.
SENATOR is frustrated at how casually they change subjects, he is about to interrupt, but lets them talk as this is an informal inquiry, not a trial.
MRS. SHELLEY
She broke in two as if cut like a knife, I swear. And the band did keep playing. "Nearer my God to thee."
LIGHTOLLER (a bit upset)
I disagree. Wireless officer Harold Bride was in the water close by, he’s a trained listener. He claims they were playing "Autumn."
MRS. WHITE
No, it was a ragtime number.
MRS. SHELLEY
Ragtime, at a time like that.
SENATOR
I call Fifth Officer Harold Lowe.
LOWE enters and takes his seat on the panel.
SENATOR
I understand you were the skipper of the only lifeboat to go back and look for surviving swimmers?
LOWE
Yes, I transferred the passengers from my boat into other boats to make room for up to 60. But we waited too long. Only saved three.
SENATOR
Prior to that you were lowering lifeboats on the starboard side. Did Mr. Ismay assist you?
LOWE
I did not know who he was at the time. When it comes to doing the right thing I answer only to God. Unlike some other members of the crew, I will not twist the truth to protect the company.
SENATOR
You finally demanded Mr. Ismay stand back?
LOWE
Yes, though he was trying to help, I found him overanxious, waving his hands saying…"lower away! lower away! Lower away!"
LOWE’S imitation of pompous ISMAY is superb, the ladies who are already smitten with Lowe giggle.
SENATOR
Did you fire shots from your revolver while your boat was being lowered?
LOWE
Yes, as we passed the lower deck a mob of people began swarming the boat, it would have pitched us all over into the sea.
SENATOR
Witnesses say you fired into a crowd of immigrants.
LOWE
No, only to either side of the ship.
SENATOR
Do you believe reports that First Officer Murdoch shot himself dead after killing a passenger?
LOWE
Yes. And he realized he’d be blamed for letting too many men aboard the lifeboats.
SENATOR
Why didn’t you load the boats to capacity?
LOWE
At first few wanted to leave the ship. Then we were of the understanding that too many people would cause the lifeboats to buckle in the middle.
SENATOR (waving file)
Those boats were designed to hold up to 65 men. They were lowered from davits in Belfast with 65 burley Irishman. Why was there never a boat drill as scheduled?
LOWE
It was another failure in the chain of command and information. The morning of the drill was at the same time Captain Smith liked to conduct Sunday mass.
SENATOR
You who only answer to God could have made it your business to learn more. Men were resting on their oars while there was room for 500 more people on those boats!
MRS. WHITE (an outburst)
The officers should have left the ship last.
LIGHTOLLER
I didn’t leave the ship, the ship left me. I was washed off the plunging bow. I eventually swam until I found a collapsible lifeboat floating upside down.
SENATOR
OK, back to you Mr. Lightoller, did any other swimmers try to climb on board?
LIGHTOLLER
Yes. Once the crewmembers recognized me, they pulled me up. Wireless officer Bride was the last man invited on board.
SENATOR
One more man after that and you’d have capsized?
LIGHTOLLER
I didn’t see anyone whack any swimmers with an oar like I’ve heard. So many people were in the water.
MRS. SHELLEY
You couldn’t hear anything but the boat break-up, then all those people in the water crying for help.
MRS. WHITE
It sounded like the roar in a stadium. The mass of screams were dreadful.
Lights go down in hearings and hallway areas. CHORUS softly sings or hums "near, my God to Thee" while SENATOR addresses the audience.
SENATOR (slowly showing fatigue)
No one claims to have done anything wrong! For days now all we hear is a dozen minor things that led to major deaths. What facts we do know is Captain E.J. Smith allowed extra boilers to be fired up that day and drove his monstrous ship full speed ahead, with no extra lookouts with no binoculars when there had been repeated ice warnings! It stands to reason the other things the Captain did after the collusion would make no sense.
He was told the ship wouldn’t make it till morning, so to not cause a panic he told his officers "casually load a few life boats here and there as a safety precaution." Yet I’ve been advised not to criticize the Captain publicly!
While SENATOR talks all other ten or so actors move to two rows on benches under a spotlight. A couple oars and a lantern should help. Not all passengers had life vests and some were in pajamas and blankets. We hear faint sounds those still on board and sounds of the ship breaking up.
PASSENGER
She’s gone under! Pointed right up in the air!
Several lifeboat passengers begin to sob in terror. Those in the boats say they didn’t hear loud screams of those left behind until they were swimming. So the mass of screams start now.
PASSENGER
Our husbands!
PASSENGER
If all those men standing near the boat had been better dressed, you’d have let them on too.
PASSENGER
Listen to them. Let’s row back, we’ve plenty room to save a dozen lives or more.
PASSENGER
We’ll all die! No one touch those oars!
LOWE
It’s suicide to go back now, we will wait.
PASSENGER
I can’t stand the sound.
LOWE
We will sing.
PASSENGER
Are you mad!?
LOWE
Were going to sing to block out the screams.
Everybody, it’s an order.
Lowe begins to sing, though in obvious sorrow, but with a sense of duty. Slowly some of the others join him as the screams of swimmers get louder.
LOWE THEN CHORUS
Pull for the shore, sailor, and pull for the shore!
Heed not the rolling waves, but bend to the oar;
Safe in the lifeboat, sailor, cling to self no more!
Leave the poor stranded wreck, and pull for the shore.
[NOTE: Survivors really did sing this song in boat 13. The song Lowe actually had them sing was "Throw out the life-line"] Screams stop, lights come back up on SENATOR as he talks to the audience.
SENATOR
Yes, several boats really sang to do anything to block the bone chilling screams. There are reports crewman made threats to anyone who wanted to row near the crowd. But it was mostly the woman majority in boats that collectively voted not to go back. Woman soon to be widows. What you see in the stories are gallantry while the ship was sinking. Such personal sacrifice. "Sit right here, take my blanket. Let me row."
God was there during the final hours till Titanic vanished. Then when it comes to these half full boats at least trying to pick up swimmers, only one boat went back! But the screams are gone in an hour or so. Then God and gallantry is back. "Here take my jacket, oh, no, you board the rescue ship first. Oh, no hot soup for me until everyone else has some."
Slowly the sound of hushed screams begin again while he talks, they get louder, like voices in his head. So he talks louder.
Where was God during that hour!? When he was needed most! The boats could have let a few of the nearest swimmers on and rowed off before being swamped. But I wasn’t there.
In the end I believe some men willingly gave their lives, I believe plenty of people wanted to go back. But the numbers and the reality are one boat out of 20 went back and saved three!
ISMAY calmly enters, unaware of the loud screams. The SENATOR is looking overworked and weary.
ISMAY
Excuse me Senator?!
ISMAY says this loud enough for SENATOR to hear when he’s still several feet away. The minute he speaks, the screams stop instantly. SENATOR turns to talk to him.
ISMAY
The hearings are all but over now. No one’s been able to prove any of the charges against me. May I go home?
SENATOR
No. (rubbing eyes)
Action quickly moves to stage left. KATE is with WANE.
KATE
I told you I have a rally to go to on Wednesday.
WANE
Darling, by Wednesday I’d hoped we could take the train to Niagara Falls and get married.
KATE
It’s so soon.
WANE
I just want to get away from all this.
Enter FLEET with a MARGO.
FLEET
Hold it right there, Mr. baby bottom hands, I asked around at the port about you. Then I talked to this newsman woman.
MARGO
I found out you didn’t make any money for a story in The Post.
KATE
Where’d you get all that money you have?
FLEET
He’s a gambler. Tell her your real name?
MARGO
We know you’re wanted by the New York police. But we won’t say a word if you’ll give me an exclusive story about being a con artist on board luxury liners.
KATE
He knew I’m not rich. How could he-
FLEET
Even a man who cheats at poker can still fall in love. What could be a better wife for a traveling card sharp then a pretty girl who’s always off busy protesting?
KATE
You cheat at cards?
WANE
No, I’m just a very good player. That’s in the past. Almost dying made me change.
KATE
Almost? I could kill you right now.
How could you lie to me!?
WANE
But I love you.
KATE
I’m chokin’ up it’s so romantic.
WANE’S hand comes out of the sling. He grabs Fleet by the collar and practically lifts him up. He’s about ready to punch him. MARGO tries to pull WANE off.
WANE
I will show you choked!
FLEET
Your hand was never hurt!
WANE
How did you know the police want me?
FLEET breaks away, WANE steps toward the exit.
FLEET
I didn’t. Just guessed after I heard you cleaned out several sailors last night.
KATE (to Wane)
Oh, I’m a modern independent woman, I always end up calling off my weddings anyway!
WANE is truly heartbroken, he begins to leave.
MARGO
Can’t you give me just a few quotes?
WANE
How’s this, drowned me right now!
WANE exits.
KATE
Good bye whatever your real name is!
MARGO
See you at the rally on Wednesday.
Exit MARGO.
KATE
Thank you Mr. Fleet.
FLEET
Least I did somethin’ good, maybe the old man upstairs will give me some repentance.
KATE
Don’t worry, God loves you, wherever she may be.
Lights go down as KATE and FLEET exit. Lights come back up on SENATOR and ISMAY.
SENATOR
(shakes his head)
By the way, women were given the vote in 1920.
ISMAY
Why tell me that? Are you tired?
SENATOR
I’ve worked nonstop. Mr. Ismay, I’m a man used to finding answers!
ISMAY
I’m used to having anything I want! Now I’m ruined. But I’m numb. I don’t have the nightmares or hear the screams like everyone else. Why can’t the dead and the era of building too big too fast be to blame? Did you have to put on a show?!
SENATOR
To make it easier to get new safety legislation!
Enter LIGHTOLLER.
LIGHTOLLER
That would have taken care of its self. Just this week the crew of the Olympic refused to go back out to sea until White Star provided lifeboats for everyone on board. Senator, you and your wife crossed on the Titanic’s sister ship just last year. Captain Smith gave you a tour. Did you scream and shout when you saw they didn’t have a full compliment of lifeboats?
SENATOR
The fact that we’re all guilty of complacency will be in my final report!
ISMAY
Assume I’m greedy with no soul. I proved I want to live! I am worth 40 millions dollars in 1912! Why would I cut corners on a ship with an unlimited budget, a ship I was going to be a regular passenger on!…The three men who were directly responsible for the safety of the ship that night perished without answering your questions. Then since God isn’t returning your phone calls, you turn me into the devil!
SENATOR
Watch your mouth!
ISMAY
Senator, perhaps there is a God. But have you considered that maybe I don’t think there’s such things as ghosts?
ISMAY motions LIGHTOLLER to follow him, he does like a loyal dog. They exit as LOWE enters.
LOWE
You know I hate Ismay. But he is innocent of every major crime he’s charged with. If he’d died or if the top brass had lived, his name wouldn’t be ruined.
SENATOR
After the wireless operator, you seem to be the only hero.
LOWE
No, there’s no legends of self-sacrifice among the living. I believe my entering a lifeboat saved lives. The shots I fired may have accidentally killed someone. I was aware when boat drills were ignored. I too was complacent, wanted to be promoted. We all have to find peace with God… Titanic was simply too big. You’re methods of finding answers were too big. When we don’t have all the answers we ask "where was God?"
SENATOR
And then more and more these days we expect the government to solve our problems.
LOWE
The Lord would never leave us. Perhaps God can’t be everywhere at once, but the love for our fellow man can be.
Exit Lowe. Suddenly ISMAY pops his head back in.
ISMAY
Senator, may I –
SENATOR
YES, YOU CAN GO HOME! (pause)
SENATOR (to audience)
Ismay never returned to the U.S. No criminal charges were ever filed against the company or any individual. As for Titanic’s passengers, in the end very little insurance money was ever paid out. The carefree spirit of the times was blamed. We learned modern technology can’t always conquer Mother Nature.
Naturally there was sweeping marine legislation to avoid future sea catastrophes. A year after Titanic, major investigations began in working and living conditions of the poor. Then just two years later income tax and World War One brought an end to the super rich ruling supreme.
ISMAY, LIGHTOLLER, LOWE and FLEET have lined up single file behind SENATOR.
SENATOR
As soon as I let J. Bruce Ismay go back to England he was called to testify at the British Titanic inquiry. He was raked through the coals there and in the press. Though for the second time he was cleared of wrong doing, he was forced out of White Star lines and retired from public life forever the scapegoat.
ISMAY
At least I outlived you by five years.
ISMAY exits with nose in the air, LIGHTOLLER was behind him.
SENATOR
Charles Lightoller served in World War One and returned to White Star but never was promoted to captain because he’d chosen to support Ismay. He died in 1952.
LIGHTOLLER
Tell them.
SENATOR (sighs)
During World War Two while almost 70 years old
he took his family’s yacht to Dunkirk and rescued 130 men. The overcrowded boat was bombed and machine-gunned along the way, but because of his skill as a seaman no hands were lost. (Exit LIGHTOLLER, Lowe was behind him.)
Harold Lowe, after becoming a commander in World War Two he returned home to Wales and worked in local politics. He died in 1944, rarely talking of the Titanic but always recognized for his selfless duty.
(whispers to audience while LOWE exits)
He had the best funeral of any of us…
Frederick Fleet stayed at sea for 24 more years, but was never forgiven for revealing that the binoculars were missing. Shortly after his wife’s death in 1965 he hung himself from the clothesline in his back yard.
FLEET
Do you have to tell everyone that! (exit Fleet)
SENATOR
As for me. My liberal stunts wore thin, I didn’t run for president but stayed effective in the senate for seven more years then went back to being a businessman. I slowly lost my spark and grew isolated. Now I’m a tiny footnote, but in my day I was a tiger.
And did God ever answer me? In some ways the world woke up and changed for the better, lives were saved with improved safety standards only a catastrophe like the Titanic could have brought. And how could God have not been at a place where in the face of death the band played on?
Slowly everyone comes back out and sings, "nearer thy God to thee." When they start bowing it becomes a liveler "It was sad when the great ship went down." SENATOR is encouraged to sing, he finally joins in.
THE END