ACT II – Anger
No blackout. No transition.
VOLODYA
I thought it would be, Fyodor.
FYODOR
But we see, it is not!
VOLODYA
Yes, we see it is not, Fyodor!
FYODOR
We are trapped! Doomed!
ELISABETH
Enough!
NUN BARBARA
Show respect.
Konstantin and Ioann, Igor’s brothers, cry together silently.
ELISABETH
Bitterness will not sustain us.
FYODOR
Nothing will sustain us.
Volodya and Nun Barbara take Igor and place him beside the brothers so they can mourn.
ELISABETH
Fyodor, I understand–
FYODOR
You do not understand! If you do, you choose to be ignorant. You lie to us.
ELISABETH
I do not lie.
FYODOR
Wellbeing is not important when all that shall happen is death. You said it would be alright.
VOLODYA
Do not place that on her; I said so.
FYODOR
And she goes along with it.
VOLODYA
Perhaps, but do not place blame where it should not be.
FYODOR
She is too calm to not be the responsible party.
VOLODYA
Your logic is not sound!
ELISABETH
Volodya, it is alright. As I said, bitterness will not sustain us.
NUN BARBARA
Spirits are better in praise than sorrow.
FYODOR
Quiet, you!
ELISABETH
Do not speak to a woman of God in such a manner!
FYODOR
I will do as I like; God does not reside here.
NUN BARBARA
How dare you!
FYODOR
How dare I speak the truth? Look, Sister. Do you see Salvation here?
ELISABETH
Apologize to her.
FYODOR
I shall not apologize for speaking my mind and sharing truth.
ELISABETH
Do not proclaim it as truth–
FYODOR
And do not act as if this is holy ground!
VOLODYA
Fyodor, stop!
FYODOR
How can you defend her? It is because of her that we are down here.
VOLODYA
We are down here by no fault of any of us.
FYODOR
(staring daggers at Elisabeth) True. It is to do with that sister of yours.
ELISABETH
(cold) You said a lot in anger, Fyodor. Choose your next words carefully.
FYODOR
You no longer frighten me.
ELISABETH
I do not wish to scare you. However, I will not tolerate any words spoken against my sister.
NUN BARBARA
Please, Fyodor. We do not need hostility now.
Fyodor sees that he has no support.
FYODOR
Am I the only one angry about this?
ELISABETH
Not at all. We are all upset–
FYODOR
I did not say ‘upset’; I said angry.
VOLODYA
You are not the only one angry. We simply do not place that anger on others.
FYODOR
Or perhaps you are too cowardly to stand up to her.
VOLODYA
No. I simply have respect.
FYODOR
I do not respect her.
VOLODYA
It is clear you do not. Otherwise, you would not speak to the Grand Duke’s cousin in such a manner.
FYODOR
Do not say anything of him–
VOLODYA
‘Tis a double standard. You may say what you want of her sister, but I may not say anything of your friend and employer.
Nun Barbara turns away and starts singing a hymn: Let My Prayer Arise. Elisabeth joins
FYODOR
Leave his soul be!
VOLODYA
Then leave her sister be!
Ioann and Konstantin join Nun Barbara, both struggling for different reasons
FYODOR
If you must say–
VOLODYA
Silence.
FYODOR
Pardon?
VOLODYA
Quiet!
After a beat, Volodya joins in. Fyodor does not join, but concedes and sits besides Sergei’s body
Alexandra TG 