Burton and Taylor Page #4

Spare ourselves any more pain.

Either from these idiots,

or from the ones who plonk themselves

down on the front row

and treat us like a bloody freak show.

But we can't just cancel.

The theater'd sue us.

Why don't we pay them?

I think I've got enough in

my current account. What about you?

Wouldn't entirely clear us out,

would it?

We pop in later today,

we bid a fond farewell

to the other actors and that's it.

We go our separate ways.

Sounds like bliss.

No, I won't give them the pleasure.

Richard, we're gonna do this play.

And we're gonna make people laugh,

we're gonna make people applaud.

And we're gonna make

a pile of money while we do it.

And no one, not them or anyone else,

is gonna stand in our way.

- Sibyl!

- Yes?

I've brought the cocktails

outside, hurry up.

Considering what

a hell she made your life,

I think you're very nice about her.

- And yet I'm sorry for her.

- Why?

Because she's marked for tragedy.

She's bound to make

a mess of everything.

If it's all her fault,

I don't see that it matters much.

You're a vile, loose-living

wicked little beast

and I never want to set eyes on you.

This is the end.

Do you understand?

Finally! And forever!

- You're not going like this.

- Yes, I am.

- You're not!

- Oh, yes, I am, let go of me!

Very enjoyable.

Never had much of that, anyhow.

Quite insufferable.

I expect it's because you're drunk!

- Keep going, you two!

- We love you, Liz!

- What the hell was that?

- What?

You were mugging for the audience.

- I?

- You were. I saw you.

- Oh, Elizabeth, costume...

- Shut your mouth! I'm talking to her.

Don't you dare speak

to my friends like that!

And don't you dare think that

you can tell me how to play my role.

They loved it. The audience loved it.

They adored that

they were in on the gag.

And the audience, may I remind you,

are the ones who are paying our wages.

Or rather, they're paying my company,

who are paying your wages.

F*** off!

- Richard. Rich!

- What?

Please.

Don't storm off like that.

Don't go off like that.

- When you still haven't apologized!

- B*tch!

- You bully! How dare you!

- Get off. Stop it!

- Don't you raise your hand to me!

- Well, stop f***ing hitting me!

Only when you've f***ing apologized!

- We're fine.

- We're just talking.

I'm sorry.

You're right. I was unprofessional.

It's all we have!

To rise above the rubbish in the stalls.

Richard, I was unprofessional,

you were rude. Which is much worse.

We do not treat those around us,

those who look after us, like dirt.

That is inexcusable. And you know it!

So, please, do the right thing now.

Now!

Or I am going to spend

the entire final act of this play

in full conversation

with whoever in the front row

wants to join in with me the most.

Chen? I...

I'm so sorry about that outburst.

My tone, I don't know what came over me.

It's fine, Rich.

Well, it won't happen again,

I can assure you. Sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Would you like some supper afterwards?

What?

I was wondering

if you'd care for a late supper.

What about Sally?

- Is she not in tonight? She usually is.

- No. She's busy.

- I think she might have gone to the Met.

- So's Victor.

- Gone to the opera?

- No. He's busy.

Oh, well, all the more reason, then.

Ideal.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

- So sorry I'm late.

- You're not.

Miss Taylor, Mr. Burton,

compliments of the management.

Oh, how lovely.

Thank you.

Can I get a Tab as well, please?

And some iced water?

- Of course, sir.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Menu, ma'am.

This is lovely. Very intimate.

- Menu, sir.

- Thank you.

I got a round of applause

when I came in.

I notice you didn't.

- What?

- Bizarre.

I mean, all these years,

they're still interested.

You'd think they'd tire, but...

Are you gonna be like this all night?

Just drifting off?

No, I was just thinking

of that restaurant in Rome.

- Alfredo's?

- Mmm-hmm?

Remember at the height of Le Scandale,

we were holed up in that little flat,

half the world's press on our doorstep,

cameras everywhere

and the Vatican telling us

we were morally reprehensible.

Then one day, you said,

"Sod it, let's go and have

some fettuccini at Alfredo's!"

Sure did.

We went down the Via Veneto

and into the restaurant, and bang!

Boy, did we go public!

Remember?

Every day.

I think we're ready to order, please.

I like this.

What?

I can be quiet with you.

You can't with Victor?

Sure I can. I'm saying, though,

it's also true of you.

Geez, can't a guy

take a compliment anymore?

Feeling's mutual, love, I promise.

Ma'am.

Sir.

It's funny, isn't it?

What's at the heart

of a good relationship.

I mean, love, obviously,

but that's a catch-all, really.

A sort of collective noun

for all the other bits put together.

The question is,

what's the critical element

around which everything else clusters?

Mmm.

- Er, passion?

- Maybe.

- Sex.

- Hmm. Important.

Very.

Trust.

That's not bad.

Being able to trust

one's most abject self to the other,

in the knowledge that

they'll tread carefully on your screams.

I always did feel like that with you.

Really?

That's what bound us? Trust?

I always thought it was my tits.

Yes, well, they clearly had a role.

And they are still magnificent,

by the way.

- May I say that?

- No, you may not!

They're not yours

to talk about anymore.

They'll always be mine.

So are we gonna have pudding

or go straight for coffee?

Richard, listen, listen, listen, listen.

I wanna say some things.

I've wanted to say them for a while.

I nearly did at Rock's,

but I don't know,

you seemed kind of frail.

I am kind of frail. I mean, it's a...

It's a worry.

I mean, it's the thing

that concerns me about Lear.

I'll be fine with the words

but it's the physical demands...

I'm not talking about acting, Richard.

I'm talking about you and me

and why we're doing this.

- $70,000 a week.

- That is not true.

Elizabeth, please.

Can I say something,

now that it's on my mind?

There's a couple of things which have

crept in over the course of the run.

They're tiny things,

but your first entrance, for instance.

You're now playing it very confidently,

which I think is

losing some sense of

Amanda protecting herself,

- which she undoubtedly is.

- You're giving me notes?

I'm trying to talk to you

and you're giving me acting notes?

- No...

- Jesus, Richard! What are you doing?

- Why did you ask me out tonight?

- What?

Why did you ask me out

to supper tonight?

Why did you do that?

Because I wanted to see you.

You're my ex-wife.

It's perfectly natural for me

to want to see you, isn't it?

Fine, in which case,

I'll take that note.

Where did my Antony go, remember?

The man who would've risked

everything for me.

Who did! He tossed it all against

the rocks so he could be with me.

Where did he go, Richard?

Tell me where my f***ing Antony went!

Thank you.

- There's still no sign.

- We need to start.

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