ICEBERG RIGHT AHEAD
INTRODUCTION
“Iceberg – right ahead!” The immortal words spoken by lookout Frederick Fleet which signalled the beginning of the end for the White Star Line steamship, RMS Titanic. A dramatic account of the Titanic tragedy. From the calm afternoon of 14th April 1912 to the rescue by RMS Carpathia on the morning of 15th April. Followed by the British Government Inquiry six week’s later.
Written by Chris Burgess
Commissioned, devised and originally directed by John Plews
Cast comprises: 5 males/4 females
Act 1: 70 minutes (interval) Act 2 & Act 3: 60 minutes
SETTING
Act 1: Set on board RMS Titanic with a deck area, a crew cabin and the lookout’s crows nest.
Act 2: Set in two lifeboats whose occupants look off-stage to witness the sinking of the ship.
Act 3: Takes place at the Inquiry with a desk for the Attorney General and a podium for the witnesses.
STORYLINE
Act 1: Scene 1: We meet the two lookouts Fred Fleet & Reg Lee in the crew’s quarters who have a heated argument with Quartermaster Robert Hitchens. Violet Jessop, the first class stewardess, witnesses the altercation.
Act 1: Scene 2: We meet Quigg Baxter, a Canadian playboy, who is escorting his mother, the eccentric Mrs Helene Baxter. On deck they bump into J Bruce Ismay, the self satisfied owner of the ship, who telkls them how splendidly the voyage is progressing. We also meet Quigg’s Belgium mistress, Bertha Mayne, who he has installed in a second class cabin unbeknown to his mother.
There are several further scenes in the Crow’s Nest / the Cafe Parisienne where we meet Margaret ‘Molly’ Brown.
Act 1: Concludes with lookout Fred Fleet ringing the alarm bell and shouting “Iceberg Right Ahead”.
Act 2: Opens with the crew getting the passengers into the lifeboats. Some get aboard lifeboat no. 6 and others are in lifeboat 13. There is much discussion the both lifeboats as the disaster unfolds. The end of Act 2 comes as the survivors see the resuce ship, the Carpathia, approaching. There is then a blackout and scene change to the Inquiry when we hear witness statements that are taken from the real transcriptions of both the American and British Hearings.
The play concludes with each character describing their fate.
ICEBERG RIGHT AHEAD - CAST BREAKDOWN
Frederick Fleet: Lippy Liverpudlian, always ducking and diving, a look-out
Playing age: 26
Reginald Lee: Slow witted, Southerner, sweet natured, a look-out
Playing age: 41
Robert Hichens: Fiery Cornishman, quartermaster, fond of a drink
Playing age: 29
Margaret (Molly) Brown: Forthright, outspoken American socialite
Playing age: 44
J. Bruce Ismay: Self-satisfied, owner of the ship, chairman of the White Star Company
Playing age: 49
Bertha Mayne: Very attractive Belgian ‘singer’, clandestine girlfriend of Quigg Baxter
Playing age: 24
Violet Jessop: Pretty Irish girl, First Class Stewardess, previously worked on board the Olympic
Playing age: 24
Quigg Baxter: Good-looking Canadian play-boy, diamond merchant
Playing age: 24
Attorney General: Sir Rufus Isaacs – British, authoritative, incisive inquisitor
Playing age: 50’s
(above two parts can be played by one performer if necessary)
Mrs Helene Baxter: Quigg’s mother, fussy, always out of sorts
Playing age: 50
Ettie Dean: Working class Londoner, ex-pub landlady, has nine-week-old daughter
Playing age: 32
(above two parts can be played by one performer if necessary)
ICEBERG RIGHT AHEAD - STAGE SET
Act 1: A cabin in the crew’s quarters/ the promenade deck/the crow’s nest.
Act 2: Small section of Titanic’s boat deck/lifeboat 6 & lifeboat 13.
Act 3: The Scottish Drill Hall with desk and ornate chair/ the witness podium and large Titanic diagram.
WORDING FOR THE PROGRAMME
Act I: Afternoon of 14th April 1912
Act 2: Early hours of 15th April 1912
Act 3: Between 2nd May – 3rd July 1912
RECORDED MUSIC
All music is from: Titanic: Music as heard on the fateful voyage:
The White Star Orchestra (Rhino Records).
SOUND FX
1) Ship’s engines throbbing
2) On deck: Gentle Breeze & Waves
3) Morse Code
4) Crow’s Nest: Strong Wind
5) Clock ticking
6) Ice scraping along the hull
7) The sinking: passenger ambience/band playing in distance/babies crying/flares/sinking soundscape/passengers in the water
8) Lifeboats: Wind picking up / Waves
9) Scene change: Shine On Harvest Moon
10) Closing moments: Nearer My God to Thee
11) Walk Out: Harry Chapin – Dance Band on the Titanic
RIGHTS
‘Iceberg Right Ahead’ is available for both professional and amateur companies in the UK and the rest of the world.
If you would like to produce ‘Iceberg Right Ahead’ please contact John at Ovation’s London office on: 44 (0) 7973 502 189 email: john@ovationproductions.com