ACT 1

The scene opens to a fast-paced full production number HE NEVER STOPS (View Act 1 , Scene 1) at an Elle magazine fashion shoot Models and a photographer are busy posing and snapping pictures. Jean-Dominique editorin-chief of the magazine enters and is instantly in charge

Cover of French Elle Magazine - Dec 1996

His magnetic charisma has everyone dancing to his tune instantly. The scene quickly moves to a boardroom where he is working on the layout of the next edition with his team, before shifting to a lunch where Jean-Dominique is the guest of honour. He is charming and has people wanting Jean-Dominique’s attention at all times. The last movement of this scene is Jean-Dominique collecting his son to go on a theatre trip. As the song reaches its climatic end, the scene is suddenly plunged into darkness except Jean-Dominique who is now trapped in a laser light prison.

Jean-Dominque wakes up in room 119, in the Hôpital Maritime, Berck-Sur-Mer almost two months later. From this moment on, he is divided by two performances His body who remains in the locked-in state and his active mind that narrates his story.

He is surrounded by his ex-partner (Sylvie de la Rouchefoucauld), his children (Théophile and Celeste), surgeons and nurses. His neurologist informs him that he has suffered a massive stroke and that he has a rare condition known as Locked-in Syndrome where the patient is lucid but completely paralysed. The sufferer is unable to move a single muscle, but Jean-Dominique does have the ability to blink with just his left eye which is his only means of communication. Devastated by this news, Jean-Dominique vents his frustrations HEAR ME (ViewAct1,Scene2), but convinces himself he can pull through this illness and make a quick recovery.

The next day Jean-Dominique is introduced to speech therapist Sandrine Fichou. She introduces the idea of an alphabet board where the letters are arranged in order of how frequently they appear in the French language. She read’s the alphabet aloud asking Jean-Dominique to blink when she lands on a letter, eventually forming a word, then a sentence.

Jean-Dominique is reluctant to learn, firmly believing he will make a full recovery soon and be out of the hospital within weeks. She leaves him to rest and during his sleep he reflects on a dream he is having He awakes to the terrifying reality of an Ophthamologist sewing up his right eye.

The Ophthamologist praises his bravery and promises to pray for him. PRAY (View Act 1 , Scene 3) Jean-Dominique recalls how there are people all over the globe praying for his recovery, but none more important than the prayer of his daughter Celeste.

Jean-Dominique, now recognising that the Hôpital Maritime is his new home for the foreseeable future, he reflects on the history of the hospital and Berck-sur-Mer WHO’D HAVE KNOWN (View Act 1 , Scene 4) when coming face to face with a statue of the hospital’s patroness Empress Eugénie.

The scene changes and we hear the sounds of heart monitors and general hospital machines at work. The machines seem to play rhythmically and become an orchestration Jean-Dominique shares the ups and downs of his daily routine EVERYDAY MIRICLES (View Act 1 , Scene 5) With the aid of the hospital staff, he his lifted from his bed, bathed, dressed, wheeled around the hospital until he ends up at his favourite spot in the hospital. A balcony that overlooks the lighthouse.

“Through the frayed curtain at my window a wan glow announces the break of day. My heels hurt, my head weighs a ton and something like a giant diving-bell holds my whole body prisoner.”

Maritime Hospital Berck-sur-Mer

We are introduced to the seductive physiotherapist, Brigitte. During one of Jean-Dominique’s physiotherapy sessions, he laments on how unbelievable it is to him that his body doesn’t react when touched by such a beautiful woman. THIS ISN’T FAIR (View Act 1 , Scene 6) He fantasises about dancing a tango with her whilst she rubs his aching limbs.

A few days later Sandrine makes another attempt to encourage Jean-Dominique to use her alphabet board This time he makes an effort to try the method, but quickly becomes impatient by the slow process. They are interrupted by the arrival of Sylvie and the children. Sylvie tells Jean-Dominique that she has spoken to his father, who he refers to as Papinou, who has been asking after him. JeanDominique is reminded of an occasion not long before his illness when he last met with his father to shave him. TURNING TIDES (View Act 1 , Scene 7)

“I came upon the Lighthouse. Tall, robust and reassuring, in red and white stripes that reminded me of a rugby shirt. I at once placed myself under the protection of this brotherly symbol, guardian not just of sailors but of the sick - those castaways on the shores of loneliness.”

At the end of the scene, he becomes aware that Sylvie and the children are with him and are as always being so loving. He becomes very emotional when he reflects on the way he left them for another woman and feels shame for the continued love that they share for him. Sylvie, seeing how upset JeanDominique is getting, encourages the children to go into the hospital’s corridors to buy some chocolate from a vending machine. She comforts JeanDominique, YOU’RE STILL HERE (View Act 1 , Scene 8) promising to remain by his side until he recovers.

Théophile and Celeste are waiting by a vending machine waiting for a doctor to make his choice Celeste is upset that her father has to stay in such a horrible place. Théophile tries to console her by explaining that while it is not the happiest place, it is the best place their father can be.

MAGIC KEY (View Act 1 , Scene 9) Théophile tells Celeste the doctors just need to find the key to unlock him. This sparks Celeste’s imagination into believing that there is a magic key somewhere in the magical kingdom of the Hôpital Maritime.

Sandrine Fichou makes another visit to room 119 to work with Jean-Dominique with her alphabet. He tries to focus but struggles and fails. He becomes overcome with frustration Sandrine can see that it is upsetting him and acknowledges that it isn’t easy. She encourages him to trust her and keep trying LIFEBOAT (View Act 1 , Scene 10) Slowly but surely, with much practice, JeanDominique learns the board and eventually spells the word ‘Merci’ to Sandrine.

“The identity badge pinned to Sandrine’s white tunic says ‘Speech Therapist’, but it should read ‘Guardian Angel’.”