Original subtitles

So you were telling me that

we found you here in this building, this night,

because you came to murder your wife's lover?

Yes.

As I informed you, sir,

you may request a solicitor anytime.

As I informed you, I waived that right.

Do you mind if I take notes?

No.

Sir William Douglas.

How do you account for the blood on your hands?

That is blood, is it not?

I--I'm not sure.

I've been Inspector for the Yard for...

over 20 years. I can assure you it is blood.

W--What I meant to say is...

I'm not exactly sure how it got there.

I--I don't recall.

There was a pool of blood

found in the main auditorium of this building.

Yes, I... I think I remember being there.

And finding Sterling Gordon's body?

I guess so.

Same person you requested in a letter

to meet you here tonight.

Yes.

Sterling, I must see you.

You know why. 8 PM at our club building

This must come to an end.

This letter?

Yes.

We found it next to this.

Which... I believe you have handled.

It was in his chest.

-Sterling Gordon's? -Yes.

And you pulled it out?

-I must have. -And why did you do that?

Because I didn't know if he was dead.

I--I thought maybe if I--I pulled the knife out,

I could stop the bleeding.

But you've stated your intention was to kill him.

Yes, but... after seeing all that blood, I--

The same blood that's on your hands.

Yes, the same blood.

And then?

And then I... I must have blacked out.

And the reason you asked Mr. Gordon

to meet you here is because you suspected

he was having an affair with your wife

-Is that right? -No, no, no.

Suspected is the wrong word. I know he was.

How is it that you know that?

Welcome to check with a former colleague of yours,

Constable Griffin.

His investigative reports should satisfy you

into their affair, as they did me.

Why didn't you confront your wife first?

Because I've known Sterling for over 20 years.

We attended Oxford together.

And his betrayal on this matter,

well, I've already told you my intention on meeting him.

I see. So you thought it best

to meet him here and kill him?

Yeah, I wanted complete privacy so I could remind him of his vows

which he made in this club over alters.

Which, if he acknowledged he broke,

would mean his life must be taken.

I'm also a member of this Club Osiris,

and well aware of the commitments we make here.

But there are many ways to interpret those vows

and the penalties for breaking them

and it's certainly extremely debatable

whether or not you

should be the one taking his life.

-Yes, well, I-- -Anyway,

we can revisit that later.

So, once inside, you locked the front doors?

Yes. Yes, but...

but Sterling was already here,

waiting for me in the main auditorium.

-Are you sure about that? -Yes, I'm sure.

And in fact, if I locked the doors,

then how did you gain entrance, Inspector?

We heard reports of screaming

inside the building.

And after finding the front doors locked,

I remembered the secret back entrance.

Right. And that's where you found me, is it?

After fully searching the building, yes.

Tell me something,

since the time you and Mr. Gordon attended Oxford,

would you say you've remained close friends?

Why are you asking that?

Well, I'm trying to establish that

because you've known him for so many years

you wouldn't be mistaken that you pulled out

-this knife out of his-- -Of course,

I would not be mistaken.

- William.

I hear you think you've killed me.

But--but I--I saw you. You... you were dead.

Sorry to disappoint.

Very much alive.

I came here upon the inspector's request.

I got your note, gave it to the inspector here.

Looks like someone's made a rather royal mess of it.

Obviously, I couldn't attend per your invite

for I had other plans this evening.

William, it looks like you've murdered the wrong person.

Mr. Gordon, please.

Inspector, why exactly am I here?

Well, for Sir William to see you very much alive.

Satisfied?

However, this has made me late for a rendezvous.

I'm sure you know of whom I speak.

-You sick son of a-- -None of that, sir.

Please. Sit down.

William, you've already thought

you killed me once this evening.

You really can't keep trying.

I don't know what sick game you're playing, Sterling.

But you certainly won't get away with this.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

Please see the physician I've referred you to.

Am I free to go?

Oh, by the way, Gabrielle's outside.

She's as concerned as I am you're losing your marbles.

-Is she here? -She is.

Well, be careful. She is beguiling.

I think I've dealt

with a few such women in my life, thank you.

Not like her, you haven't.

She's a femme fatale, as the French would say.

First things first. The body, the knife,

the blood on your hands.

Hold on a minute. I-- If--if...

If I saw Sterling

alive just now, then who did I see?

Well, the truth is, sir,

we haven't found a body or anyone actually dead.

-I beg your pardon? -As of yet.

I'm sick of waiting.

William, what on earth have you done?

Sterling just told me you may have murdered a man.

No, I don't believe I have.

Well, then, why was Stirling here?

Well, you may be the one who has to answer that, Gabrielle.

We need to have a serious talk,

but away from here. Inspector, what is it exactly

you want to ask my wife?

Please.

Where were you this evening, Lady Douglas?

Where your constables found me, at our home.

And you spent the entire day there?

Yes. Except for purchasing some floral arrangements.

-And the name of that shop? -The Rosebud.

Let me ask the questions, sir.

They will confirm you were there, will they?

Yes, of course, William.

Sir, I am the one asking the questions.

Well, do you have any of significance?

And if you do not, can we go now?

If you could stay a little longer,

-it might help to-- -You have no charges.

You don't even have a dead body.

Please. Indulge me.

Why would I? Sterling is clearly alive.

I obviously did not kill him, did I?

Well, you yourself remember waking

next to a dead body holding that knife.

Well, now I have serious doubts

what I do and I do not remember.

All I do know is I must have a private conversation with my wife.

Gabrielle, let's go.

If you could only accompany me

to the main auditorium

and where we found you unconscious,

it might really help.

Yes. Yes, it could help restore your memory, William.

Isn't that right, Inspector?

That would be my hope.

You certainly recall entering the building

and locking those front doors, is that right?

Yes.

With keys you no longer have.

When I came to, they were gone.

I see. What is peculiar

is that the only footprints in here are yours.

You have mud on your shoes

from the rain earlier this evening.

Mr. Gordon's shoes were clean.

There are no other prints in here.

You must have stopped here to survey the murder scene.

Yes. I do recall being here.

But you've been reading far too many

Strand detective magazines, Inspector.

William. William, please.

William, stop. We must talk.

Now, really?

'Cause you didn't seem to want to before.

Well, not in front of him. Look, whatever you think

is going on between Sterling and myself,

I can assure you it is not.

I found his letters to you, Gabrielle.

Well... you know Sterling.

That's just him expressing his poetic soul.

He gets infatuated and carried--

Gabrielle, I saw you with him.

William, it's not what you think, it--

Nothing is what we think it is.

So this is where I'm supposed

to have stabbed someone to death, is it?

Someone you can't even find?

Well, this is where we found you.

Unconscious, holding the knife

and where you remember being.

And the bump on the back of your head

indicates you fell against this chair.

Yes, well, I could have a bump on the head

for numerous reasons.

Well, this is where the body appears

to have been lying.

Appears? What kind of language is that

for a Scotland Yard inspector?

Oh, my. That's a great deal of blood.

Here.

Aren't you at all concerned for your wife, sir?

No, not in the least.

How dare you, William?

Inspector, I have absolutely no idea

what's happened here,

but I do not believe, for one minute,

that I stabbed someone and then fell

and bumped my head on the back of a chair.

Would you please stop making a jest of this, William?

And then, Inspector, as you would have it,

whilst I was unconscious, whoever I did stab

quickly recovered themselves, took my keys,

whilst leaving a pool of blood behind them.

But not a single drop of blood

anywhere else in the building.

-Well-- -If I may ask you, Inspector,

where is this dead person that you speak of?

- If you could just-- - No. One second,

I'm not finished.

Inspector, why did you present me

with my letter to Sterling covered in blood

when Sterling made it clear

he'd given you the letter?

Certainly wouldn't have been

crumbled and bloodied, would it?

This is not a crime scene you have here.

This is a mere circus. And I'm leaving.

William. Stop.

You always were such a clever boy, William.

I always liked that about you.

I had a feeling you'd figure out this ruse.

What are you still doing here, sir?

Enjoying the show.

You are a conniving bastard, aren't you?

Did you really think you can get away

with framing me for murdering someone,

whoever that may be,

and then simply walking away with her?

William, you don't believe I had anything to do with this?

If everyone could just stop for a minute.

Indeed, William.

I fully intend for you to hang.

And yes, we do indeed have a body.

Fresh from White Chapel this morning.

My height, my build, just not me.

And as for Gabrielle, well,

she won't walk to me; she'll run.

-Please don't say that. -You are insufferable.

And I won't be spoken to in this manner.

Sir William. Not another step.

And you, sir, put that blade down.

Not a chance in hell.

Gentlemen, this cannot continue

in this manner. -Oh...

Oh, this is all becoming far too much.

I will not stand here and be threatened

by a wife stealer.

I'd hardly call it stealing.

Believe me. She belongs to me now.

Sir William, I will not hesitate to use this--

Marvelous.

Who knew you had that in you?

It's you that's responsible for her behaviour.

It's got to end now.

-I'm not finished. -Put it down, Sterling.

You can't be serious.

How many times have you told me

you wished he were dead?

You must stop saying such things.

Stop.

Darling, you're not going to shoot me.

Not part of the plan.

Haven't you caused enough pain?

You know nothin' of pain.

Nothin'. Nothin' of longin'.

You've gotten everything you ever wanted in life

as if owed to you, even Gabrielle.

Why did you seduce her

in this devious scheme of yours?

You really think this was my plan?

No more, Sterling.

He's not worth it, Gabrielle.

No matter what you've done.

You hear him?

He's so high and mighty and I'm worth nothing?

Well, I'll be damned if I ever take this from you again!

What the hell have you done?

I didn't... I didn't mean.

Oh, Sterling.

Is he dead?

Gabrielle?

Why? Why did you kill him?

What?

You shot him. Why?

What are you... What are you talking about?

Have you lost your mind?

No, I haven't. You're the one holding the gun.

Won't be my prints on it.

You'll never get away with this.

I already have.

You planned this whole deception

Even the affair with Sterling.

But the inspector was right, you did commit a murder.

Oh, poor Sterling didn't realize he was the one

who was actually going to die.

Why? Why would you do all this?

Your money, of course. And yes, that does include

all of your estates and investments.

Oh, and especially those wonderful titles

that bring everlasting fame.

Oh, I have always liked you, William, truly.

Even when I was with him, I was thinking of you.

Well, usually.

But I must admit, I'm going to enjoy

having all that money and power all to myself

-without your constant control. -I'll kill you first.

Oh, William, there was only one bullet in it.

I made sure. Trust me, darling.

You would have killed me. I don't believe it!

You just killed Sterling.

He was a dispensable pawn!

I think you mean to say that you killed him.

You ought to get used to saying that, William.

Sir William.

Sir William?

Sir William? Sir William?

Are you all right, sir?

Appears we were hit by the same woman.

-I'm not sure what you mean. -Where did she go?

She wasn't here when I woke.

He's dead. And it appears the killer used my revolver.

Which you were holding--

-No. No, no, no. -What, what, what? What?

-It's not working. -What?

-It's not working. -What isn't working, Will?

I just don't think that Sir William

would be this gullible.

We've been over this a dozen times. Come on.

Sir William's ego has been blinded

by the-- by the-- into a false sense of thinking

that he knows everything

and he's pulling everyone's strings

like a puppet master or something.

No, no, no, I get that. I get that. That's not my problem.

-I've got a new issue. -Hmm.

What now?

Surely William would have figured out

there's a problem with Sterling's letter

long before he suddenly shows up again.

You know, there's blood on it one minute,

and there's not blood on it the next minute.

You're right, you're right. I'll fix this.

And also, why would...

why would Sterling show up at the inspector's request

when aren't they trying to make William believe

that he may have murdered him?

Fine. Yeah. I'll fix that too.

Yes.

Bloody hell!

Out of interest, Will, how long do I have to lay

on the floor here while you and War

keep you rewriting this thing to death?

Oh, and Gabrielle, how does she know

there's only one bullet in the inspector's revolver?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll fix that too.

But, Will, look, the problem is,

if, uh, if the true Gabrielle isn't revealed

at the beginning, how do we keep the suspense

of not knowing what she's really up to?

Tell me something I don't know.

Oh, hey. If you two are gonna take a rewrite break,

can I at least get out of this bloody costume?

Yeah, yeah.

I--I can change that bit.

And then the reveal comes later.

But then it means no rooftop scene.

Mate, I'll be honest with you,

I never really liked it in the first place

for that final scene.

-Really? -Yeah.

Great.

Then why did I spend two days writing it?

Hey. Text me the new sides.

Coffee? Coffee?

-No. -No.

Gabby?

Ugh, guys? When was anyone going to tell me

-we were on break? -We're on a break.

Thanks.

Just-- just keep at it, all right?

This will throw a wrench into Gabrielle's overall plan.

Well, I'm not really sure Gabby's character

would jump so easily

from one man to another, to be honest.

No, that's exactly what she would do.

Come on, let's see what's in that twisted mind of yours.

Okay.

It's gonna be really harsh, a cold, cold ending.

Love always turns cold.

Uh, if he's getting changed and comfortable, so am I.

Oh, and with the knife.

If you introduce that into the first scene--

Yeah, it has to come back later.

I know. Thank you very much.

That's pretty basic stuff.

My God. Are you pissed off

about something, mate?

Will...

I thought we finished this play a month ago.

And I agree your idea to rehearse it here

in this bizarre place is-- -is working,

it's making it better and more real.

But every time we make these kind of changes,

it has a ripple effect on the entire storyline.

Bloody ripple effect. It's all I keep hearing.

If I had a pound of every time you said that,

I'd be able to finance this show three times over.

Well, at some point we have to stick

with what's on the page.

Who says? Who says we have to?

Look, we've been talking about collaborating

on this for years now.

And finally, after a 100 crappy acting jobs,

I can afford to pay for this

amazing West End production.

Yeah. And inheriting 250 grand from your aunt.

You can't blame me for wanting this to be perfect.

Perfect is the enemy of good, mate.

So you remember my Voltaire?

Now, that was a role I absolutely loved.

Well, it only ran for, like, what, 10 days?

So? Doesn't mean it wasn't perfect.

Look, just keep at it more, okay?

This is just a big break for you

as it is for me. And I know that dialogue

is in that incredible brain of yours.

It just-- just needs to be set free.

Yeah, by driving me over the edge.

Hey, join the club. But it's that pressure

that just brings out the best of both of us.

I'll be upstairs.

Preview's in less than two weeks.

Yeah, you don't have to tell me.

Oh, and, Will, can I drop the accent?

I'm really rubbish at it.

Sure, sure. Yeah, you'll be fine.

What am I doing?

I'm just going down a rabbit's hole.

Have I created just too many twists?

Creates great dialogue, sure, but...

just means more lines, more damn issues.

There are too many flashbacks to the past of...

Am I just creating intrigue or confusion?

Why am I even doing this?

This is-- this is meant to be fun.

Just want to feel the energy again,

get my creative control back.

Full of excitement, and spontaneity.

And what have I got to show for it?

I'm leaking money left, right and center,

all because of these bloody bills.

What am I going to do about Gabby and Sterling?

How did I not think that it would drive me absolutely crazy?

All of us together again.

How can I make this tension work to my advantage?

They must believe that I might kill them all.

You have to push it so far...

they don't know what you'll do next.

Well, I am knackered

and we're barely through the first act.

I think it's going pretty well so far.

Your smokey Earl Grey, princess.

Who are you texting?

-Jealous? -Should I be?

Does my mother count?

- Be careful. - Come on.

Will has been down there for an hour, reworking,

rewriting every single line.

We just need to get through these rehearsals.

I understand.

But I am kind of tired of sneaking around.

Yes. Said everybody

who's ever been in this situation.

I think it's just harder on us

because we've known each other so long.

Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this sun of York.

And all our clouds that loured upon our house

In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

All our brows bound with victorious wreaths;

Our bruised arms hung up for monuments.

A Stern alarums changed to merry meetings.

Worship will get you nowhere. He's not a god,

no matter how much he thinks he is.

Dreadful marches to delightful measures.

Icarus was still beautiful to watch take flight.

Grim-visaged war

hath smoothed his wrinkled front.

And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds

To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,

He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber

To the lascivious pleasings of a lute.

Will's always been the one destined for stardom.

Yeah, and you have always sold yourself short.

No, it's not that. It's just he's more obsessed to succeed.

And now, he's about to get everything he ever wanted.

And it's exactly the time that we could rip his life apart.

Are you kidding?

Look, if he finds out about us before we open,

he will cut us instantly.

Trust me, you...

you have no idea how vindictive Will can be.

We're going to be history to him anyway.

Look, what I keep wondering is if Will

has Warrick writing this play just to torture us.

Do you know what, though, it doesn't matter

how much pain we go through now.

This show's going to be a hit. I can feel it.

And then I will get to wherever I need to be.

And where is that?

Yes, Gabby. Where is that?

Oh, jeez, Will.

This place is creepy enough

without you sneaking up on us, my heart just stopped.

Well, at least I didn't break it, right?

Well, you have to admit,

this place gives off some seriously haunted vibes.

I know, right? That's why I chose it.

I want... I want that edginess

to come through so the audience experiences it as well.

And it's actually exactly how I designed

the sets for the play.

It should be ready in a few weeks now.

I'll tell you what, I can't wait.

Has to be costing you a fortune.

All for us, darling,

so we can finally star on the West End together.

And hopefully, I won't have to do any more

of those bloody TV ads.

Oh, but Will,

you were fantastic in those pot noodle commercials.

You'll be missed.

Oh, well, maybe you should just have to take my place.

You're good at that.

You know what, we were just talking

about how far we've all come

since our drama school days.

Oh, you'll always be my Desdemona

that I lost my heart to every night

and wanted to strangle.

I was awful in that production.

What are you talking about? You were terrific.

You actually made it so easy for me

to actually want to throttle you.

You know, you are becoming as strange as this place.

You know what, she always thought

you should have played Iago in that one.

I was Shylock that season, remember?

Ah, yes, yes, searching for your pound of flesh.

You know, it is remarkable to me

that we're in this production together

after all we've been through.

Don't you mean still going through?

Well, I am worried about War. He looks exhausted.

Don't worry about War.

He's tougher than you think.

Plus, suffering has always made the best writers.

When they get to that darkness,

it brings out their inner demons.

Yeah, but I mean, he's revising it so fast,

it feels like he's just... writing about us.

What an interesting thought.

Yeah, you... you know what I mean.

No. Actually, I don't.

But as long as you two aren't planning on killing me,

then you shouldn't have to worry

about what Warrick does.

I'm sure it'll turn out brilliantly.

Oh, speak of the devil.

I told you he wouldn't let us down.

He's got the sides ready now.

Uh, hey, hey, hey.

When are we supposed to learn all these new lines?

When you're putting on your turn

of the century knickers, darling.

Well, these new twists, they read great, mate.

Hmm.

It's just the staging I'm well worried about.

Always a casualty when we keep altering plot lines.

Well, we just need to figure out

how we're going to get Sir William

from the main hall into the side room.

Yeah, which is why I moved the action sequence

to the end of the second act.

Yeah, that's just still too convenient.

Will, you can't have it both ways.

Look, if you need your character

to move from this spot, and at the same time

clear the entire stage for the next act,

it has to happen the way I've written it.

Hey!

You really think my character should act

this simple-minded?

-Yes. -And why on earth, would I?

Well, first and foremost, as Noel Coward once said,

-for the paycheck. -Ha-ha, yeah.

You know exactly what I'm getting at.

My character is smarter than this.

Or he certainly was in the first draft

you guys came up with. He was a lot more edgy

than what you're turning him into now.

Hmm. Not really.

Don't be dogmatic. Where's the tension now, huh?

Where's the rivalry between our characters

that we were building?

He's bloody cheating with your scheming wife.

-That I do know. -Oh come on, War.

Why is my character now the one suddenly

with a conscience, huh?

He's a handsome rogue in the first act

and a clueless idiot in the second.

Because, Sterling, deep down, that's who he is.

Are you sure about that?

Sterling...

you are no method actor. Okay? You are who you are,

and it makes you genuine and likeable on the stage.

Which, in turn, helps us evolve your character

into being who he really is

and helps the audience believe in you.

Take Gabby, for example.

For some reason, she has to morph

into every damn character she's ever played.

Let that be a warning to you.

Hmm. So, she won't be embodying

her last character of Joan of Arc, huh?

No, not at all.

She has no self-sacrifice in her soul.

She's more Lady Macbeth.

Which I'll remind you, she's just come off

playing her in the short one in Canterbury.

Oh, well...

Why are you having a go at Gabby?

She's nailed every single line

we've written for her. You know, she's managed to cope

with all the changes and twists we've come up with.

She's never complained once.

So you now believe

you're defending the innocent, do you?

None of us are innocent, Will.

Oh, come on. Look, the two of you have been

butting heads ever since I've known you.

Now, I have no idea how she's put up

with it for all these years.

Oh, and anyway she's not the one

complaining about the changes in her character, is she?

All Sterling is doing is simply asking questions,

which he always has done. And he's just inquiring

about the play and his character.

And in an all fairness, we keep making changes on.

But I'm more interested--

amused would be a better word--

by your knight in shining armor defense on Gabby.

Care to enlighten us?

I will not take your bait.

We all know that you...

you thrive on creating tensions.

Gives you some kind of weird energy.

And I'm not in the mood.

-Well, that was interesting. -I don't care.

Look, it's not just the changes to the character

I'm worried about, okay?

What about this action sequence, huh?

How on earth am I going to run all these places

on a simple stage?

Sterling, don't worry.

Will, and somehow, my character

is still supposed to be menacing.

Yes, you'll still be threatening.

You're so athletic and imposing,

the audience is going to think

you're dangerous no matter what.

Maybe. But all I do know is my character

could be so much more.

Every actor thinks that.

If you cut Mercutio's lines here,

we lose the essence of what he represents.

You're kidding me, right?

He practically steals this play

long before those lines.

You're just worried I'm gonna take away

from your Romeo.

Sterling, that's why Mercutio is so mercurial, get it?

I mean, there's always the dominating presence.

You've never thought anybody else's ideas

were good apart from your own.

I'm not sure why you're deciding to reevaluate

what ideas are good and not of mine, but, go on.

It's your production. It's brought it out in me.

What is it you want to get off your chest, Sterling?

It's a violent play you're directing.

Full of malice, brutality, murder.

Oh. Is it?

But you have no idea what true violence is.

I know your story.

You've had it cozy your entire life.

You've never had to live hand to mouth.

You've had everything.

I can picture you. Alone, sitting on your designer sofa

in front of your vast bookcases,

thumbing a leather-bound book on war.

Knights, battles.

But you see, you don't know real violence.

You don't know what it's like to be beaten

every single night by a drunken father.

Hiding, hoping, praying

that tonight's the night he doesn't come in your room

when you hear him stumble up the stairs.

You think you know about brute force

and how people react to it.

I am telling you, you have no idea.

Brutality is not clever, Will.

It's ugly.

Emotions spiral out of control into rage

and you end up doing things you wouldn't normally do.

Can you do me a favor?

I would like you to close your eyes for me.

Close your eyes, Sterling.

Now, take yourself back

to that intensity and pain that you just revealed to me.

I want you to feel...

that hurt and vulnerability

that you felt as a child.

Feel it boiling inside of your gut.

Okay. Now, bring it back.

Bring it back up for me, Sterling.

You see, I don't need to experience real pain.

I don't even need to have lived through

any sort of violence.

You see, all I need is just to pull it from you.

Okay, everyone. Back to work.

Sir William. Sir William?

You all right, sir?

-Is he dead? -Quite so.

And it appears the killer used my revolver,

which you were holding.

No need for hysterics, Lady Douglas.

Please join us down here.

Is Sterling dead?

Inspector, listen to me. After she knocked you out,

she's the one who shot Sterling with your revolver.

The last thing I remember is that she fainted over there.

Yes. And who do you think hit you from behind?

William, why are you saying such things?

When I woke up, you and the inspector

were knocked down. Sterling was gone.

I ran to find help

and that's when I heard the gunshot.

You should be an actress,

you're such a good liar, Gabrielle.

Inspector, I'm telling you, she's the one

that shot Sterling.

And you are not in your right mind.

Well, you did just suffer a blow to your head, sir.

Yes. And both came from her.

It's you who hated Sterling.

It's you who sent him a letter

to meet you here this evening

so that you could kill him.

I did not kill him! She did!

Not another step, sir!

-That gun is empty. -I doubt it.

I loaded it myself this morning.

You may have. But she's the one that's emptied it.

Trust me, I know.

Because I tried to shoot her with it.

You did what?

It was when you were unconscious.

Look, it doesn't matter.

Look at her, she's a little mocking devil.

Not another step, sir.

You're not gonna shoot me.

-I wouldn't bet on it. -Go ahead.

Like I said, it's empty.

I'll never be safe from you.

You're alive.

You all right?

-You bloody fool. -Well, I wasn't expecting him

to take off running.

-Get after him. -All right.

I had to grab him I know wasn't part of your plan.

I hire an alcoholic inspector,

and that's what I get.

He still has the power to arrest William for murder.

But William knows you're still alive.

Aye. But we still have the dead body.

Right. Right.

We'll put him in your clothes.

Put bullets through his face,

make him unrecognizable.

And then we'll have the inspector testify at trial

of William confessing to believing he murdered you.

-And I stay hidden until-- -Get after him. He can't escape.

Oh God.

Sir William!

This building is sealed tight.

Hey. Head to the front door

and make sure he doesn't try to escape, all right?

William!

William, you know I'll find you!

William?

Come out, come out, wherever you are.

What have you done?

What were you thinking, Will? It's just a rehearsal.

It was supposed to end with him catching you, remember?

Have you completely lost your mind?

What the hell happened?

-Are you okay? -My head hurts.

S-- sorry about that. I...

I just got a bit carried away. That's all.

Carried away? You could have killed me.

I--I was just trying to imagine

how the character feel. You know, like,

he's been chased, cornered, cheated on.

And well, I just saw the flagpole and I thought I'd improvise.

Yeah, art imitating life, life imitating art.

To be honest, I thought you'd see the pole

-and leap over it. -Come on.

You meant to do this.

No, I didn't. Honestly, I just...

I've been thinking that I need to enter the act,

and there needs to be more substance.

I need to have it out with Sterling

before he captures me.

Will, it was supposed to be you getting knocked out.

And you didn't think about maybe telling someone you were gonna do this?

Well, I might have told Warrick that I was going to improvise tonight.

It's my bloody ankle.

I think it's twisted. It could be broken.

I'll, uh... I'll go and get some ice.

And a compensation claim form.

What is wrong with him?

Hmm. The dark sides of Will

are coming out. He's driving me nuts.

He keeps changing the lines, cutting whole scenes,

putting them back again.

And now, this last minute improv

put Sterling in danger.

Honestly, I've about had it with him and this whole play.

Well, you can't bail on us now.

You know what's really wrong?

It's like the two of you are killing him.

Yeah. It's been boiling up

inside him for weeks, maybe longer.

And he's turning this... this dumb play

into a micro version

of your weird triangle of betrayal.

Believe me, this is definitely not

the play we started writing.

Look, I've been writing for 10 years.

And all I get is rejection after rejection

and the financing always seems to fall through.

But now, now I get...

I get a chance to finally pen a play that's set to--

to open on the West End with the two of you,

the best I've ever worked with.

And for all his faults, Will is a great actor,

but he's messing up with the plot.

We've refined over and over, and he's destroying everything.

His one big chance, our big chance, and why?

Because he can't stand the fact that the two of you

have fallen for each other, making him a cuckold.

I'm telling you, be careful.

War, War, take a seat.

Look, we've got to talk about this.

We've got to figure out what we're all going to do.

You're kidding, right?

There is no nice way you can fix this.

It's Will. He's got your ice.

It's in the locker room.

But you've got to go up there to get it.

What did you mean, "be careful"?

We have to quit this play.

What are you talking about?

He's going to make our lives a living hell.

He already is.

Exactly. It's only going to get worse.

It's not fair on him and it's not fair on me.

And it all revolves around you.

Don't you start playing Mr. Sensitive now.

You want me to come clean with him

about us from the beginning.

There's absolutely no way War's gonna buy this.

I know how much you love to feed off each other.

But War has to buy into your vision.

It's your damn play.

Maybe I shouldn't have even cast him in the first place.

Hiring schoolmates, lovers,

it's just bringing back years of jealousies and trysts.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave.

I've risked everything here.

My reputation, my inheritance.

Your reputation? What a joke.

All in that conceited swollen head of yours.

Face it.

You haven't ever pulled off a winner, have you?

Not in the big leagues, at least.

And that's where you want to end up, is it not?

So what if you give it a go?

What's the worst that could happen?

It fails, you fall flat on your face. So what?

Gave it your best.

Of course, there's always another way.

You just have to go with your first gut instinct.

They all must die.

-The Hamlet ending. -Exactly.

And don't tell me you haven't thought

about it 1,000 times.

Yes. But only William Fortinbras's

left to tell the tale of woe.

Now, go and tell each one of them

the lie that you want them to believe.

Stop. Stop.

I guess I was stupid enough

to believe that this secret life

between the three of us would work out somehow, but...

Let's just get you to the lounge. Okay?

I will get the ice from Will.

Yeah. I'll-- I'll talk to him, too.

Don't forget to take a weapon.

Where's Sterling?

Mate, you totally screwed up his ankle.

It's gonna take him ages to get ready for the next act

and you want him to come up here for that ice.

This has got to stop, mate.

-What has to? -You know exactly

what I'm talking about.

You deliberately tried to hurt him.

Mate, I told you.

I just got carried away improvising

Bullshit.

You knew exactly what you were doing.

Everything was set up.

The stair sequence for the chase,

you getting caught right before the next act.

You absolutely stink of scotch.

Mate, I've told you, you can't keep drinking

like this all day.

It's starting to show in your writing, all right?

We've spoken about this.

Oh, bloody incredible.

You know how much of a pain in the butt

you are to work with?

It's so hard to be your friend.

Look, every single one of us has been there for you

when you were down.

When plays closed, when reviews stank,

when you didn't get the big role

you were meant to play.

And for the last few months, we've been working really hard

every step of the way to make this play happen.

And now you're bloody determined to--

to turn this into some kind of torture chamber

for Sterling and Gabby, and now me.

Lay off the booze, yeah?

Changes for the new act.

This doesn't even make sense.

Oh, you'll come along.

Just read them through thoroughly, yeah?

I'm sure you can rework with what we've got.

Remember my motto: "Always the unexpected."

This is not just your bloody play.

I won't let you ruin it.

Oh, it's not getting any better.

It will. Things will.

Everyone but Sterling.

Well, obviously, we need to talk.

It's not going to be one of those discussions, is it?

Versus?

Well, it just seems so, so vapid, so generic.

How you and Sterling couldn't help it,

but just had to follow our hearts.

It's been done a thousand times before.

Again, versus what?

Well, by being more creative.

Doing what you really want to do.

And which is?

By taking that knife out you're hiding

from behind your back and stab me with it.

Well, you are the director.

Come in.

You are a very clever naughty boy.

And Sterling?

Uh, well, he can barely walk.

And yes, I came to get this.

You know, you probably

shouldn't have tripped him like that.

I know, but... Sir William, he, uh...

he can't be cornered like that again.

I needed to introduce some real

intense danger into that scene.

Well, you achieved that.

Sterling and War are wound up so tight,

they've no idea what's gonna happen next.

Isn't that what you wanted?

You know, I have to admit,

I wasn't sure about this plan of yours at first.

But you get it, right?

It brings out-- just brings out something deeper out of them.

Hmm.

What about Sterling? Does he know

we broke up months ago?

No, he has no idea.

And now, War's told him you know about us.

He's absolutely torn apart.

In fact, he's absolutely terrified

about what you're gonna do.

Oh, that's great. That's great.

He's gonna put on the best performance he's ever given.

He doesn't know it yet, actually,

but he's gonna kill it in my next new third act.

More changes?

You know better than anyone

this is a watch-and-see play.

You know, I do miss this about you.

Your unpredictable, challenging, creative side.

You know, I mean at certain times I get a glimpse of the real you.

Oh, that's the problem, isn't it?

We're all liars

continually portraying different roles.

I mean, I could say the same about you.

One day, you're fair Rosalind,

and the next you're Medea scaring the absolute shit out of me.

Once a woman is wronged in the matter of love,

no other soul can hold so many thoughts of blood.

See, that's what makes it so amazing.

-And dangerous. -Yeah.

We did have a good run, didn't we?

But I guess all's well that ends well,

as another Will concluded.

And you know, I've been thinking, um,

you and Sterling,

you're probably right for each other.

Yeah.

And whilst I'm in this confessing booth

and only for this one time only,

I'm well aware that my mood swings

are far too much for only one person to handle.

Oh, wow. Proud of you owning that.

Give that to Sterling and make sure

he gets to the Egyptian room on time, will you?

Yes, Henry Higgins.

Remember, everyone must feel real pain

and real fear in these next scenes.

Of course, we'll just have to get

an entirely new cast after the multiple tragedies.

But it's such a huge gamble.

Of course it is.

To win, you've got to roll the dice,

take a bite of the apple.

It's only then you discover the real truth.

But to not tell anyone what I'm going to do.

How on earth do you think you're going

to catch anyone off guard?

Have a truly original final act.

You've got to mix it up.

Pieces have got to fly everywhere.

You have to give in to the chaos.

Feed into the paranoia.

Explore your hallucinations, articulate the insanity.

Rip off those masks

and expose the many ugly facades.

No one can be rescued. No one can escape

the nightmares of their own making.

All this confusion that I'm gonna cause is...

All life is confusing, pulsating with turmoil.

Just keep writing what I'm saying.

But what you're thinking

composes in your snobbish Shakespeare drenched prose.

It all ends up arriving at the same twisted,

predestined, bitter end.

-You're not real. -I never told you I was.

But every writer imagines it so.

Men's minds are wild.

Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin.

With all the imperfections on my head.

Holy shit, Will. You are trying to kill me.

Looks like you can move that ankle after all.

Yeah.

Coming face-to-face with the Illuminati.

Maybe I should sell my soul.

-All my dark deeds. -I thought you had.

Don't we all, Sterling? Some way or another?

That's your costume for the next act.

You just need to sit in the judgment seat.

You actually hardly need to move for the entire act.

Just fall down, which you've shown you can already do.

About earlier on, I, um...

you know, when you fell on the stairs, I...

must admit, I never properly apologized to you.

So, I'm sorry. I, uh...

Sometimes I forget that

you and I, we've known each other for so long that...

my communication isn't at its best at times.

And I push myself just as hard

as I push everyone else.

But what I did was inexcusable.

You know, you could have been hurt.

You were hurt, um, but I just hope

you forgive my lapse in judgment.

Lapse in judgement? Will, that was an attack.

Oh, don't be so dramatic, Sterling.

So you're saying it's nothing to do with Gabby and me?

Oh, let's just say--

No, there is no "let's" in this conversation.

No, there is. There's three of us,

which makes it plural.

And we're both hiding a secret.

Not so secret anymore, is it?

Look, just tell me what you're going to do

about us being in this play, huh?

You at least tell me the truth.

I could say the same for you, couldn't I?

I thought Gabby was going to talk to you about us.

-She did. -And?

And what?

Oh, you want me to apologize like you have?

I don't know. Did mine help?

Fair point.

The truth is, I know I shouldn't have pursued her behind your back.

We've been mates for far too long.

And believe me, it's eating me up inside.

But it's always been you and Gabby from the start.

Always an item, always together.

And me? Always the wingman.

Stand to the side, watching.

Just watching.

And then it happened.

I mean, you know better than anybody

how she can get inside your head.

Yes, I do. Intoxicating.

So what are you gonna do, hmm?

Gabby's convinced that you're gonna kick us out of this play.

Let's, um... Well, let's reserve

that judgment till we rehearse the next scene, shall we?

I don't know how we can work together after--

Sterling, Sterling, Sterling.

Friendship is stronger than any romance, okay?

I've apologized, and you've come clean.

So, as every director says, "The show must go on."

Will?

Yes?

You're taking this far better than I thought you would.

- Really? - Yeah.

Maybe it's because I know what's going to happen next.

See you at the altar of judgment.

Remove your mask, so that your eyes may be open.

Sir William, in this temple of Osiris,

you have been weighed in the balance and found guilty.

With your own confession, which I duly recorded,

you recounted bearing a knife

that has been identified as the weapon

in this heinous crime.

A body has been discovered with knife wounds identical

to what you described

and mutilated by numerous gunshots.

The diceased is currently being identified

from his clothes

and the personal artifacts found upon him,

including a letter...

written, as you have admitted, by your own hand.

Sir William, you will be tried for this murder.

Your gallows will be built high.

And you will swing until dead.

Three corrupt judges is all I see.

Guilty of sins far worse than whatever judgment

you pretend to pronounce on me.

It matters not the age we live in.

Betrayal is betrayal.

No matter the costumes or the clothes

we find ourselves adorned in,

falseness still exudes, and we stink of duplicity.

Will, what part of the play are you working from?

This is new.

This play was to be about the twists and turns

of us living together in the shadows.

Set in the past but a mirror to the present.

A murder mystery magnified by secretive walls

of these ancient buildings

where oaths were made and broken

with adulterous interludes.

And our sins compounded over and over with filthy lies.

We've lived out scenes from our own lives

and rehearsed them as if they are fresh

and new in our play.

All the while, our deceptive scribe

has attempted to keep up in chronicle

our wicked deeds.

Okay, seriously, Will? You aren't making any sense.

Not even close, Will.

This is just a complete waste of time.

-Is it? -Yes.

Because I thought you want to create a moving puzzle.

Where the audience and the actors are kept on edge,

not knowing what's going to happen next.

Well, you've achieved that.

But that was only part of what we set out

to write together,

in an Agatha Christie type mystery.

A film noir set in a different time period.

And what makes you think that this play is not that?

Because you're off again

on some kind of weird tangent. And I'm tired.

I'm... I'm so, so tired of rewriting

this rubbish that I...

I'm so tired that I went ahead and wrote a new script.

My script. As crazy as it seems.

I like my version far better than anything

we've come up with.

So go ahead, go ahead and keep writing

your sad little revenge drama.

I have no idea where you're heading with this,

but... I've had enough.

Sit down, you lowlife Grub Street hack.

I'm the one who gave you this opportunity of a lifetime.

The only reason you're here is because of me.

And all you've done is proven yourself

as inconstant as the wind.

Will, can you not just work with what Warrick's written?

Can't you tell, Gabby? He's back to improv.

Okay. I'll play along.

Me thinks, sir, you've lost your damn mind.

So says the low-brow Scottish thief.

Beware, my lord, of jealousy.

Oh, false face must hide

what the false heart doth know.

Still playing the innocent flower, my dear?

Please be the serpent under it.

Come out, devil, reveal thyself.

You gone mad?

Double, double, toil and trouble.

-Yeah, he's gone mad. -Game's over, Will.

How clever are you feeling now?

I know thee now.

-I am not what I am. -This version I like.

Blood. We'll have blood.

What's done cannot be undone.

Our play's finished! It's my version that will open.

Et tu, Brute?

Oh, yes. Hmm. Yes, the show will go on.

Even without the great and mighty Will.

Oh, but thank you. Thank you.

You were so kind to pay in advance for the theatre,

the costumes, the sets.

-Your version? -Yes, it was always

going to be my version.

We need to take a break. I mean it, War.

Well, now that you're emerging from my shadow,

why didn't you let Gabby in on your plans?

Oh. Oh, but she knows them.

Yes, you see, it's um...

it's just a variation on your motto.

"Expect the unexpected."

I didn't see that coming.

Night, night, sweet prince.

What the hell have you done?

Something I've been meaning to do for a long time!

Now, our brows bound with victorious wreaths,

our bruised arms hung for monuments.

Stern alarums changed to merry meetings.

Dreadful marches to delightful measures.

Warrick, this has gone far enough.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. How do you know this isn't

a new part of the play Will and I wrote?

Come on.

You secretly wanted him out of the way, didn't you?

No, I never wanted this.

You should be thanking me.

Not what you expected, Gabby? Hm?

This diamond has real bullets,

and I'll use it, even on you, my darling.

Really, War? On me?

What does he mean, not what you expected?

Damn you all.

Oh. Oh, no, but... I will. Will...

something... something went terribly wrong.

An accident in rehearsal.

But I promise you, on opening night,

we'll have a moving moment in memory of you.

This is not what I planned.

You planned this, Gabby?

You're pure poison.

I'm sorry, War!

Ooh. No fake blood this time.

You're a right evil bastard. - Oh, I love the accent.

Oh, my God, you're such a professional.

And you always sucked at them.

You did all this just to have the play to yourself.

Yes, yes. But only with my name on it.

Oh, and don't forget Gabby. She's with me, Sterling.

Me.

See? It's always the tortured writers

you need to worry about the most.

-Listen, listen. -Sorry?

Any last words, Sterling?

Beware the quiet ones.

Not what I planned, but might work out better.

Well, if the three of you are going to kill each other

over little old me,

it'll make a sensational backstory for my new play.

Fate always catches up, Gabby.

Yeah. Fate is what you make of it.

What are you doing?

Well, someone has to explain Warick's death--

He's still breathing. He's not dead.

He will be soon enough.

Here's the thing. I'm not going to kill him.

You are.

Be sure to tell the police you confess to that.

-Forgive me. -I already have.

Not so sure about Warwick.

All the world is a stage, darling.

And we all have our exits.

Will?

Will, get back here!

Will!

Will, get back here!

You can't escape, Will.

You can't escape me, lover.

How the mighty have fallen.

No matter the age we live in,

betrayal is betrayal.

Men's minds are wild.

Fate always catches up.

Sounds like it's going to be a hit!

I don't know.

I'm still not sure about that ending.

-Ugh. -Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I think it needs another rewrite,

just to make it darker!

Darker than this? My character is already

the ultimate conniving psychopath,

-thanks to you. -Oh, yeah, yeah.

And you.

Which, as we know, no other woman could be like that.

Plus, I don't think I can handle any more

of your realistic rehearsals.

One of us, if not all of us, could get killed.

-Drink? Drink? -All right, come on. Let's go.

Yes.

-Go, go, go. -Good job.

Thank you.

See you at the Cheshire cheese?

Wait for me! Once more into the breach!

Art.

Mirrors to our petty lives.

Broken, shattered, mended stories

made up of concocted and rehearsed lies

written by errant knaves to make sense of the absurd.

All sound and fury,

never knowing what is real.