The Trial - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Anthony Calf, Daniel Flynn

Here’s a monster

Of depravity

Who went hunting

Fresh and tender game

Picked up two young

Semi-prostitutes

Promised them

A first-hand taste of fame

If so minded

One might well infer

Profit was

His motive and his goal

When he first set foot in Murray’s Club

Seeking victims that he could control

So-called «Dr.

Ward» went to endless lengths

Making sure Keeler was succumbing to his influence

Even went as far as visiting

Her little people in Staines

To reassure them

If so minded

One could well conclude

This is evil

In its purest shape

Preying on the weak and vulnerable

Once the trap closed, there was no escape

You have heard what the accused

Made Vickie Barrett do

Offering her to all his friends

Hard to believe, but true

Holding back the money that

She thought he would repay

Clearly money from immoral earnings, you may say

(unable to help himself)

No!

This is not the first time you have interrupted, and I shall take action if you

do it again!

…I'm sorry, My Lord.

It’s a great strain

(GRIFFITH-JONES's eyes light up and he seizes his opportunity.)

Of course it’s a great strain for a guilty man to hear the truth at last

(He allows himself a small triumphant smirk.)

If so minded

One might well assume

This defendant

Should not be set free

To resume

His filthy way of life

Of seduction

And debauchery

Members of the jury…

(In a mild, neutral tone)

You have here in front of you

A man of many parts

A successful osteopath

And patron of the arts

A highly distinguished healer

A true artist, not a fake

These are very hard decisions

You are called to make

(Suddenly, his tone changes: he turns to look at Ward, his expression fierce,

and delivers a ferocious, almost gloating attack)

Yet he led a life of infamy!

And now he’s alone, as you can see!

Quite abandoned

And left to his fate

By his many friends of high estate!

(WARD is powerfully affected by this; he shades his eyes to try to hide his

devastation.

The lights fade on everyone in the court except WARD, shattered.

Slowly, he rises to his feet.)

(offstage, while WARD speaks)

You’ve never had it so good

You’ve never had it so often

Go and do what you never could

A brand new brother and sisterhood

You’ve never had it so good

…the judge was only halfway through his summing-up… but I could see it was

all up with me.

I realized that this case was not brought because of some undue

interest in my sex life: it was a political revenge trial… and I had quite

enough

(as we move into the next scene)

There’s no other way to Heaven

Seems you have to die

I thought Heaven could be found

This side of the sky