SCENE EIGHT
THE HOTEL, ANYA'S ROOM
(ANYA is pissed packing her things on a table. VLAD knocks and enters.)
VLAD
(out of breath)
Anya, please.
ANYA
It was my life you played with. Telling me I was someone else. Letting me believe I was.
(She picks up a doll from the table.)
What is this?
VLAD
Dmitry bought it for you...
(ANYA throws it to the ground.)
when we were at-
ANYA
I don't want it.
(She crosses to the other side of the stage and VLAD follows her.)
ANYA (cont.)
I'm going anywhere that's far from you.
VLAD
Anya-
ANYA
No wonder you were dismissed from court. Men like you deserve every bad hand life deals you.
(She rips the medals from his suit jacket. She throws them to the ground. DMITRY conveniently bursts in. ANYA looks at both of them.)
You both do.
#23C ANYA/HOTEL UNDERSCORE
(ANYA turns away from them and starts to pack her things. She is rambling on, unaware of what's about to happen. LILY runs in. She gestures and the DOWAGER EMPRESS enters the room. She and DMITRY share a glance. LILY takes VLAD's hand and they exit. DMITRY takes the DOWAGER EMPRESS's cane she is holding out to him and bows. He exits. ANYA keeps ranting on, unaware.)
ANYA
I admired the way you were proud of who you were, Dmitry, despite your circumstances. And you taught me to be the same! And the whole time you were tricking me.
(ANYA picks up a book.)
Russian history. Save it for your next Anastas-
(She turns and is shocked to see the DOWAGER EMPRESS before her, not DMITRY. ANYA stops in her tracks and bows.)
Your Imperial Highness.
DOWAGER EMPRESS
I think history demands we play this game
till the end.
ANYA
Please be seated.
DOWAGER EMPRESS
There's no need. I shall be brief. Who are you?
ANYA
(teary)
I- At this point, I don't know.
DOWAGER EMPRESS
Oh! You all cry at some point. Do you rehearse? Tears will get you nowhere.
ANYA
Why did you come here?
DOWAGER EMPRESS
Your young man told me he thinks you very well might be my granddaughter. He says you've come to believe it yourself.
ANYA
Truthfully, I believe it with all my heart. But I can't be her unless you recognize me.
DOWAGER EMPRESS
You can't be anyone unless you first recognize yourself.
ANYA
I know.
(ANYA plays with her necklace nervously.)
DOWAGER EMPRESS
That necklace.
ANYA
I've always had it... I came to Paris because of this.
(ANYA takes out her necklace.)
ANYA (cont.)
Look, it says, 'together in Paris.'
DOWAGER EMPRESS
I- I remember this.
(The DOWAGER EMPRESS reaches behind her and reveals the music box.)
DOWAGER EMPRESS (cont.)
May I?
(ANYA gives her her necklace. The DOWAGER EMPRESS puts the pendant in the box. It clicks. She turns it three times.)
#23C ONCE UPON A DECEMBER REPRISE
DOWAGER EMPRESS (cont)
FAR AWAY
LONG AGO
GLOWING DIM AS AN EMBER.
ANYA
THINGS MY HEART USED TO KNOW
BOTH
ONCE UPON A DECEMBER.
ANYA
I said I'd come visit you in Paris. We'd go to the ballet together, and walk on grandpapa's bridge.
DOWAGER EMPRESS
You never knew him. I loved him very much.
ANYA
We'll walk the bridge together. For all of them, Nana.
DOWAGER EMPRESS
What took you so long?
ANYA
Doesn't matter. I'm here with you.
DOWAGER EMPRESS
Too late. You've come too late.
ANYA
It's never too late to come home, Nana.
DOWAGER EMPRESS
Anastasia!
(They hug. DMITRY walks in and sees them together.)
ANYA
Nana!
(DMITRY leaves.)
YOU ARE READING
Anastasia Revisioned
RomanceThis is kinda not(?) a fanfiction, but a retelling of a mashup of Disney and Broadway's Anastasia. In playwriting format. --- Anya, a girl suffering from amnesia, doesn't remember her past. Her only clue to it is to go to Paris. She teams up with tw...
