Paul Hamlyn First Night

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Mayerling - Full Story

Based on the true story of Austria’s Crown Prince Rudolf, Mayerling is a tragic story of intrigue, infidelity, sexual depravity, drugs and murder.

Act One, Scene One
The ballroom at the Hofburg. A celebration of the wedding of Prince Rudolf and Princess Stephanie of Belgium.
Rudolf offends people by flirting openly with Princess Louise. He is introduced to Mary Vetsera by her mother and one of his many ex-mistresses, Countess Larisch, but this brief encounter is interrupted by four Hungarian officers who want to enlist Rudolf’s help in their separatist cause. Countess Larisch returns and attemps to revive her past relationship with Rudolf. The Emperor discovers them and orders an unapologetic Rudolf to return to his wife.

Act One, Scene Three
Rudolf and his bride, Stephanie, are alone on their wedding night. Before making love Rudolf terrifies her with a loaded revolver.

Act Two, Scene One
In disguise Bratfisch (Rudolf’s manservant), Rudolf and Stephanie arrive at a tavern filled with prostitutes. Stephanie leaves in disgust. Rudolf turns his attention to his mistress Mitzi Caspar and to his new friends the Hungarian separatists. There is police raid the people scatter and arrests are made. Rudolf, depressed by the constant surveillance, suggests that they should commit suicide together. Count Taafe (the Prime Minister) enters and Rudolf hides. Mitzi, very relieved to escape Rudolf’s madness leaves with Taafe, letting him know that Rudolf is hiding as they exit.

Act Two, Scene Three
Countess Larisch finds Mary absorbed in a portrait of Rudolf and takes a pack of cards telling Mary’s fortune, assuring her that her romantic dreams will come true. Mary gives her a letter for Rudolf.

Act Two, Scene Four
During Franz Josef’s birthday celebration Count Taafe confronts Rudolf with a political pamphlet. His mother presents his father with a portrait of his ‘friend’ Katerina Schratt. A firework display diverts everybody except Elisabeth and ‘Bay’ Middleton, her lover – Rudolf watches their amorous exchange filled with bitterness and anger. Countess Larisch uses the opportunity to tease Rudolf with Mary’s letter.

Act Three Scene Two
The Empress discovers Countess Larisch with Rudolf in his apartment and dismisses her; unaware that Mary is waiting outside. Mary joins Rudolf, who asks her to die with him.

Act Three, Scene Three
Hidden away in the hunting lodge at Mayerling – in a frenzy of passion Rudolf makes love to Mary- he attempts to calm himself with an injection of morphine – he embraces Mary then shoots her. His friends come running disturbed by the shot – he reassures them and as soon as he is alone shoots himself.

Characters
Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary

Baroness Mary Vetsera 
Rudolf's mistress

Princess Stephanie
his wife

Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary 
his father

Empress Elisabeth 
his mother

Countess Marie Larisch
lady-in-waiting to the Empress, ex-mistresss of Rudolf

Baroness Helene Vetsera
Mary Vetsera's mother

Bratfisch 
Rudolf's private cab-driver and a popular entertainer

Archduchess Sophie 
mother of Franz Josef

Mitzi Caspar
a high-class prostitute, Rudolf's regular mistress

Colonel 'Bay' Middleton 
Elisabeth's lover

Four Hungarian Officers
friends of Rudolf

Katherina Schratt
Franz Josef's friend

Alfred Grünfeld 
a pianist

Count Eduard Taafe
Prime Minister of Austria-Hungary

Count Hoyos 
friend of Rudolf

Princess Louise
Stephanie's sister

Prince Philipp of Coburg 
her husband, friend of Rudolf

Princess Gisela 
Rudolf's elder sister

Princess Valerie 
Rudolf's younger sister

Loschek 
Rudolf's valet

Count Larisch 
Guests, chambermaids, whores, gentlemen, servants, ladies-in-waiting.