ACT TWO BANGKOK INTRO There may be a brief reprise of the Bangkok intro, possibly at a slightly slower tempo. During this a similar scene to that from the top of the show would be shown. This time we see a woman being escorted into the Oriental hotel under the cover of darkness. We don’t know who she is, but she’s obviously not a local. HEAVEN HELP MY HEART The music would then begin to change to the Heaven Help My Heart intro and dawn would settle over Bangkok as the city slowly began to wake up.

The streets are quiet and people are beginning to set up their market stalls etc. Florence is up early too and trying to make sense of what she has allowed to happen. As she returns to the hotel’s waterfront terrace she ponders on the sudden and overwhelming love she now feels for a man she hardly knows. Uncertain where this passion is likely to lead her she fears for her future with him. ANTHEM The scene changes to Anatoly’s hotel room, where he is being harassed by Molokov. The fact that Anatoly and Florence have shared some intimate moments has not gone unnoticed by Molokov or the press.  Speculation is rife about the new lovers and the possibility of a defection. Molokov is now in great need of finding a move that will keep his man on his side of the board and the boarder. He has flown Anatoly’s wife - Svetlana into Bangkok the previous night, but he has not yet told Anatoly. What he has told him is that the rumours of a possible defection must be quelled. A statement has been written by Molokov, which he insists Anatoly must read to the press. He is whisked off to meet them in the hotel lobby. Florence looks on as Anatoly reads the statement. She is shocked by it, but not half as much as by Molokov’s next announcement. He tells the press that Anatoly’s wife arrived in Bangkok last night and will be joining her husband at the Chess Federation’s Sponsor Evening the following night. YOU AND I

The reporters try to ask more questions, but Molokov brings the press conference to an end. They leave and Anatoly storms out. By this time Florence has left the hotel and is now wandering in the gardens. The scene changes to the gardens as Anatoly joins her. He explains to her that the words he said to the press were Molokov’s and not his own and also that he knew nothing about his wife being in Bangkok. He hands Florence a small box, which has a gold necklace inside. He helps her to put it on and they kiss. It seems the lovers have reached stalemate. Where can they go from here? They want to believe that everything will turn out fine, but they know the chances of this are slim – yet they keep on hoping that their dream of love, happiness and freedom can become reality.

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