The Third Porthole Scene

The third porthole scene followed "Still" and included Murdoch, the Captain, Etches, and Harold Bride. The following photo shows how the actors were set up in the portholes:

Captain: Report, Mr. Bride.
Bride: Carpathia is 35 miles off and coming hard, sir. Their captain estimated the arrival at three hours.
Captain: Did you hear from noone else?
Bride: Sorry, sir, the Californian still doesn’t respond.
Murdoch: All the boats have been launched, Captain. Are there any further orders, Captain?
Captain: No, Mr. Murdoch, there’s nothing more to be done.
Etches:All the ladies in first class except one, sir, are safely away on the boats.
Captain:Thank you, Mr. Etches.
Etches:I’m afraid most of the gentlemen we know are still on board. I've been assisting some of the men with their coats. There’s no hope I suppose, of--Who would have imagined it, sir? Everyone thought she was unsinkable.
Captain:Mr. Ismay was fond of boasting that Titanic was her own lifeboat.
Murdoch: That must have been before he used one of the little ones to save his own skin. I don’t envy him, sir. He’ll have to live with this for the rest of his life.
Captain: More than anything else, the man wanted a legend. Well, now by God, he’s got one.
Murdoch: Captain, I want you to know that I take full responsibility. I was the ranking officer on the bridge at the time--I was in command. If I were a fit master, I’d have rammed the iceberg head on. We would have staved the bow, perhaps lost a few people, but the ship would have survived.
Captain: I’m sure you did what you thought best at the time, Mr.......Captain Murdoch.
Murdoch: You expected more of me, but your expectations were misplaced. I feel honored to have served under your command.
Captain: The truth is, I’ve been uncommonly lucky. In my 43 years at sea, I’ve served on them all, all of the White Star ships, (Long listing of ships including: Germanic, Baltic, Titanic, Majestic and Olympic) and in all that time, I have never in nor even seen a ship wreck or any other calamity worth speaking of. Mr. Etches, Mr. Bride, I declare this vessel lost. From now on, it’s every man for himself. You have both done your full duty. You must save yourselves if you can.
Bride: As long as there’s a spark, I might as well stay at the key.

Etches:”To Be A Captain” reprise

Return to “Lost in April”


All lyrics and text to Peter Stone and Maury Yeston, 1997.