All language subtitles for early_edition_s04e16_the_play_s_the_thing

falling like paralyzed actors.

Me thinks, mistress, you have little
reason for that. And yet, to say the

love and reason keep little company
these days.

Louder, darling.

And yet, to say the truth, reason and
love keep little company these days.

Better, better, continue.

Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.

Well, not so neither.

But if I had will enough to get out of
this wood, I have enough to serve my own

church.

Out of this world do not desire to...

Hampton!

Crump!

I get tomorrow's newspaper.

Today.

I'm out there saving people's lives.

That's what I do usually.

Are you okay, baby?

I think so.

All right, watch everybody. There's
broken glass here. What happened?

Faulty glass, maybe. I'll get a broom.
Can you walk?

Yes.

What?

What are you doing here?

What does it look like I'm doing?

It looks to me like you're standing on
the box on your head. It happens to be

Shakespeare, Mr. Smart Guy. What are you
doing here?

Me? What? I happen to have a love of the
theater. Since when?

We are in your debt, sir. I'm Bonnie
Russo. I'm the director of the Orchard

Street Shakespeare troupe. Gary Hopson.
If you hadn't stopped by, Gary, how did

you happen to notice that light?

Believe me, Bonnie, you don't want to
know. This guy is a disaster magnet.

Lights fall down, bombs go off, here
comes Hopson.

A man of action and a theater lover.

You know, theater and I, we go way back.

Saw some information on your troop and I
thought I'd stop by and... You saw the

audition notice.

Exactly. You know, I'm afraid all parts
have been filled for weeks.

Oh, gee, that's too bad. I'm too late. I
should be going now. I know, but we

always have room for people who want to
contribute. If it's painting scenery or

building props... Well, I really don't
think I have the experience. Gary!

It's about spirit.

And that is my whole philosophy.

That's why I prefer working with amateur
actors. They are so much closer to the

truth. Look around you. None of these
people had any experience before they

here.

Marion, as you know, is the next police
officer.

Darlene is a legal secretary. Reggie's
an apparel.

I just don't have the time.

Perhaps a small contribution, then, you
know.

What? A theater lover. You know that
acting companies have always depended on

the kindness of strangers.

Well, I'm a little strapped for cash.
No, it doesn't have to be much. A

dollars, they would...

Totally replaced the lamp that just
fell.

Tell you what, why don't you send me a
brochure? Goodbye, good luck.

What can I say?

The guy's a flake.

Crumb, an actor?

Yeah, I'm telling you, you'd have to see
it to believe it. I saw it and I didn't

believe it. You know, I just can't
imagine Shakespeare and Crumb in the

sentence. Well, I don't think
Shakespeare imagined Crumb either.

What's so funny?

Crumb! Hey, how are you?

So, what, someone making jokes or what?

No, no, no, no, no. We were just talking
over paperwork.

It's kind of funny, Hopson, the way we
ran into each other at the theater like

that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You see, I
was... No, no, no.

I don't want to hear it. I don't want to
hear it.

It's just I must look like some kind of
clown or something running around with a

box on my head.

No, no, no, no.

I didn't know, though, that you were
interested in the acting.

Oh, no, I'm not.

Well, I wasn't.

See, it's Darlene.

You met her at Titania, the lady you
saved? Oh, yeah.

Yeah, well, I met her. I was doing some
investigative work for a legal outfit.

She's a legal secretary.

Real smart.

So we've kind of been going around
together, you know.

She's one of these culture freaks, you
know.

Museums, plays, you name it.

She ran about some auditions for this
new theater company. No experience

necessary. She decides to try out.

Good for her.

Yeah, only when I take her down there,
you know, showing support and all, this

director, Bonnie, she asked me to read,
too.

So I did.

And she liked you.

Yeah, can you believe it?

She says a reminder of a young Brando.

When he got older, Oh, yeah.

It's kind of goofy, huh?

No, no, no.

I think it's great.

It's just that I always figured a guy
involved with theater, you know, got to

a Nancy boy, you know.

But to tell you the truth, it's not like
that at all.

It's fun.

But still, Hobson, you mention this to
anybody, I'm going to break your face.

You got it? Oh, yeah.

Good.

Morning, Rebecca.

Coffee? No, I don't have time.

Something serious?

Oh, you know, the usual. Carpenter gets
spooked by a spider and cuts his hand

off at the table, so I'll be back later.

The usual.

Sorry, but you see there's a... I

hate spiders.

I'm from the Chicago Etymological
Society.

This is a McGinty eight -leg, very rare
in these parts. I don't need to see it.

Sorry to have bothered you.

Hey, don't go like that. I ordered
pepperoni.

Hey, Gus.

How's the play coming along?

Play's off, Hobson. It's what?

Oberon's in the hospital.

Who?

King of the fairies. Married to Titania.

Oh.

In the play, Hobson. It's a part in the
play.

Oh. So what happened to this guy?

He got speared.

He... Got speared.

Swacked, actually.

Carpentry shop. Two by four.

Straight to the solar plexus.

This guy didn't happen to be a pizza
delivery man, did he?

How'd you know that, Hudson?

Never mind.

Cheer up, Sophie. There'll be other
plays.

I know. I just wanted to be in this
play.

My parents were coming from Des Moines.

And my sister.

Well, maybe this guy, this...

Yeah, he'll recover in time.

We open in a week, dear boy.

Oh.

Just got off the phone with Leo.

Three cracked ribs.

Poor man can barely speak.

Well, I mean, maybe you can find another
fairy king.

We could never replace Leo.

I thought you said Leo was terrible.

Yes, but he was our terrible.

Maybe my mother was right. Maybe dreams
are better left as dreams.

Nonsense.

We are theater people, my darlings. We
have to dream.

Can't let a little adversity stand in
our ways.

Now, in every backstage crisis, a hero
arises.

Always.

And we have such a hero among us.

You hear that, Crumb? Buck up. Your
theater company's going to be saved.

a hero among you. Who?

You To

seem

to Gary

It's your

line love How canst thou thus For shame.

I thank you.

Glanced in my credit with hip.

Hipolita.

Hip.

I can't do this. I'm sorry.

Um, take five, everybody.

Look, uh, I'm not an actor.

Actor? Come on, that's just a word,
Kate. I don't get hung up on you. You

this is a little different. I feel
really stupid.

That's because it's new. I mean, have
you ever done any acting before?

Well, I played a teapot in second grade.

All right, um...

In high school, were you an athlete?

Yeah, I mean, I played a little baseball
and football. It's different. I knew

what I was doing. But see, these words
here... All right, do me a favor. Close

your eyes.

What? Do me a favor. Come on, close your
eyes.

All right, now I want you to think back
to high school, your best moment on the

football field.

Well, it would probably be senior year
homecoming.

All right, describe it to me.

Huh? Come on, do it.

Come on.

Were your eyes closed?

Well, it was fourth quarter. We were
down by three.

Mm -hmm. So what was the weather like?

It was cold. It was cold and it was
windy.

How cold was it?

It was very cold. It was cold enough so
I couldn't feel my hands. My hands were

numb. All right, good. Go on.

It was fourth and 23, I suppose.

Mike Malcolm, quarterback, yeah.

He called my number up and gave me a
post pattern.

And what happened next?

The ball was snapped and I had to take
my man to the outside.

Went down the middle, made my pattern,
and I turned to

almost right there I had.

Yeah, it was a perfect pass, and I blew
over into the end zone.

And what are you feeling right now?

Well, out of breath, because I landed on
a ball and knocked the wind out of

myself. And the rest of the team, they
piled on it.

Right open your eyes.

You were just acting, Gary.

Huh?

You took me there with you. Your hands
were frozen. Your heart was pounding. My

heart was pounding because I was there
with you.

I believed it because you believed it.

That is acting, Gary.

Yeah, but those words... The words, no,
they come later.

First, you have to put yourself inside
your character's skin, and you can do

that, Gary. You just proved it.

You know, acting is... It's about
revealing the truth in someone

else by first finding that truth in
yourself.

That is what the key is to opening whole
new worlds.

So what do you say? I mean, are you
willing to go there with us?

It is an awful lot of work, so...

Gary, it was an accident.

Don't feel you need to do this out of
guilt.

I'm not doing it out of guilt. It's
just... Well, you should have seen these

people when they thought this whole
thing was over. They all looked like

houses were burning down.

Which begs the question, how can you be
in a play and handle the paper?

Well, you see, it's only temporary.

I get the feeling that the paper wants
me involved.

What?

Look at the circumstances.

Light almost falls on one of the
actresses.

Another actor gets shot by a two -by
-four. That gives me the idea that the

paper might want me involved with this
group.

Maybe.

Maybe Gary Hobson's caught the acting
bug.

Don't be ridiculous.

Still thou mistaken, or else committed
thy neighbor's... Committed thy

neighbor's will?

Unless you're crippled by cyclists.

Hey, hold on.

Yeah, that's negligence. That's
negligence.

Still thou mistakest, or else commitest
thy knaveries.

This is thy negligence. Still thou
mistakest, or else commitest thy

willfully.

Reggie, give us a moment, won't you?

Certainly. This is thy negligence.

Still thou must take it, or else commit
it.

Thy neighbor is willfully.

This is thy negligence.

Still thou must take it, or else commit
it.

Thy neighbor is willfully.

That's better.

Get out of here.

Well, I'm with the Diner Protection
Agency, excuse me.

And I told you, get out of my kitchen.

Stay away from that.

Oh, my God.

This is thy negligence.

Still thou must take it, or else call
thy neighbors willfully.

Did you not tell me I should know the
man by the Athenian garments he had on?

Thou seest these lovers seek a place to
fight.

Hi there, poor Robin.

Overcast the night with drooping fog,
and lead these testy rivals so far

as one not come within another's way.

Haste, make no delay.

We may affect this business yet here
day.

Excellent, Gary. Lovely.

Bravo.

Subtext was a little off.

Now, before we move on, people, we have
some business that must be attended to.

Our costume house has gone belly up,
taking our deposit with them.

Their costumes?

Well... Fortunately, I've located
another supplier. That's the good news.

bad news is we're going to need another
check.

How much?

A thousand dollars.

I understand.

I mean, you've all sacrificed so much
already.

I'm willing to put up $500 out of my own
pocket if that helps.

Or we could do it without costume.

Well, we're already doing it with
virtually no sets or props.

Yeah, and you said we'd sell it with the
costumes.

Yes, yes, I know I did, dear, but if we
can't have them, we'll... We'll simply

do without. Bare bones, street clothes,
um, overalls, jeans.

A fairy queen in overalls? Hey, you're
acting so good, it won't make no

difference. You're already a queen up
there.

I'll cover it.

Gary?

I'm in for 500.

Gary, are you sure? I mean, that's a lot
of money, especially considering what

you've done for us. Well, no, I know, I
know, but I've only been here a few

days, and you've all... Well, you may
not need costumes, but I need all the

I can get, so... Way to go, kid.

What about that subtext thing?

I'll help you with it.

How touching.

Anton Goldman.

Artistic director of the Medusa Theater.
It's my assistant, James.

And how can we help you, gentlemen?

By getting out of my theater.

What?

Oh, don't play the wounded innocent,
Miss Rousseau. You're well aware Medusa

an agreement to rent this space
beginning next week for our production

Maratsad. That's ridiculous. I have a
contract.

So do we.

It's written well before yours.

Minor detail.

The landlord didn't sign it.

No, but we have a verbal understanding.

Don't we, Oscar?

Oscar is the landlord?

It was to me.

We had a deal, Oscar. You said the
contract was a formality and you didn't

to it later.

Remember?

You didn't offer me a part.

Because you have the instincts of an
imbecile.

Well, Bonnie thinks I'm good.

Mr. Rousseau has obviously flattered you
in an effort to violate a pre -existing

arrangement.

I'm calling upon you now to do the one
honorable thing and relinquish the

theater to Medusa.

No.

Let me remind you, Oscar, that we have
already sent out mailings, sold tickets,

rented equipment, all based on your
prior representation.

I think he said no the first time.

If you persist in this nonsense, I fully
intend to sue you for every penny

you've got. Now, one last chance.

Will you rent me the theater?

No.

Fine, then I can't be held responsible
for the consequences.

Come on, James.

We have work to do.

Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.

Everyone's a critic.

Well, I told you there was a reason the
paper wanted me around. Slow down, Gary.

Well, I can't. I gotta get over to the
theater before it burns to the ground.

you know what causes it? The paper says
investigators suspect arson.

Arson? Arson. Who'd want to burn down
your theater on opening night?

I got a pretty good idea.

I'll squash him like a bug.

Nobody tries to burn down my theater and
gets away with it.

Gary, oh my God!

Are you all right?

Well, yeah, it's just my ankle.

What do you want, a purple heart? Come
on. Don't be ridiculous. You get this

looked at right away.

That is an order, all right? What are
you doing in the theater now anyway? No,

we don't want to know.

Come on, time's wasting. Now, we're
going to handle this maturely, Marion.

I'm going to handle it maturely. Then
I'm going to bust his head open.

Good, John.

Exactly, that's it. Very nice.

Now move through the space and let the
space move through you.

Very good, Ma. Good, good.

Feel the energy, James.

Feel this, chump. Excuse me?

Look familiar?

I'm running a rehearsal.

Oh, is that what you call it? What is
this about?

Don't play dumb. You tried to burn down
our theater.

What? Somebody planted this flash pot
this morning instead of fire.

Oh, and you suspect me.

Why would I want to burn down your
little theater?

Because you can't have it.

Oh, like a child. If I can't play with
it, then nobody can.

If the shoe fits.

Well, tell me, Sherlock, can I physical
evidence link you me to this?

Well, you know... Oh, look, it's trying
to think.

That's it!

Marion! Oh, that's good. When in doubt,
act like a gorilla.

This gorilla's got news for you, pal.

You touch our theater again, I'll bury
you so deep in your Chicago court system

that the only line you're gonna be
running is gonna be in a prison

Marion, let him go!

I don't need to resort to sabotage.
Because your own lack of talent will

you far more effectively.

Now get out of here.

It's a go! Run along!

Come on, Marion. Let's go. Come on.

I should have popped them.

Well, it sounds to me like he got the
point.

So, uh, how's your leg?

It's fine.

The doctor says it'll be fine. As long
as I keep it elevated, it'll be good for

tonight. You're lucky you didn't break
it.

I can't.

What, you broke your leg before?

No.

Ow! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa. What are you doing?

Look, I've got to get over to the
theater.

Well, you ain't going no place. Look,
you know...

Trump, you know those feelings I get.

I don't want to hear that. Well, I got a
feeling the theater's going to catch on

fire again.

What? I got a... I got to get over
there. No, no, no, no, no.

I'll go.

Huh? You stay put.

You hurt that leg before opening the
leg.

I'll kill you.

You mind telling me what the hell's
going on here?

Stage fright?

You're going to torture the theater
because of stage fright?

You could have ruined everything.

No.

I don't get it.

You've been in more shows than the rest
of us put together.

Oh, I've been in lots of plays, dear
boy. But the biggest part I ever had was

the second attendant lord.

I had one line.

Hark, the king approaches.

I could barely get that out.

Now, hold on a minute.

That flash part this morning, that was
you too?

Absolutely broke his leg because of
that. Oh, God, I didn't mean for anyone

get hurt, but the thought of going up on
stage makes me sick to my stomach. I've

been doubled over with pain.

Well, if you feel that way, why don't
you just quit?

I can't.

Sophie is always a demon.

Just so.

She thinks I'm the next Olivier.

I'm afraid I couldn't bear to shatter
her illusion.

Truth is, old boy, I...

I think I love her.

So, you see, I had to find a graceful
way out.

Graceful? You were going to burn down a
theatre? Char it a little around the

edges, enough to cancel the show.

It only occurred to me after that
dreadful Anton fellow threatened us. How

perfect, I thought.

Everyone would blame it on him.

Reggie, that fire could have spread
everywhere.

Please don't yell at me right now. I'm
very vulnerable.

I'll do anything.

I'll cook the play. I'll put myself in
therapy. It's just no more yelling.

Sophie. Am I interrupting?

Not at all.

Marion wanted some extra help, and who
better to supply it than the good Master

Puck? That is so you.

Isn't he amazing?

Oh, yeah, he's a peach.

Well, um, I left my address book here
last night.

Care for a spot of lunch?

Love it.

Excellent.

I'll be right along. I still have a
couple of more tips for Marion.

What

can

I say? I'm a total scoundrel.

Look, Reggie, I'm not much on pep talks.

But if that wasn't acting, I don't know
what is.

It was rather convincing, wasn't it?

I'm telling you, you got this game down
cold.

You really think so?

Compared to the rest of us, you're like
John Wayne or something.

I'll assume you meant that as a
compliment.

Greatest actor who ever lived.

So, what you're saying is, given the
general level of talent in this company,

have to be considered the standout.

Oh, absolutely.

So, no matter how bad I am, the rest of
you are going to be worth.

And another thing, if you don't go on
tonight, I'm going to beat the crap out

you.

I'll do it.

Good.

It was Reggie?

It's a long story, Hobson.

Good news is, there can be no more fires
here at the theater.

You got any more hunches?

No.

Good. I'll see you tonight.

There's no more fires.

This is not what it looks like. She
attacked me.

Liar! Because I was going to expose her.

What? Don't believe him, Gary.

She's a fraud.

Look, now I had my assistant do a little
checking. Her name's not Bonnie

Rousseau. So I changed my name. It's
very common in the theater. In Toledo,

was Bonnie Richards, and the play was
Comedy of Heirs. Oh, yeah, some comedy.

Twenty bewildered actors show up opening
night to find their theater locked, the

rent not paid, the props never ordered,
and their director nowhere in sight.

It was a cash flow problem. I was
embarrassed.

In Milwaukee, it was Two Gentlemen of
Verona. In Bradford, Pennsylvania, it

As You Like It. Gosh, the words seem to
change, but the melody just stays the

same, doesn't it?

It's a pretty brilliant scheme,
actually.

Recruit a bunch of untalented but
willing amateurs and charge them for

lessons and a host of other fictions and
then leave them high and dry with a

stack of unpaid bills.

Look, I don't believe that. Look around
you. This is a furnished apartment and

her bags are packed.

In another few minutes, she was walking
out on you.

There's a line.

In Midsummer Night's Dream. What was
that now? Oh, yes, of course.

How quick bright things come to
confusion.

And tell Jennifer not to rearrange the
fridge.

Oh, and Mom, after the show tonight,
there's someone very special I want you

meet.

Okay. Love you, too. Bye.

I can't believe she's not here. We need
our final notes before we go on. Not to

mention our costumes.

Bad form, really, to wait till opening
night. Hey, Bonnie knows what she's

when she's a pro.

Bonnie, it's about time.

Hello, darling and everyone.

Did you get the costumes?

There are no costumes, Scrum.

What? Bonnie, are you okay?

Gary, I... No, no, no, you should tell
him.

Tell us what?

The truth is, there never were any
costumes.

There never was any show.

What? Why not?

Well, Bonnie was planning on taking the
money and skipping town, you see.

Tonight. But it just so happened we ran
into each other, so... You mean you

weren't even going to be here tonight?

She was scamming us.

I just believe it. No wonder I never got
any rent.

I've got her checkbook. The money's
all...

It's all still here.

You'll all get your shares back.

What about the other companies?

I'll do something that's just going to
take some time.

You've done this before?

She's a con artist, kid.

She's got her act on pretty good.

But why?

What difference does it make? I think it
makes a difference.

I think it makes a big difference.

Tell him.

I started out just like all of you, full
of dreams.

Everyone back home in Nebraska thought I
was crazy, but I'd show them, I'd show

everyone, I'd take Broadway by storm.

Well, what happened?

I turned around and I was 35, broke and
alone and waiting tables like 1 ,000

other actresses, going to auditions and
praying for that break that never comes.

So what about Evita, the national tour?

I never played Evita.

And I never taught at Juilliard either.

In other words, what you're telling us
is everything you've said up to now is a

lie.

Look, theater was all I knew. I had to
make a living somehow.

So I bluffed my way into directing.

Community theater in Toledo.

As opening night approached, I just got
so terrified of failing again.

I was sure someone was going to find out
I had lied about my past. So I ran.

And I didn't realize until I got to
Pennsylvania that I still had the

checkbook with me. I never planned it.

But suddenly I had more money than I'd
earned in the last ten years combined.

Maybe I did have a talent for something.

The first time was an accident.

But not the second.

Or the next.

And now you.

It's everything.

Well, that's it then.

Oh, but the audience is coming soon.

What, to see a bunch of yahoos embarrass
themselves on stage?

We'll give them the money back. Tell
them to go home.

Look, I'm the fraud here, not you.

Everything I told you about myself may
have been a lie, but not what I said

about you.

Oh, yeah, sure.

It's the truth.

Yes, those other companies that I
formed, they were pretty awful, but not

You're different. You believe in
yourselves.

Don't let that go.

I believe in you.

You mean that?

Who cares what she says?

We'll start making phone calls now.
Maybe we can stop people. Uh -huh. There

is, detective.

Arrest her. She's a crook.

Hold on, pal.

Stan, what's going on? A long time.

You know this Simeon?

You're an actor now?

It's a long story.

So what are you doing?

I'm working bunk all these days. This
guy here says that Miss Russo took your

money under false pretense. False
pretense. She robbed them blind.

She took every penny she could get out
of these gullible rubes.

Is that true?

I don't know where this hairball gets
his information.

But she didn't take my money.

You. You were there. You know I'm right.

Hobson. She take your money?

No, she didn't take my money.

She take anyone else's money? What are
you talking about?

You paid her for acting lessons.

Then we got them all, Ben.

They're covering for her. I don't know
why. Without evidence of fraud, there is

no case here.

What about costumes? Do you see any
costumes?

We don't need costumes.

We rely on our acting.

Looks like you're wasting your time,
Stan.

Yeah. Wait a minute. You rely on your
acting?

What acting? You want evidence?

Right, she promised them a show.

Well, there's not going to be a show
because these people can't act their way

out of a paper bag.

There's not going to be a show. No, of
course there isn't. That is her whole

scam. These people are buffoons.

Well, I guess if there's no show, that
is evidence.

Mr. Russo, if you could come with me,
please.

Hold on, Stan.

There's gonna be a show.

What?

There is?

In fact, we go on in 90 minutes.

Isn't that right?

That's right.

They're lying.

If you don't believe me, why don't you
hang around, Antoine?

Maybe you'll learn something.

Oh, I'll be there.

I guess I'll stick around, too.

Fine, gentlemen, I'll get you tickets.
Now, would you clear the hall? We've got

some last -minute work to do.

Oh, I'll bet you do.

I'm really looking forward to this,
Crumb.

That

was

pretty good, Crumb.

You were great.

You were all great, thank you.

We didn't do it for you.

Nevertheless, I... Go on, then. Leave.

You didn't want to be here before. Why
stay now?

I'm the only one that can cue the
lights.

So, now what?

Now?

We put on a show.

There he goes. Nothing.

Yeah, break a leg.

What the crack is that?

House lights ready to go.

I mean, break a leg.

That's what you say. House lights down.

Hippolyta, our nuptial hour draws on.
What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?

The finch, the sparrow, and the lark.

The plain song, Cuckoo Gray, whose note.

If we shadows have offended, think but
this, and all is mended, that you have

but slumbered here while these visions
did appear.

And this weak and idle theme, no more
yielding but a dream.

Gentlemen, do not reprehend. If you
pardon, we will mend.

And as I am an honest Puck, if we have
unearned luck now to escape the

tongue, we will make amends ere long.

Tell the Puck a liar call.

So good night unto you all. Give me your
hands if we be friends.

And Robin shall restore amends.

Well, I guess we just think after all.
Heck if not.

Come on, everyone. Captain calls.

Hey, thanks.

I really enjoyed this.

Excuse me.

Get down.

Hey, how can you read a newspaper at a
time like this?

And there's more tomorrow at midday. The
legends of Native American nations come

to life next.

Hallmark presents the first in a two
-part miniseries, The Dream Keeper, next

this afternoon.