SCENE 1 

A chorus of admissions candidates from all over the world announces themselves, their identities, and their passions.  Then ANGELA enters.  She quotes from the Declaration of Independence: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’  She speaks about her American dream.   She came to America to pursue artistic freedom. 

·         Q: What does getting accepted into Eliot University represent for Angela? 

·         Q: How does Eliot University represent the gateway to the American Dream? 

 

SCENE 2

The interview: Birch Coffin, Acting Head of Admissions, interviews Angela Chan.  Instead of the usual questions about academics, extra-curricular activities etc, Angela is asked repeatedly about ‘irregularities’ in her record.  She cracks under the pressure. 

·         Q: What are your thoughts on the interview process given to Angela Chan? 

·         Q: Do you feel she is being fairly interviewed? 

·         Q: Put yourself in Angela’s shoes, how would you feel? 

·         Q: What makes Angela crack under pressure?

 

SCENE 3

Angela turns to MERCY, the new diversity officer, for help.  Mercy is initially reluctant to intervene, pointing out that Angela, as an Asian, is not covered by affirmative action — there are already many Asian students on campus.    She softens slightly when she finds out that Angela has been cut off by her parents, and urges her to apply for the music scholarship.  Angela implies that Birch has discouraged her from doing so. 

·         Q: What are the pros and cons of scholarship programs? 

 

SCENE 4

The scene starts off with a joyous reunion between BEN and Mercy.  Ben is Mercy’s former professor and mentor and has recruited Mercy to help him improve diversity at Eliot.  The temperature drops noticeably when Birch enters.  It is clear that Birch is not happy with Ben’s diversity efforts.

Things get even tenser when Mercy asks Birch about Angela Chan, to be told that Angela accused a teacher of rape but the allegations were not substantiated.  It would be too risky to admit Angela.  She’s either a pathological liar or a ‘kitchen cabinet’ — full of fragile porcelain, boo and everything will shatter. 

Mercy is aghast.  Surely as a woman, they should support a female victim of rape.  She is also flabbergasted to find out that Ben supports Birch on the question Angela.

·         Q: Does Birch disbelieve Angela? 

·         Q: What is Birch’s greatest concern here — Angela’s psychological fragility, or  reputational damage to Eliot University? 

 

SCENE 5 

Mercy meets up with Angela secretly to help her with her application.  She urges Angela again to enter the music scholarship. If she wins it, Birch cannot stop her.  Angela reveals that she has not been able to play the violin since the rape.

·         Q: Why can’t Angela play the violin? 

SCENE 6

The chorus of applicants speaks about their dreams and aspirations.  Angela speaks about the experience of meeting an inspirational music teacher. 

·         Q: What are the characteristics of a good teacher?  

 

SCENE 7

Birch and Mercy come to blows over Angela’s case.  Mercy accuses Birch of a lack of sympathy because she is part of the white establishment and supports the white patriarchy.  Birch pushes back.  She has been overlooked for promotion repeatedly by the male establishment at Eliot.  Her father opposed co-education at Eliot and forbade her to become a priest. 

Birch warns Mercy about Ben’s predatory history with women and implies that he has not behaved inappropriately with Mercy because she’s simply not his type.

Later Angela appears and applies for the music scholarship after all.  Birch is astonished to see that Angela has put down the ‘Have Mercy upon Me’ aria from St. Matthew’s Passion as her competition piece.  Birch understands why Angela is obsessed with forgiveness in the piece.   This is the first inkling of any sympathy or understanding on Birch’s part. 

·         Q: What does forgiveness mean? 

 

SCENE 8 

Mercy has obtained Angela’s case through a Freedom of Information request, which includes police reports, transcripts of the hearing, and evidence including Angela’s diaries.  Mercy is perplexed and disturbed to find out that the case is not as straightforward as expected. 

·         This was one of two scenes which were extensively rewritten.   In the original version, Mercy was a lot more forthright about her doubts.  After the rewrite, Mercy does not want to acknowledge the inconsistencies in Angela’s narrative, and it is Ben who sows doubts in her mind through a series of leading questions.  This sets up Ben as the villain.

 

·         Q. Refer to the ‘We Want More!’ section where you will find both versions of scenes 7 and 8). Compare all the versions of scenes 7 and 8. What are the differences and similarities and how do they affect the rest of the play?

 

SCENE 9

Mercy tells Angela she no longer wants to help her and questions her about the case.  Angela realises that Mercy has read her diaries.  Mercy is especially disturbed by the revelation that Angela experienced some sexual pleasure during the rape. 

·         Q: Can we change the harmful belief that experiencing sexual pleasure during rape makes it consensual? 

 

SCENE 10

Another choral scene, this time from the alumni of Eliot University.  While some boast of their achievements, others record their disappointments, their uncertainties, and their time in jail.   

·         Q: What is post-graduation anxiety and how do you manage it?

 

SCENE 11

The full admissions committee meets to vote on difficult admissions cases.  Birch votes for Angela’s acceptance.  Ben votes against it.  Mercy abstains.  Angela is rejected by 10 to 11.  Unless she wins the musical scholarship examination, she will not be accepted into Eliot. 

·         Q: Why does Mercy, who is an activist for the global majority and women, abstain in Angela’s case? 

·         Q: Why does Birch vote for accepting Angela despite her concerns?

·         Q: Why does Ben vote against accepting Angela? 

 

SCENE 12

Both Mercy and Ben make excuses not to attend the music competition. 

Angela decides to withdraw from the competition.  Birch helps her towards a new understanding of Bach’s aria — not a divine mocking of human frailty, but a promise never to abandon those who are broken, who are alone, who are outcasts. 

·         Q: How does a new interpretation of Bach’s aria help Angela to forgive and accept herself? 

 

SCENE 13

 

May.  The end of the academic year. 

Birch has resigned and is finally going to study to become a priest, thus decisively breaking with her father’s misogyny. 

Mercy tries to justify her abstention in Angela’s case.  Angela was simply too complicated and mentally fragile.

Ben congratulates Mercy on having obtained a permanent work visa and being able to stay on at Eliot.  Mercy asks him the question that has been burning in her mind: how did he know Angela was gorgeous?  Previously Ben had urged her not to ‘underestimate the pressure a gorgeous young girl can put on a man.’  But neither Birch nor Mercy has brought up Angela’s appearance.  

The implication is that Ben knows Angela from the past, and Mercy has just realised this.

·         Q: Why has Birch finally rejected her father’s rejection of women clergy to fulfil her dream? 

·         Q: Where will Mercy go from here? 

 

SCENE 14

 

A flashback scene to 15 months ago. 

Angela and Ben meet for the first time at Lincoln Centre, New York City.  Ben flirts with Angela.  

·         Q: How does this very romantic scene resonate at the end of the play?