your violinist". They turn and, to Lestat's horror, see that Armand has Nicolas as a hostage. Armand plays with Lestat, first by pretending he's going to kill Nicolas, then asking how come Lestat didn't turn him into a vampire. Couldn't he see how lonely his friend was? Laughing, he throws Nicolas to Lestat and leaves. Nicolas tells Lestat that he wants them to be together forever. Lestat finally gives in and transforms him. The new vampire simply sits on the floor in a catatonic state. As Lestat desperately calls his name, trying to get a reaction, the scene shifts to the first performance of Armand's ex-followers as actors. Their play is an interpretive dance version of "The Vampire Armand" and tells the story of Armand and Marius. Lestat and Gabrielle compliment the play. The still catatonic Nicolas will not speak or move, except to play the violin. Armand enters the theatre’s backstage clapping. Lestat asks Armand why Nicolas is like that. Armand says the Dark Gift is unpredictable. Lestat asks if Marius is real, and if his ancient blood could heal Nicki. Armand reveals Marius was his own maker, but he believes he is dead. Lestat decides to look for him to heal Nicolas. Lestat and Gabrielle take Nicolas to travel through Europe in a search for Marius. Ten years pass. Armand appears and tries to seduce Lestat, who almost surrenders but ends up beating Armand and ordering him to disappear from his life. Armand returns to Paris. Gabrielle enters, talking of a wonderful wild place she had been exploring. Lestat angrily asks why she had taken so long to return. Gabrielle talks of the wonders of the world and everything she wants to do. Although she will miss Lestat, she has no interest in trying to cure Nicolas. Gabrielle and Lestat kiss, and she leaves. Lestat asks Nicolas to play the violin. Instead of playing, Nicki speaks for the first time since he was transformed: "Release me." Desperate, Lestat agrees to light a fire. He scatters Nicki's ashes, crying. A sudden light makes him look up. A figure has appeared on the sky and is coming down to talk to Lestat. Marius yells "COME!" Act II Marius claims that he could not have saved Nicolas; that Nicolas made his own choice. Angry and sad, Lestat asks what is the meaning of their lives. Marius says he cannot teach what a lifetime can and that Lestat should go to America, be the first vampire there, and start a new life. Lestat begs Marius to not leave him, for he cannot stand the loneliness. The ancient vampire replies, "then you'll make others", and instructs Lestat to choose his fledglings carefully. He had, himself, made a mistake transforming Armand. He says "Armand is empty. He cannot feel or love." Lestat follows Marius's advice and goes to the New World, where he meets and falls for a young selfdestructive Creole, Louis. Lestat offers himThe Dark Gift. Louis agrees, and Lestat makes him a vampire. Time passes, and Louis and Lestat live in a beautiful town house. Lestat arrives, telling a funny story from the opera, but Louis interrupts with a lot of moral questions. Lestat, tired of this discussion, tries once again to make his partner embrace the vampire nature. Louis says he's leaving. Lestat goes for a walk and finds a sick little orphan girl who asks him for help. He makes her a vampire and takes her home. Louis is horrified and calls Lestat a bastard, but agrees to stay and raise Claudia with him. Time passes. In Claudia's bedroom, she is beautifully dressed and surrounded by dolls, for which she doesn't seem to care. Transformed at such a young age, she doesn't understand "human nature" and her craving for blood is bigger than those of the other vampires. Claudia comes to realise that she'll never grow to be a woman and begins to ask questions. At a ball, after being treated as a child by younger people, Claudia mourns the adult life she'll never have. Lestat overhears and leaves guiltily. They meet later at home. He asks where Louis is, and she says she has asked him to give them some time alone. Awkwardly, he starts to apologise for not understanding her grief, but she interrupts and says she's sorry for giving him so much trouble lately. She says she has a present for him, and shows the unconscious body of a woman. Lestat bites the woman and falls on the floor, weak. Claudia had poisoned him, not knowing it was impossible to kill a vampire this way. More furious than ever, she grabs a knife and starts cutting Lestat. A very weak Lestat tries to reach out. Afraid of what Lestat might do to Claudia, Louis tells her there's only one way he can die, and Louis sets the house on fire. He and Claudia run, as Lestat tries to get away from the flames.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU3MzQ=