co-star, Jensen, and Brunner are worried about the relationship, especially given the unhappy precedent of her mother. Baroness Liebinger comes to the theatre to see Charlotte and after some fulsome praise for the performance she turns to her with some bitter advice about the Count. 'In an article I once read that every Don Juan, every womaniser has his own distinguishing mark,' she says. "With Schwarzenegg it is the phrase about 'the only woman". Her words strike Charlotte with a cold fear but, as the Baroness leaves, the Count himself appears. He admits that he has made love to lots of women, but he assures her that all that is over since he met Charlotte and that he wishes to marry her. It is now time for Charlotte to take the stage and, when Jensen comes to collect her, she introduces the actor to the Count as her fiancé. SCENE 9 On stage the chorus are singing prior to Charlotte's entrance. Charlotte comes to her solo, but suddenly she breaks off and collapses into Jensen's arms. The stage manager calls for the curtain to be lowered and apologises to the public for the interruption of the performance due to Fraulein Pichler's indisposition. PART 3: VIENNA, 1935 CHARACTERS Franzi Jensen-Pichler Count Ferdinand Schwarzenegg Lindtheim, a director for Vienna Film A.G. Johann Brunner (now in his eighties) Waldner, an actor Film technicians of the Vienna Film A.G., actors, an innkeeper, workmen SCENE 10 In the production room of the Vienna Film Company, a group of dancers are being put through their paces. A film is being made under the title Fanny Pichler's First Love, with Franzi Jensen-Pichler playing the part of her grandmother in the story of Fanny's love for Rudi Schwarzenegg. The book of the film has been written by Johann Brunner, now in his eighties and a man with first-hand knowledge of the real-life romance. Advance publicity for the film has brought a letter from a present-day Count Schwarzenegg protesting about the subject but the director is little concerned. After all, as he points out, the more the protests the better the publicity! Of more concern is the news that the film's intended leading man, Willy Forster, has had to drop out of the film for contractual reasons. Other names are bandied around, but in vain. Just then a visitor is announced. It is the same Count Ferdinand Schwarzenegg who has been protesting about the film. The director assures him that they have already made films about Esterhazy, Metternich and Napoleon without any complaints from descendants, but the Count assures them that his concern is purely with historical accuracy and he asks to see the script. The director has been watching his visitor closely and suddenly hi' comes up with the answer to all his concerns: 'Count, you will play the role or Count Rudi Schwarzenegg in our film!' Ferdinand is hesitant but is flattered into acceptance. The Count is sent off with Franzi and the musical director to practrise their big waltz song, and the two are each astonished to find that the other is also the grandchild of one of the film's leading characters. Seated at the piano, the musical director rehearses them in their big duet. SCENE 11 In the garden of a suburban hotel, Johann Brunner is enjoying a few glasses of wine to the sound of a
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