ACT ONE
The story begins in the late 1940’s in Montpellier, where Rose Vibert an aspiring French actress in her 20’s, begins a passionate affair with a starstruck fan named Alex, an Englishman of 17 years old. Impulsively, Alex invites Rose to travel with him to Pau for a week of romance. They retreat to the country home of Alex’s uncle, Sir George Dillingham
George arrives home unexpectedly and, sure enough, love does change everything. When Rose dons the dress of George’s deceased wife, Delia, he is thunderstruck and falls in love with her. Tiring of Alex’s tantrums and unpredictability, Rose transfers her affections to George. Then Rose, pleading an urgent message from Marcel (her director), heads back to Paris. Alex is devastated by her departure.
Two years later, Alex has joined the army. During a leave, he goes to Paris and decides to visit his Uncle George. Arriving at George’s flat, he is astounded when Rose emerges to greet him. He learns that Rose has been living with George for quite some time and that she is in love with him. She says that George has made her a "better, fuller, stronger person." Even so, she can’t resist Alex and leads him by the hand into the bedroom…;-)
The next morning, Rose, feeling guilty, asks Alex to leave. The young lover is furious, and loses his temper and pulls out his gun. There is a tussle and the gun goes off accidently, wounding Rose. At this moment, George comes in and renders aid. Rose, bleeding in the corner, sends Alex packing.
Two weeks pass, during which Rose recuperates at Giulietta’s (an Italian sculptress and George’s longtime mistress) The two women quickly become good friends and they end up having a brief liason, but Rose is really in love with George and proposes to him. In a military encampment in Malaya, Alex gets the news.
ACT TWO
Act two begins thirteen years later. Rose is now a famous stage and screen star, and she and George have a daughter, Jenny. One night, Alex surprises Rose by showing up backstage at one of her performances. Rose invites him down to Pau to meet his new cousin, Jenny. He accepts.
In Pau, Alex is introduced to Jenny and the young girl quickly develops a crush on her cousin. She develops the same desperate infatuation with Alex that he once cherished for her mother. Alex, in turn, starts growing enchantingly devoted to the girl and must decide whether to surrender to impulse once again, or to discipline and re-direct his passion.
Released from the service, Alex ends up spending more and more time in Pau. Two years pass, and to George’s evident displeasure, Jenny and Alex are obviously attracted to one another. George adores his daughter and can’t stand the thought of her loving anyone else.
George’s anger comes to a head at a Paris circus, where the family is celebrating Jenny’s 15th birthday. He yells at Alex and Alex stomps off in a huff. Later on that night, George is outside Jenny’s bedroom door listening as Alex is tucking Jenny into bed. Suddenly, George collapses. He has a heart attack, and he dies on the spot. At the funeral, Alex and Giulietta finally meet and share a dance. Bewitched, they run off together to a nearby barn to consummate their passion. Unseen by either of them, Jenny follows and watches them.
In love with Giulietta, Alex determines to break the news to Jenny and, by extension, to Rose. Undissuaded, Jenny proposes to Alex, but before he can answer, Rose appears. Rose asks Alex to promise her one thing, but to say yes in advance…Alex says he can’t without knowing what it is. "Don’t leave me!" she pleads. Alex tearfully tears himself away from Rose and Jenny and leaves town with Giulietta…
BACK TO THE ASPECTS OF LOVE PAGE
