Bert    They’re gonna torch this fucken joint with all us fucken midgets in it! They’re gonna – it’s a trick! They’re gonna burn us all alive and make some big claim against one o’ those insurance companies!

Raymond    Calm down. Will you calm down, you hysterical fool!

Bert stops and takes a deep breath.

Bert    You’re right . . . I heard LeRoy telling Leo Singer that we were gonna all be needed a few more days . . .

The noises outside recede as Raymond moves away from the door.

Raymond    I’m calling the desk about this outrage! I’ll demand that they put me on to Mervyn. He’ll get to the bottom this nonsense, and heads will roll! Of that I can assure you.

He climbs up to the phone. He picks it up.

It’s off the hook. They’ve left the phone off the hook!

Now very angry, he jumps down and paces around. He pounds the door violently.

I demand that you open this door immediately! I am a personal friend of Mervyn LeRoy!

Bert looks at him.

Bert    Forget it, Ray.

Raymond    How can I – How can I forget it, Kowalski? How can I forget that we’re locked in here?

He picks up empty bottles of whisky, checking for dregs.

This is outrageous. Utterly outrageous.

Bert    You ain’t wrong.

Raymond lifts up his barbells from under his bed and starts doing arm curls in an increasingly demented rage.

Bert puts his ear to the door.

Bert    I can hear noises . . . I think . . . yeah, I think somebody’s coming.

He stands back as the door opens and Philomena is pushed in. It slams shut behind her and is locked. Raymond puts the barbells on the bed.

Bert    What the fuck?

Philomena     Jaysus . . .

Raymond    What is it, Miss Kinsella? What was all that noise? Why have they locked that damn door again?

Bert tries to open it and bangs on it.

Bert    Open the fucken door! (Turns to Raymond.) This ain’t right.

Bert takes a swig on the whisky. He shakes his head solemnly, looks down at the floor.

Raymond    What the hell is going on here, Miss Kinsella? What was all the damn commotion about? We’re locked in here; the regulations, the fire regulations have been blatantly flouted . . .

Philomena    . . . it was . . . it was . . .

She breaks down and runs sobbing into his arms. He is uncomfortable but sits her down next to him on the bed.

Raymond    Try to calm yourself, Miss Kinsella, try to calm yourself and speak. Take deep breaths . . . there . . . that’s better . . .

Philomena starts to compose herself a little.

Philomena    . . . they were shooting a scene with Miss Garland and the others . . . they’re shooting this big dance-number scene and – Jaysus – poor Charles, my poor angel . . . .

Raymond    Never mind that for now. You were out there. You . . . will you tell me what they’re talking about in the corridor, and why are they keeping us locked in here?