Vivat Regina, Watch City Steampunk Festival 2017 – Act II

Photography by John Benfield
Costume design by Jennifer Giorno
Set design by Bernie Gabin
Production design by Phoebe Roberts

ACT II

Mary tap dances about why she’s hanging around on the street corner…

…while whacking people with a poker.

Arthur isn’t totally buying it.

But he’s rather charmed anyway.

Clara and Nathaniel arrive at the party at the German embassy.

She asks if Mrs. Hawking was a jerk to him.

Nathaniel can’t tell her why, but he’s not sure it would work out as she plans.

Nathaniel doesn’t want to talk about it.

Clara says she’ll soon have her ways of managing Auntie for him.

Nathaniel thinks he’s alone at the party…

…until Mrs. Hawking appears to yell at him.

She is NOT pleased he followed her here.

He’s never been snapped at by a punch bowl before.

But Nathaniel wants to help her find a logbook to see when their quarry will smuggle off into the night.

She just wants him to stay out of her way.

Nathaniel intercepts Frau Gerhard.

He can’t let her catch Mrs. Hawking rifling around in the offices.

So he has to keep her distracted.

He has to come up with a story she’ll buy!

He’s probably being a little over the top.

Fortunately Frau Gerhard’s a big fan of the opera.

And Nathaniel can go with that.

He’s very good at being enthusiastically interested.

Clara returns with groceries for Mary.

Mary’s a little overwhelmed, but Clara assures her she’s making a difference with Mrs. Hawking.

Mrs. H finds the groceries– with TEA BISCUITS.

Mrs. Hawking has no patience for the fact that they don’t have a plan.

They need some way to make their quarry leave the embassy so he’s no longer immune.

But Mary is exhausted and out of ideas.

Mrs. Hawking can’t believe Mary would suggest working with some COP.

Mrs. Hawking takes out her frustration.

But Mrs. Hawking doesn’t mean Mary’s doing badly.

She thinks Mary could be her protege.

She wants Mary to train to one day take her place.

Mary can’t believe it.

She knows she’s not the assistant Mrs. Hawking would have imagined.

But she’s exactly what Mrs. Hawking needs.

Nathaniel bursts in to wreck the tender moment.

Nathaniel tells them he learned Austerlitz is leaving Monday morning.

Mary tells him how helpful that is.

Nathaniel looks at the logbook Mrs. Hawking found.

They realize they can nail him if they frame him as a spy.

But who will catch him with the evidence?

Fortunately, Mary has an idea, and Mrs. Hawking has a plan.

Mrs. Braun returns.

She is trepidacious because of how mean Mrs. Hawking is.

“Is this why you’ve called me here? To abuse my wretchedness?”

“You may abandon the charade. I know who you are.”

Mrs. Braun fears all is lost.

But Mrs. Hawking says they can nail him– if they work outside her mother’s system.

At last Mrs. Braun can’t take it anymore.

“I was four years old when she made me her mourning toy!”

“One by one, my sisters escaped. Only I had no intervening duty, so she stitched me to her side.”

“When majesties and potentates bow before her, how is one such as I to defy her?”

“We cannot all be warriors, Mrs. Hawking.”

“And yet we all must fine some way to survive.”

Mrs. Braun won’t take any more of this nonsense.

Mrs. Hawking asks if she can get them an official diplomatic pouch.

Mrs. Braun thinks she can, but why?

“Why, madam. To lay our snare.”

Mrs. Braun has trusted her so far…

Mary and Nathaniel lie in wait to spring their trap.

They take out the guards and get Austerlitz to take a swing at a cop.

Arthur takes control of the situation.

Frau Gerhard runs in, horrified.

But Arthur is unmoved by her protestations.

He’s discovered evidence of Austerlitz’s “spying.”

Mrs. Braun can’t believe they did it. “It was hopeless. Impossible.”

But those are the conditions in which Mrs. Hawking specializes.

Mrs. Braun owes them a favor.

But before she leaves, she hands off a letter.

“Well, Auntie? Are you pleased with things? Even with me?”

Mrs. Hawking reflects on how she’s suddenly got these sidekicks she never expected.

But one must make the best of what one is given… which may make all the difference. Even in the things one hopes for.

“Welcome aboard, Mr. Hawking.”

Mary reads the letter.

“We suppose commendations are in order.”

But the writer doesn’t want Mrs. H to mess around in their affairs again.

Mrs. Hawking is amused to have gotten under someone’s skin.

Nathaniel realizes just who that letter is from.

Not much makes Mrs. Hawking laugh, but this does!

See Act I