New Nicholas & Alexandra Video - Mini Series? Part I

My maternal grandfather was gassed in the First World War, and had TB, and still smoked!

Agree entirely!

Back to the script.

Ann

Unless I get some time over the weekend, which I don't anticipate since I'll be out of town, nothing new will be appearing from me until early next week.

As previously mentioned two scenes I'll be looking to develop are a ball in honor of Olga's birth. This gives us the opportunity to introduce some new characters while building up others. Most specifically I wanted to highlight the Vladimirovich famlily and lay the groundwork for the eventual rift between they and the IF. I thought it would be a good idea to have Maria Pavlovna (elder) snipe at Alexandra while watching her dance and mingle with the crowd. I'm not however any good at coming up with details on dress and decor, something someone would eventually like to know for an occasion such as this...

After that will most likely be Coronation. This I would imagine will be a string of scenes and rather lengthy that I'm still reading and studying up on.

As always if anyone out there would like to try their hand and contribute, by all means! It matters not whether the scene is connected chronologically or has been done already...

Your ball scene would be good. Unfortunately, the Vladimirovichi boys (except possibly Kirill) will be too young for concerns to be expressed about their dissolution. Not sure whether Boris (18 at this time) would be old enough to attend.

Ann

As always if anyone out there would like to try their hand and contribute, by all means! It matters not whether the scene is connected chronologically or has been done already

I wish I could, but, as I said, I do fiction, not fact.  All my writings involving the IF have either been fiction and AU, which gives me much more flexability.

[Nicholas (w/Alexandra approaching the gate by carriage):]

Next scene describes a winter ball held in part to honor the birth of the newborn child. I'm not 100% certain when this took place but it would have been during the winter of 1895/96.

A brilliant ball held at the Winter Palace with thousands of guests in attendance. We show a room full of Romanov family members along side of ministers, dignitaries. statesmen and wealthy aristocrats. They congregate in the large main hall awaiting the arrival of the Tsar, Empress and Dowager mother.

Nicholas (w/Alexandra approaching the gate by carriage): I'm pleased that you are in such good spirits my dear, I understand that this isn't a scene you rather care for.
Alexandra: It's all part of the job of Empress. Besides I feel better today than lately.
Nicholas: This is the first time you haven't been in the same building as baby Olga.
Alexandra: I hope she'll be alright with that nurse of ours...
Nicholas: If she bothers you darling lets dismiss her. I won't have my wife and Empress bossed around.
Alexandra: She means well...(giggling)...you know the other day she demanded more rooms for the child, as if we weren't already living in a palace. Then she came very close to yelling at me for visiting the nursery too often.
Nicholas (rolls eyes): There is something hard and unpleasant in her face...but never mind that now.
Alexandra (sarcastically): Yes right now we must receive the entire population of Russia in one evening.
Nicholas (laughs as they step out of the carriage and walk arm and arm up the stairs to the front doorway): Remember Sunny it's a ball...let us enjoy ourselves...

Seated at the head of the hall the master of ceremonies is given word to the arrival of the honored guests. He strikes his staff three times and two Arabs in white turbans instantly throw the doors wide open. The massive gallery bows then applauds as the couple enters followed by the escorted Dowager Empress.

Next scene cuts to Nicholas & Alexandra dancing the polonaise. Among the invited guests is one Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna holding court among a gaggle of other women. She begins to snipe at the Empress while watching her dance and then greet other guests...

Pavlovna: You know whatever becomes of the Tsar you have to feel sympathy for Nicholas. I'm not sure what's more difficult...ruling the Russian Empire or teaching Alexandra how to be a presentable Empress?

Women begin laughing...

Pavlovna: I'm still trying to figure out what she does well. Her awkward dancing and her odd taste in clothing like she's making a point of not trying to fit in...
Woman #1 (giggling): Have you heard her French accent? It sounds like a peasant trying to speak it!
Pavlovna: Just as bad, her Russian is still atrocious as well.
Woman #2: I rarely see the Empress smile. You'd think she's be glowing so soon after having given birth.
Pavlovna: Hopefully that child will take after her father and her grandmother more then...

Maria Feodorovna, making the rounds, suddenly walks over to greet her sister in law...

Feodorovna (calls out): Miechen! How well to see you again (embraces and trades kisses to the cheek)
Pavlovna: Your majesty, a delight as always!
Feodorovna: Ladies how are we enjoying ourselves? (they answer all at once enthusiastically)
Pavlovna: Your timing is perfect madame, we were just talking about you a moment ago. The model of class and regal beauty.
Women #3: And you look so young your majesty...
Pavlovna: Yes this cannot possibly be the mother of a Tsar!
Feodorovna: I thank you...the young Tsar must have a young looking mother to escort around after all.
Pavlovna: His majesty could not ask for the guidance of a kinder and wiser mother than you...we are all so fortunate to have you at his side.
Feodorovna: As we are to have you dear Miechen. The grandest of the Grand Duchesses as they say.
Pavlovna (blushing): What a lovely thing to say...and what a lovely ball. I must step up my own efforts if my reputation for the quintessential hostess is to remain in tact.
Feodorovna: I don't think you'll have to worry about losing position in St. Petersburg society anytime soon my lady...
Pavlovna: Forgive my madame but what is that to which you are referring to...?
Feodorovna: I'm not sure any of you have noticed but my daughter in law is not terribly taken by these types of gatherings.
Pavlovna: Ahhh, yes, well your majesty she is still rather young afterall, and a new mother for good measure. I suppose their is plenty of time for her to learn the ways of the Court.
Feodorovna: And in the meantime such responsibility falls to me.
Pavlovna (smiling and bowing): But of course.
Feodorovna: Forgive me Miechen I must move along...but the Tsar asks to speak with Vladimir Alexandrovich before the end of the evening. Could I have you pass along that message.
Pavlovna: Humbly your majesty. I believe my husband is in conversation with a few of the Tsar's ministers...but I will be certain to notify him once he is finished.
Feodorovna (smiles): No rush.

Another quick embrace as the Dowager Empress departs. Maria Pavlovna turns her attention back to Alexandra...

Pavlovna: Well ladies. I think it's safe to say we don't have another Marie Feodorovna on our hands...for the sake of Russia I hope Tsar Nicholas takes after his father more than his German bride resembles the Dowager Empress.

Scene cuts away and the camera pans across the room. We see conversations and dancing, the orchestra playing, Nicholas & Alexandra greeting guests, etc. From there we shown a family in the distance on the cold winter's light looking at the lit up palace. The stark contrast between the partying privileged and struggling poor being made example of. They walk down the street heading home dressed in rags and with loaves of bred being carried under arms...

Male guests in magnificent uniforms and the ladies waving their fans at suitable moments.

Smallish point here. Who would escort the Dowager Empress? Would it be an unmarried Grand Duke? If so, I would suggest either her brother-in-law Alexei Alexandrovich or Dimitri Konstantinovich.

Regards

Ann

Thanks Ann. That's definitely worth mentioning once I put together a second draft...having previously stated that I know little on the details of dress and decor.

Good call on the escorting Grand Duke. I had the exact same thought while writing...who would have the honor? I left it out obviously since it wasnt a speaking part in the scene but AA or DK sound about right. There are really very few details from this ball as far as I can tell other than it existed and was heavily attended. Obviously not a crucial scene to the story but an excuse to explain the general sentiment of St. Petersburg society toward Alexandra as well as to introduce a new character or two.

I hope you liked where I was going with Maria Pavlovna. Something of a two face and no love for the Empress even at this early stage...

Hi,

Alexei Alexandrovich was the Dowager Empresses favourite brother-in-law, so would be my first choice;  and I would stick to that, as he was a great dancer and she loved to dance!
Even when her husband was alive, she more often danced the night away with Alexei, as Alexander III ran around blowing out candle and systematically reducing the orchestra one by one......
That would make a great scene, but I realize that is in the past as regards our time frame.....

Also, a minor point:
I don't know if the DE would approach the Grand Duchess and call out: "Meichen", as this was a personal and family appallation.  Only in private would they call each other by their nicknames.
At a public ball and with other ladies around, she would call her Maria Pavlovna;  or even My dear Maria Pavlovna, just to soften it..
What do you think?

Larry

'My dear Marie/Maria Pavlovna' sounds just the ticket.

Alexei Alexandrovich sounds just the man to escort Marie F. DK sounds a lovely chap but more interested in horses than parties.

And the two-faced Marie P. I think we could have something in your dialogue along the lines of 'Such a pity the child is a girl. My dear husband and I were so fortunate to have our boys first.'

Ann

Larry,

I concur with Ann, sounds about right to me. "Meichen" was placed in there by me to soften things, but you're right, at a formal ball I'm sure the Dowager Empress of all people would know the proper way to address someone. Plus it's never a bad thing, considering our audience, to use the proper names as much as possible since I'd think the nicknames can at times get awfully confusing...

Alexei Alexandrovich deserves a line or two in the scene don't you think? Or at least something showing him dancing with MF. Quite a fascinating life he lead...even met with President Grant on his extended voyage to the US and Canada in the early-1870s. Nicholas was apparently very close with him which makes him a good candidate for a secondary character. I imagine he'll get a bit more face time once we get into the Russo-Japanese War.

But he also died in 1908, missing the critical later stages of the Empire leading up to the revolution. Not sure how much of the storyline I want to hitch to his wagon considering I already plan to make a big deal of the assassination of his younger brother Sergei but three years earlier. We don't want to get too bogged down highlighting everyone's death here. The ending is already depressing enough :-(

By the way, does anyone have a clue of what his relationship with his older brother Vladimir and Maria Pavlovna was? My guess is that even if MP didn't like him she wouldn't dare speak ill of her brother in law in the presence of others. Otherwise I have something that I could work into the scene I just created...

And the two-faced Marie P. I think we could have something in your dialogue along the lines of 'Such a pity the child is a girl. My dear husband and I were so fortunate to have our boys first.'

Oh my! Good thought there Ann, but who is she saying this to...the Dowager Empress? Sounds like an awfully risky thing to say...

If she's just speaking sarcastically to the women around her than it's not a big deal however.

Hi,

I'm sure she'd only say that to the ladies surrounding her.
Although I'm sure everybody was thinking it, including the Dowager Empress!, MP would have had to taken care as to whom she expressed it out loud.

I just mentioned Alexei as an escort to DE at this ball;  I don't really know if we need go into his existance that much, if at all...
You're right though, he was an interesting character;  and very well loved in family and very popular in public.

Larry

Hi Again,

Just another thought:

Alexei might well serve as a Romanov who was liked by the public;  in contrast to Serge, if you're planning to bring him into the play.
Serge - not well liked by the public, nor loved by many in his own family (I don't know if this last part is entirely true or not!)...
Alexei - very popular and a party lover!!

Larry

Larry,

I guess I can see me casually working him into the story. Right now things are relatively slow but the storyline is going to blow up a bit once I start getting Coronation together. I can't be spending too much time away from the main characters.

He will be mentioned more as we approach the Russo-Japanese war I would gather. Maybe we'll have some comment sarcastically about his love for "fast women and slow ships". How much of the partying Grand Duke was he but the turn of the century anyway? Keep in mind that he was 50 years old by 1900, and I don't think such a character is worthy of a flashback sequence to his more decadent years as a younger man. He also spent his last 3+ years living in Paris having been relieved of his command and retiring in disgrace following the Russian navy's disastrous defeat in the Battle of Tsushima.

Some of the scenes showing the partying Romanovs, Rasputin, Felix Y, etc, I'd love for someone else to take a stab at (as has been discussed before). It's difficult for me to get too sidetracked off the main plot for now. This ball scene I just created being a notable exception.