Mourning Becomes Electra The Hunted, Act 4 Summary

  • Finally, a change of scenery: we're near a ship docked in a New England harbor. Adam Brant's ship, to be precise.
  • A "chantyman," a sailor who's hired to lead the crew in old sea-songs as they work, is hammered and singing "Shenandoah," the same song we've heard Seth sing.
  • He gives up, because he's too drunk to sound his best.
  • We're just hanging out with the chantyman for a while, and he's talking about how awesome he is at singing, along with how much he wants to keep on drinking.
  • He digs in his pocket for some cash.
  • Unable to find it, he comes to the conclusion that he's been robbed by a woman who'd pretended she wanted him.
  • Brant walks out on deck, obviously on edge.
  • He draws a pistol out of his pocket and demands to know who's been making all that noise.
  • The chantyman gets a little mouthy, and says he's just an innocent guy going about his business. He does mention there've been some robberies around the dock recently.
  • Brant's willing to let it go, but the chantyman just gets more and more riled up, and keeps going on about how he could kick Brant's kiester in a fight.
  • Brant uses his best I'm-a-big-shot-sea-captain's voice, and the chantyman calms down.
  • The chantyman asks Brant if he's hiring crewmembers, but Brant doesn't sail for a month.
  • Brant encourages him to just go to a bar and get drunk.
  • The poor old sailor repeats that he's been robbed.
  • Anxious to get him out of there, Brant gives him a silver dollar.
  • That works; the chantyman staggers off after paying Brant and his ship a couple of compliments.
  • Christine shows up, wearing some heavy veils to hide her face. It's obvious she's a nervous wreck.
  • Christine wants to get a little lovey-dovey, but Brant is all business. He insists that Christine tell him everything. He admits he's nervous, too.
  • For openers, she tells him that Lavinia knows the truth.
  • Understandably, this upsets Brant. He worries about what Lavinia may do, and wonders if Christine's been followed.
  • She tells Brant that Orin and Lavinia are away visiting their cousins, and that she's got Orin convinced that Lavinia's grief has made her crazy with suspicion and hate.
  • Brant seems unconvinced. He suggests they go to his cabin below deck to talk some more where no one can overhear.
  • Orin and Lavinia appear on stage shortly after Brant and Christine leave. Definitely not visiting their cousins.
  • In the cabin, Christine tells Brant about Lavinia finding the poison, and how Mannon managed to point at her before he croaked. Oh, and also that she fainted out of guilt.
  • For his part, Brant's convinced that this wouldn't have happened if he had just fought Mannon and blown his brains out.
  • Christine asks Brant to forgive her. She'd planned everything so carefully, but "something" made things happen.
  • Hmmm—does that something start with an "F"?
  • Anyway, Brant forgives her. Which is kind of surprising, given all of the ways she messed up.
  • They decide to sail off together the next morning on a ship bound for China.
  • Brant sadly realizes his sailing career is over, but thinks it's worth it to have Christine.
  • Christine promises she'll do all she can to make him happy with her. Hey, why wouldn't you trust a woman who murdered her last husband?
  • Brant escorts Christine to the edge of dock, and goes back inside.
  • Meanwhile, back in crazy siblings-ville, Orin and Lavinia are waiting in the wings for Brant to return.
  • Orin really, really wants to kill Brant. But Lavinia tells him to calm down and wait for Brant inside the cabin.
  • Brant comes in, and Orin plugs him.
  • Lavinia and Orin break some stuff and take some things to make it look like a robbery. They also go through Brant's pockets.
  • But what would an evening with Orin be without Orin getting weird?
  • Looking at Brant's body, Orin feels like they look alike, and wonders if he didn't just actually kill himself.
  • Lavinia ushers Orin out of the cabin and away from the scene of the crime before he gets any crazier.