BEATRICE
Legend says Medea tried to take the life of Theseus with its nectar. It paralyzes the nerves and stops the heart.

CONTI (another blossom)
Sweet. And this?

BEATRICE
The Mandrake --

GARDEN VOICES
Mandrake.

BEATRICE
It’s what Juliet took to appear dead. But isn’t it beautiful? And here, the Belladonna.

GARDEN VOICES
Belladonna.

BEATRICE
(sings: BEAUTIFUL POISON)

IN ROME A THOUSAND YEARS AGO
THE FASHION OF THE DAY
WAS TO MAKE THE EYES LOOK LARGER
AND THE DROPS FROM THIS PLANT WERE THE VERY BEST WAY

SO EVERY LOVELY LADY FAIR
HAD HUGE EYES THAT GLISTENED AND SHINED ALL WITH THANKS TO BELLADONNA
SHE COULD DRIVE A MAN OUT OF HIS MIND AND THEN SHE WOULD SLOWLY GO BLIND

CONTI
Blind. You’re serious.

BEATRICE
THE TRUTH CAME CLEAR AS YEARS WENT BY
EACH GIRLFRIEND OR MISTRESS OR WIFE
COULD NO LONGER SEE IN THE MIRROR
THE AMOROUS EYES THAT WOULD COST HER HER LIFE

IMAGINE ALL THE TEARS THEY SHED
IMAGINE THEIR SHOCK AND SURPRISE
WHEN THEY FOUND THEIR DOOM WAS DUE TO THE BLOOM THAT GAVE THEM THEIR BEAUTIFUL EYES

OH
BEAUTIFUL POISON
OH
BEAUTIFUL POISON

HEART OF JESUS, ANGEL’S WING
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
OLEANDER, WHISTLING THORN
I KNOW EVERY LEAF, EVERY ROOT, EVERY STEM

SO MANY WAYS TO END A LIFE
TO SET YOUR SPIRIT FREE
A TASTE OF WATER HEMLOCK LEAF
OR A BITE OF THE FRUIT OF THE SUICIDE TREE

YELLOW JASMINE, BLEEDING HEART
BLACK NIGHTSHADE, CHRISTMAS ROSE
ANGEL’S TRUMPET, LEOPARD’S BANE
AND THIS IS HOW MY GARDEN GROWS

Conti is incredibly drawn to her, but each time he moves close, she moves away.

CONTI
Beatrice, I want to know about you. This is important to me. I want to hear your story.

BEATRICE
And I’m trying to tell you.

(sings)
WITHIN THESE WALLS, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW
THERE’S DANGER EVERYWHERE
AND IT’S BEST TO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
BUT HARD TO RESIST WHEN YOU BREATHE THE SWEET AIR

WITH EVERY LOVELY BLOSSOM FAIR
YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, YOU KNOW
CAN YOU LOOK PAST THE THORNS AND THE NETTLES
JUST HOW FAR ARE YOU WILLING TO GO?
DO YOU DARE TO DIG DEEP DOWN BELOW?

IF YOU GO BENEATH THE SURFACE
AND EMBRACE ALL THAT’S STRANGE AND BIZARRE
ALL THESE FRAGILE FATAL FLOWERS
WE DON’T DESERVE BLAME, WE CAN’T HELP WHAT WE ARE

IMAGINE HOW THE FLOWERS FEEL
WE YEARN TO REACH UP TOWARD THE SKY
WITHOUT WARMTH FROM ABOVE AND DEVOTION AND LOVE
OUR BEAUTY WILL WITHER AND DIE

OH
BEAUTIFUL POISON
OH
BEAUTIFUL POISON
OH
BEAUTIFUL POISON

The Garden Voices join as the CHORUS BUILDS. Bigger. More urgent. Seductive. Conti reaches out to Beatrice. She reacts, grabbing his hand by the wrist to push it away.

BEATRICE (CONT’D)
No!

At her touch, Conti CRIES OUT in anguish and sinks to his knees.
He looks up at Beatrice, wondering what the hell just happened.

BEATRICE (CONT’D)
You can never, never touch me!

She runs offstage, leaving Conti alone and stunned, slowly raising his arm to reveal angry red blisters already forming where Beatrice touched him.

Blackout.
END ACT ONE