The Board of Governors is a song that was written for the Alley Theatre Premiere, in which Dr Henry Jekyll presents his experiment for the Governors of the hospital.
It was later shortened during the Broadway run of the show to Jekyll's Plea.
Lyrics
RECORDING SECRETARY
The Board of Governors of St. Jude's Hospital is now in session.
Sir Danvers Carew, KBE, Chairman.
His Grace, The Bishop of Basingstoke.
General Lord Glossop.
The Right Honorable Sir Archibald Proops, Q.C.
Lady Beaconsfield.
Lord Savage.
The Order of business will be conducted by the Secretary to the Board of Governors,
Mr. Simon Stride.
STRIDE
Proposition No. 929 - Presented by Dr. Henry Jekyll.
GENERAL GLOSSOP
Jekyll, you're all talk an' no result!...
BISHOP OF BASINGSTOKE
Forever asking us to endorse empty promises!
SIR ARCHIBALD PROOPS
What's all the mystery? Much ado about nothing, if you ask me...
LADY BEACONSFIELD
You're the laughing stock of your profession and polite society!
The mad scientist!
STRIDE
Order! Order!
JEKYLL
Distinguished Governors,
I have glimpsed the future.
Seen miracles that stun the mind
And marvels only science can find
To shape tomorrow for mankind.
And I can show them to you
If you wish me to.
Friends, you're aware there are two sides to each of us
Good and evil, compassion and hate.
If we could extract all the evil from each of us
Think of the world that we could create!
A world without anger or violence or strife
Where man wouldn't kill anymore!
A world of compassion, where passion for life
Would banish the madness of war!
I'm close to finding the key to duality
Chemical Formulae which could and would
Alter the patterns of man's personality
Guiding him either to evil or good!
Weigh the potential, the great possibilities
Colleagues - dear friends, understand!
We have a chance to make history here in our hand!
Each of us is the embodiment of two distinct and opposing forces - Good and Evil - each fighting for supremacy inside us. If we could separate these two forces, we could control and ultimately eliminate all evil from mankind. My experiments with animals have led me to believe that the day is not far off when this separation will be possible. To achieve it, I must be allowed to try my formula on a living human being!
BISHOP OF BASINGSTOKE
And what if you're right, Jekyll? And you do manage to separate
Good from Evil - What happens to the evil?
JEKYLL
There are doomed, broken souls in a thousand asylums
I defy you to say you don't care if you can!
In the name of compassion and medical science,
I can save many lives if you give me one man!
BISHOP OF BASINGSTOKE
I tell you now - the Church will never sanction it!
VARIOUS
Sacrilege! Lunacy! Blasphemy! Heresy!
SIR ARCHIBALD PROOPS
You seem to be treading on dangerous ground.
In legal terms, I'd say, extremely unsound!
BISHOP OF BASINGSTOKE
The whole thing's un-christian, barbaric and odd!
You're playing with fire when you start to play God!
STRIDE The Bishop speaks for all of us, when he says you're playing God! There's such a thing as ethics over which you ride rough-shod! You're a Doctor, not a saviour, Doctor Jekyll, for a start! But I judge from your behaviour You can't tell the two apart!
JEKYLL Dear Mr. Stride, I am simply a scientist. I have a code to which I remain true! I don't presume to the stature of moralist. I leave pretension like that, Sir, to you!
SIR DANVERS Henry, I've always encouraged your enterprise And I've been hopefull that you would succeed! But in the face of these powerful arguments, I see no choice but for you to concede!
JEKYLL I know my fate is yours to choose But if they win, the world would lose I am on the brink of great success! I beg you, Governors, you must say "Yes!"
LADY BEACONSFIELD Doctor Jekyll, enough of this ranting, Sir! This is a hospital, here to save lives!
GOVERNORS Do you think we would let you play havoc With all the high principles for which it strives? Do you expect us to compromise all that we stand for Indulging your dangerous games? How many rules should we break for your dubious games?
JEKYLL Can't you see? I am not playing games! Just give me the opportunity!
GENERAL GLOSSOP This whole thing's too bizarre!
SIR DANVERS Open up your eyes and see!
BISHOP OF BASINGSTOKE This man has gone too far!
JEKYLL Unless you listen to me...
STRIDE Doctor, please watch your tone! Dammit, man, can't you see? You're on your own!
JEKYLL Fools! You fools!
SIR DANVERS Henry!
PROOPS Jekyll!
JEKYLL God damn ...
BISHOP OF BASINGSTOKE Blasphemy!
JEKYLL ... your rules!
GENERAL GLOSSOP Mutiny!
LORD SAVAGE Damn me!
JEKYLL Look at yourselves! Civilized men
LADY BEACONSFIELD Really!
JEKYLL Why can't you see?!
SIR DANVERS Henry!
STRIDE Order! Order!
JEKYLL If I ever needed further justification for my experiments, gentlemen, You have just provided it! Just look at what has happened here! Mix anger with a touch of fear The danger's all too crystal-clear Just look at you! Our darker side keeps breaking through Observe it now - in me and you! The evil that all men can do must be controlled! I beg of you I'll show you all it can be done! Here is a chance to take charge of our fate Deep down you must know that tomorrow's too late! One rule of life we cannot rearrange The only thing constant is change The only thing constant...is change
STRIDE Distinguished colleagues, your verdict, please. All those is favour say "Aye" All those opposed, "Nay"
GOVERNORS Nay! Nay! Nay! Nay! Positively - Absolutely - Nay!
STRIDE Sir Danvers?
SIR DANVERS Abstain.
STRIDE By five votes to none - with one abstention Proposition 929 is rejected Thank you for your time, Dr. Jekyll
SIR DANVERS I am truly sorry, Henry.
JEKYLL All these precious years I've dedicated to this dream Now with a word they claim the power to deny me! Who are they to judge what I am doing? They know nothing of the endless possibilities I see!
It's ludicrous I'm bound by their decision. Seems vision is a word they've never heard! If it mattered less, I'd treat it with derision It's absurd! And yet the fact remains Those bastards hold the reins!
STRIDE I'm so sorry, Doctor Jekyll, what a really rotten shame! I so hope that what has happened won't destroy your precious name! Henry Jekyll, I despise you!
You have stolen the girl who should be my wife! But there'll come a day, not so far away When you'll not only pay You will pay all your life!