277 - (Alexandra Moltke) - Strange needs from a man who has crossed over from another world will have a lasting effect on those who are innocent. He walks the earth, a lonely desolate soul, searching for a relationship that can never be real (Note the pathos here for Barnabas in the intro, making him into a sympathetic character, something the audience had already begun to see.)
In Josette's room, Willie tells Barnabas that everyone believes Jason has left town. Josette's room will be occupied quite soon, says Barnabas, but this time, his bride will come of her own free will. Barnabas doesn't want to waste any time. Aside from that, it's been too depressing around here lately, and Barnabas wants to throw a party!
"This house must become a more inviting place, insists the vampire. He'll throw a costume party, and Vicki will wear Josette's dress.
Drawing room, Collinwood - Roger talks Liz into going to the cannery to check on all the changes that have been made there. Roger's sure Jason is still somewhere in town, given that no one saw him leave and all his things are still in his room. Liz wants to give all Jason's clothing to charity if he doesn't come collect them soon. Roger loves the idea, mainly because he knows Jason would hate it.
Vicki greets Barnabas at Collinwood's front door, where he rhapsodizes about how much he loves the night, preferring it to the "ugliness" of the sun. He tells her he'd like to discuss other subjects with her, like life and death, and a dog howls as they head into the house. Barnabas invites Vicki to check out his library of historical volumes sometime, and expounds on his exciting plans. In the drawing room, Barnabas issues the invitation to his costume party--he wants to show everyone the progress he's made on the Old House. He assures them he will provide all the costumes, right off the backs of their ancestors!
Everyone is in favor of the idea except Liz, who says she doesn't think she's going to go. While Barnabas and Vicki wait in the study, Roger works on his sister to convince her to come to the party--after all, it's being given mostly for her.
Though Liz is uncomfortable at the idea of all this living in the past (what has she been doing for 18 years?) Roger persuades her that it will be good for her to get out of the house and have some fun.
Roger calls Vicki to bring Barnabas back into the drawing room. Liz apologizes for her hesitation and graciously accepts his invitation. Barnabas tells everyone which ancestor they will be costumed as--he as the original Barnabas, of course, Roger as Joshua, Liz as Naomi (Liz comments on her resemblance to Naomi). Vicki will come as Josette.
Hearing this, Vicki's face takes on a look of concern.
NOTES: Vicki refers to Barnabas as a lonely, desolate man searching for a relationship that can never be real.
Willie comments to Barnabas that he knows no one cared about Jason, but Barnabas says, with good natured kindness, "But you did." Willie says he'll forget McGuire, but Barn wants him to remember what happened to him, if nothing else--forever threatening poor Willie! Barnabas says Josette's room will soon be occupied again, but this bride will come of her own free will, and Willie had better cooperate! Hey, I'll throw a party! says Barnabas. A costume party with everyone dressing as my ancestors!
Some nice brother/sister moments for Liz and Roger. He suggests that she come to the office now that her self-imposed imprisonment is over, and is ecstatic when she agrees. They wonder where Jason went--he never even took the expensive clothes Liz bought him! Roger wants to fumigate Jason's room and Liz says if he doesn't come back for his clothes, she'll donate them to charity. That pleases Roger, who knows Jason would despise the idea.
Barnabas and Vicki stand outside Collinwood, gazing at the view of the moon meeting the ocean. He prefers the night life, but she argues the sun is damned important, since everything revolves around it. He's much more alive at night, he says. Meaningfully, he suggests they discuss such issues as life and death in the near future. Vicki hears the dogs howling and looks nervous.
Barnabas comes into the house and invites the family over to see his restoration of the Old House. He's throwing a costume party, and he'll provide the costumes--Roger will come as Joshua, Liz as Naomi, Barnabas as. . .Barnabas the first, and Vicki, of course, will come as Josette. Roger immediately accepts the invitation, but Liz says no. They herd Barnabas into the study so Roger can work on Liz, instilling guilt in her for turning down Barnabas' party, which is really for her! Although she insists she doesn't like all this living in the past, Roger says she's behaving like a recluse again. Mostly to shut him up, Liz says she'll go. Barnabas is appraised of her change of heart and is thrilled. When Vicki learns she's going to the party as Josette, she looks a trifle uncertain.
278 - (Alexandra Moltke) An invitation has come to Collinwood, an invitation to enter the past, a party at which the clothes worn by the guests will belong to antoher time, as well as to another identity--where for a few candlelit hours, an evening long dead will live again. But the past, like the future, can hold its uncertainties, and no one can prophesize where this journey out of time will lead--one can only follow the strange and melancholy man who will be its guide.
Old house drawing room - Barnabas orders Willie to go to the attic and get down the trunk of clothes for the party. Willie predicts no one will accept, but Barnabas smugly informs him that they already have. Later, in Josette's room, Barnabas and Willie take clothing out of an old trunk. Willie tries to talk Barnabas out of his plans for Vicki,
but Barnabas warns him that he's becoming irritating and should stop objecting. It's dangerous to have so many people around, protests Willie, but Barnabas refuses to change his plans.
Collinwood drawing room - Vicki agrees to assist Barnabas in going through the clothes in the trunk. Liz, hesitant about wearing the clothing that belonged to her ancestor, has fresh feelings of reluctance--my ancestors seem so close as it is--I don't know that I want to bring them any closer.
She comes up with an idea that they not wear costumes, but seeing Vicki's disappointment, agrees that it's all right. Barnabas is thrilled.
Vicki and Barnabas enter Josette's room, and both sense that another presence is there with them. Nevertheless, they begin going through the clothing. Barnabas insists that Vicki wear the white gown that Josette wears in her portrait.
You're the most gallant man I've ever met, pronounces Vicki, "Sometimes, I think you belong to a completely different time than ours." (Bingo, Vic!) They sorts through other items previously worn by Sarah, sister of the original Barnabas, Millicent and Joshua. Barnabas is especially touched when he finds one of Sarah's little dresses; it's clear Barnabas loved his sister very much. He speaks of Vicki "becoming Josette" the night of the party, and when Vicki says the loves the idea, his eyes gleam with pleasure.
Collinwood drawing room - When Vicki tells Liz how thrilled she is that she will be attending the party as Josette, Liz remarks that Barnabas' interest in the past is certainly rubbing off on Vicki. Barnabas seems as if he's from another time, says Vicki--perhaps that's why he seems so sad. He's lost in the present, continues Vicki, he really does come from another time--and he'll never find it because it's gone forever. (I strongly suspect Barnabas' popularity had already begun to establish itself, and plans were already underway to keep him. Why else all this talk of Barnabas' sadness, being lost, from another time?)
Josette's room - Barnabas tells Willie to drop the constumes off at Collinwood in the morning. Willie spots Sarah's blue dress on the bed and remarks that it looks like the one worn by the little girl he spotted outside the house the other day. You must be wrong, insists Barnabas, uncomfortable and upset.
After they leave the room, however, Sarah Collins' ghost appears and picks up the dress.
My blue dress! she exults, and takes it away with her.
NOTES: The little ghost girl comes and takes away her dress. Is she planning to crash the party?
Barnabas begins to weave his spell over Vicki, with more subtlety this time. First get the girl to wear the dress of the young lady you wish her to become. Invite her over to see your etchings, er, history books. Weave a spell around her, slowly, carefully, delicately.
Willie must be in a permanent state of torment, always wondering what Barnabas will do next. Surely he doesn't think the vampire will harm his whole family, does he? Or is that exactly what he DOES fear?
Liz has misgivings about this party, and for good reason. She knows something doesn't feel right, but she's trying to be a good sport and not hurt Barnabas' feelings. Her sense that they shouldn't live in the past is a good one, of course, but no one knows that but us--and poor Willie.
Love, Robin
