your soul, just being around us.”
“And,”
Suraj added, “you want to try for a woman’s role? Surely, you will burn eternally in hell for that.”
The boys laughed uproariously.
Amrith stared at Peries and a cold dismay took hold of him. Peries had always played female roles. In fact, he had been slated to play Juliet last year, but he had left halfway through the rehearsal period because of his newreligious scruples. Which female part was Peries going to try for?
Amrith was distracted from his thoughts by Madam’s arrival. She bustled in, her handbag under her arm, and hurried down the aisle, moping her brow and temples with a handkerchief. “Sorry I’m late, boys. My trishaw man took forever to come and pick me up.
Ah
, we’re all here? Good-good.” Then she saw Peries and stopped in astonishment.
“Well,” she said, and a small smile appeared on her face, “Peries. What a surprise.”
He stood up sheepishly and she crooked her finger at him to come forward. “So, Peries,” she said, looking at him, her head to one side, “are you here to try out for the play?”
He nodded without meeting her eyes.
“I see. And may I ask which role?”
He did not answer for a moment. Amrith leaned forward in his seat, holding his breath.
Peries looked up at Madam. “Desdemona.”
Amrith sat back. A sigh of dismay escaped from him.
“Well.” Madam, who had heard Amrith’s sigh, glanced at him. “I haven’t assigned the parts yet, so any boy is free to try for whatever role he wants.”
She was going to say something further to Peries, but then patted his shoulder. “It’s nice to have you back, Peries. Religion, you know, cannot solve all life’s problems.” There was a look of pity in Madam’s eyes. Peries’ parents had divorced last year.
Madam signaled to Fernando and they went up onstage. Some of the other boys followed and began to help lay outthe bed and additional furniture that would make up Desdemona’s room. Amrith sat where he was, too numb to move. He had imagined himself onstage in front of the audience, giving a wonderful performance; had imagined that moment when the English actor would name him for Best Female Portrayal from a Boys’ School. He glanced over at Peries — who was poring over his copy of
Othello
— and narrowed his eyes at his bent head. It was he, Amrith, who had saved the school’s honor last year. If he had not stepped into the role and given such a fine performance, they would have probably lost the most important cup for Best Play to their arch-rival, St. Stephen’s. Now Peries was planning to return and take up where he had so summarily left off. Amrith could not help feeling angry at Madam. She was being too scrupulously fair. Peries had, after all, left her in the lurch last year. She need not grant him a chance at the part.
Peries, drawn by Amrith’s gaze, looked towards him. He raised his eyebrows challengingly and sneered, as if to say that he did not consider Amrith any challenge at all. Amrith hastily lowered his eyes. He was suddenly nervous.
The scene had been set up. Madam and the boys came down from the stage and the auditions began.
Amrith sat with the others in the auditorium as boys went up onstage and tried out for the various roles. As each minute passed, he could feel his nervousness increase. His mouth felt dry and a coldness ran up and down his spine. As he glanced at his rival, he could not help dwelling on the fact that, in past years, Peries had frequently walked awaywith the cup for Best Female Portrayal. He was up against stiff competition. He could end up losing the part.
Finally, there were only two roles left to be cast. Desdemona and Cassio. Madam turned in her seat and regarded Amrith and Peries. “Now, boys, the one who doesn’t get Desdemona will be assigned to Cassio.”
And then Amrith truly understood what was at stake. Cassio was a minor role in this scene, with just a few lines. If he got Cassio, he would have no
“And,”
Suraj added, “you want to try for a woman’s role? Surely, you will burn eternally in hell for that.”
The boys laughed uproariously.
Amrith stared at Peries and a cold dismay took hold of him. Peries had always played female roles. In fact, he had been slated to play Juliet last year, but he had left halfway through the rehearsal period because of his newreligious scruples. Which female part was Peries going to try for?
Amrith was distracted from his thoughts by Madam’s arrival. She bustled in, her handbag under her arm, and hurried down the aisle, moping her brow and temples with a handkerchief. “Sorry I’m late, boys. My trishaw man took forever to come and pick me up.
Ah
, we’re all here? Good-good.” Then she saw Peries and stopped in astonishment.
“Well,” she said, and a small smile appeared on her face, “Peries. What a surprise.”
He stood up sheepishly and she crooked her finger at him to come forward. “So, Peries,” she said, looking at him, her head to one side, “are you here to try out for the play?”
He nodded without meeting her eyes.
“I see. And may I ask which role?”
He did not answer for a moment. Amrith leaned forward in his seat, holding his breath.
Peries looked up at Madam. “Desdemona.”
Amrith sat back. A sigh of dismay escaped from him.
“Well.” Madam, who had heard Amrith’s sigh, glanced at him. “I haven’t assigned the parts yet, so any boy is free to try for whatever role he wants.”
She was going to say something further to Peries, but then patted his shoulder. “It’s nice to have you back, Peries. Religion, you know, cannot solve all life’s problems.” There was a look of pity in Madam’s eyes. Peries’ parents had divorced last year.
Madam signaled to Fernando and they went up onstage. Some of the other boys followed and began to help lay outthe bed and additional furniture that would make up Desdemona’s room. Amrith sat where he was, too numb to move. He had imagined himself onstage in front of the audience, giving a wonderful performance; had imagined that moment when the English actor would name him for Best Female Portrayal from a Boys’ School. He glanced over at Peries — who was poring over his copy of
Othello
— and narrowed his eyes at his bent head. It was he, Amrith, who had saved the school’s honor last year. If he had not stepped into the role and given such a fine performance, they would have probably lost the most important cup for Best Play to their arch-rival, St. Stephen’s. Now Peries was planning to return and take up where he had so summarily left off. Amrith could not help feeling angry at Madam. She was being too scrupulously fair. Peries had, after all, left her in the lurch last year. She need not grant him a chance at the part.
Peries, drawn by Amrith’s gaze, looked towards him. He raised his eyebrows challengingly and sneered, as if to say that he did not consider Amrith any challenge at all. Amrith hastily lowered his eyes. He was suddenly nervous.
The scene had been set up. Madam and the boys came down from the stage and the auditions began.
Amrith sat with the others in the auditorium as boys went up onstage and tried out for the various roles. As each minute passed, he could feel his nervousness increase. His mouth felt dry and a coldness ran up and down his spine. As he glanced at his rival, he could not help dwelling on the fact that, in past years, Peries had frequently walked awaywith the cup for Best Female Portrayal. He was up against stiff competition. He could end up losing the part.
Finally, there were only two roles left to be cast. Desdemona and Cassio. Madam turned in her seat and regarded Amrith and Peries. “Now, boys, the one who doesn’t get Desdemona will be assigned to Cassio.”
And then Amrith truly understood what was at stake. Cassio was a minor role in this scene, with just a few lines. If he got Cassio, he would have no
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