last chance to make something of ourselves so our careers don’t end in the gutter. For others, it’s a starting point. For them, the only way from here is up. The ones just out of theater school are paying their dues here, and it’s up to us to show them the ropes.” He waited, and when there was no response, he continued. “Think about it this way, Brian. These young actors will take what happens here this summer with them for the rest of their careers. Do you really want your legacy to be ‘the old drunk British geezer I worked with that summer in the Catskills’? Because if you don’t clean up your act, that’s exactly where you’re headed.”
The only reply was a deep, violent coughing fit that sounded as if a pair of lungs were about to be turned inside out.
“And Brian, you might want to do something about the smoking. It’s destroying that beautiful voice of yours. Look, I’m sorry if all this sounds harsh,” Simon continued, “but someone needs to talk to you like a Dutch uncle, and I guess that someone had to be me. Okay. Speech over. Let’s get ready for the rehearsal. I need andexpect full participation from you this morning. You’re the company’s lead actor, and I’m looking to you to lead the company.”
“What about Lauren?”
“What about her?”
“Well, will somebody be standing in for her?”
“Of course.”
“Have you, er, heard how she’s doing?”
“I had a message from Harvey this morning. I’m planning to update the cast in a few minutes.”
Just as they finished speaking, footsteps behind Charlotte signaled approaching cast members, so she slipped out from behind the curtain and, at a quick pace, hoping to give the impression she’d just arrived, bustled toward Simon. She was relieved that Brian had moved away and was standing alone in the middle of the stage, looking out at the empty seats. A young actor approached him, and the two were soon in animated conversation. Brian raised his arm in a sweeping gesture, pretending to take off his hat and then bow. His movements were fluid and expressive. If they seemed exaggerated on stage, they would read beautifully from the audience. A moment later, the younger man took a step back, repositioned his feet slightly wider apart, and lifted his arm. Brian grasped it and lifted it higher. The actor then bent his knees and mimicked Brian’s bow. Brian gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and the young man smiled at him and then joined the other cast members.
Simon and Charlotte turned to each other.
“Morning, Simon.”
“Hello, there.” He tipped his head in Brian’s direction. “That was interesting.”
“Brian always was generous with other actors. Makes sure they have their moment and never tries to upstage. He’s also really good with the stagecraft. Makes it look so easy.”
“You know him, do you?”
“Yes, we worked together at the RSC a long time ago.”
“I wondered if your paths might have crossed.”
“Well,” said Charlotte, “I just wanted to remind you that we’re going to need all the cast members in for measurements and then fittings. I’d like Aaron to work with me on this, so we can get the costumes sorted in half the time. We can work around your rehearsal schedule.”
Simon nodded. “Sounds good. Thanks for the reminder. We’ll start booking them in at the end of the week.”
“Fortunately, we took Lauren’s measurements yesterday and started on her dresses, so as soon as she returns . . .”
“If she returns,” Simon said.
“Oh, gosh, is it that bad? I thought she was on the mend, and just assumed . . .”
“Look, I’m just about to brief the cast. Why don’t you stay for that?”
“I’d like that very much. I’d also like to say a few words to them, if you don’t mind,” said Charlotte.
“No problem.”
In the center of the stage, a young actor was arranging chairs in a semicircle. Once the rest of the cast had arrived, one or two with hair still
The only reply was a deep, violent coughing fit that sounded as if a pair of lungs were about to be turned inside out.
“And Brian, you might want to do something about the smoking. It’s destroying that beautiful voice of yours. Look, I’m sorry if all this sounds harsh,” Simon continued, “but someone needs to talk to you like a Dutch uncle, and I guess that someone had to be me. Okay. Speech over. Let’s get ready for the rehearsal. I need andexpect full participation from you this morning. You’re the company’s lead actor, and I’m looking to you to lead the company.”
“What about Lauren?”
“What about her?”
“Well, will somebody be standing in for her?”
“Of course.”
“Have you, er, heard how she’s doing?”
“I had a message from Harvey this morning. I’m planning to update the cast in a few minutes.”
Just as they finished speaking, footsteps behind Charlotte signaled approaching cast members, so she slipped out from behind the curtain and, at a quick pace, hoping to give the impression she’d just arrived, bustled toward Simon. She was relieved that Brian had moved away and was standing alone in the middle of the stage, looking out at the empty seats. A young actor approached him, and the two were soon in animated conversation. Brian raised his arm in a sweeping gesture, pretending to take off his hat and then bow. His movements were fluid and expressive. If they seemed exaggerated on stage, they would read beautifully from the audience. A moment later, the younger man took a step back, repositioned his feet slightly wider apart, and lifted his arm. Brian grasped it and lifted it higher. The actor then bent his knees and mimicked Brian’s bow. Brian gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and the young man smiled at him and then joined the other cast members.
Simon and Charlotte turned to each other.
“Morning, Simon.”
“Hello, there.” He tipped his head in Brian’s direction. “That was interesting.”
“Brian always was generous with other actors. Makes sure they have their moment and never tries to upstage. He’s also really good with the stagecraft. Makes it look so easy.”
“You know him, do you?”
“Yes, we worked together at the RSC a long time ago.”
“I wondered if your paths might have crossed.”
“Well,” said Charlotte, “I just wanted to remind you that we’re going to need all the cast members in for measurements and then fittings. I’d like Aaron to work with me on this, so we can get the costumes sorted in half the time. We can work around your rehearsal schedule.”
Simon nodded. “Sounds good. Thanks for the reminder. We’ll start booking them in at the end of the week.”
“Fortunately, we took Lauren’s measurements yesterday and started on her dresses, so as soon as she returns . . .”
“If she returns,” Simon said.
“Oh, gosh, is it that bad? I thought she was on the mend, and just assumed . . .”
“Look, I’m just about to brief the cast. Why don’t you stay for that?”
“I’d like that very much. I’d also like to say a few words to them, if you don’t mind,” said Charlotte.
“No problem.”
In the center of the stage, a young actor was arranging chairs in a semicircle. Once the rest of the cast had arrived, one or two with hair still
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