Post by Aristide de Crier (I) on Mar 13, 2009 19:55:08 GMT -5
I sat with Clothilde in the box reserved for the playwright, quietly watching the performance below. While my little sister gasped and laughed at all the appropriate parts, I sat back in my chair, reclining with my legs up on the banister. I knew the owner of the playhouse hated when people put their feet all over his precious building. He was probably looking up at me now, scowling. I kept my face impassive, though I could feel anger growing my my chest. To try and calm myself, I pulled out a flask and took a deep drink, letting the fiery whiskey burn my throat, ignoring the pained look that Clothilde gave me.
It wasn't working.
The lead actress--Lola?--kept mumbling over her lines. She had no connection with her male counterpart, no kind of emotion behind her eyes. I promised myself that this would be the last time I allowed someone else to do the casting of my plays. The entire mood of the piece hinged on this cow...who had just forgotten her lines!
I stood up too fast, the building spinning around me. Clothilde looked at me with alarm as I held on to the rail to steady myself. "Aristide?" she whispered, grabbing my hand. "What's wrong?"
Her voice brought me back to my senses, a little. Forcing a smile, I squeezed her hand gently. "Nothing, love," I said, sitting back down slowly in the chair. The room ground to a halt as I watched the rest of the performance. The actress, though gorgeous, would have to go.
As soon as the play was over, I eased to my feet, letting go of my sister's hand. "Where are you going?" she asked
"Just to talk to the director and the actors and so on. You know...all of the little things I've got to do."
Clothilde knew I was lying. But she didn't know how to stop me. So she gave me an uneasy smile that I returned as I started down the stairs. It was quickly replaced by a scowl as soon as I was out of her sight.
The director and the building owner were standing and discussing what a success everything had been. I felt nauseous, but I wasn't going to let that creature ruin my work any more. I stepped in front of Lola, looking down at her. She took a step back, surprised.
"Listen," I said, through my teeth, "I'm sure you're a very nice girl, Lola, but if you're going to be the star of my play, you are going to have to achieve perfection. Who gives you the right to--"
"It's my first play!" she cried, and I could see tears welling up in her eyes. "And my name isn't Lola, it's--"
"Hey! That's my daughter you're talking to!"
The woman who was not named Lola and I both turned to face the building owner. I focused my rage onto him. "You used your untested daughter in my play? You are the most egotistical, self-serving man that I have--"
The owner's eyes bulged as he came to stand by his daughter, protecting her in his arms. At some point she had started to cry, and now she buried her face in her father's chest.
"Get out!" the man shouted. "No one else will work with such a drunk!"
My lips twitched, and despite myself, I smiled at the man. Then I doubled over and emptied the contents of my stomach onto the woman's--what was her name?--shoes.
Clothilde had heard the commotion, and she ran down the stairs, grabbing my arm and pulling me away. She knew better than to apologize. There was no salvaging my relationship with the building owner. I would have to find another place to put on my plays.
It wasn't working.
The lead actress--Lola?--kept mumbling over her lines. She had no connection with her male counterpart, no kind of emotion behind her eyes. I promised myself that this would be the last time I allowed someone else to do the casting of my plays. The entire mood of the piece hinged on this cow...who had just forgotten her lines!
I stood up too fast, the building spinning around me. Clothilde looked at me with alarm as I held on to the rail to steady myself. "Aristide?" she whispered, grabbing my hand. "What's wrong?"
Her voice brought me back to my senses, a little. Forcing a smile, I squeezed her hand gently. "Nothing, love," I said, sitting back down slowly in the chair. The room ground to a halt as I watched the rest of the performance. The actress, though gorgeous, would have to go.
As soon as the play was over, I eased to my feet, letting go of my sister's hand. "Where are you going?" she asked
"Just to talk to the director and the actors and so on. You know...all of the little things I've got to do."
Clothilde knew I was lying. But she didn't know how to stop me. So she gave me an uneasy smile that I returned as I started down the stairs. It was quickly replaced by a scowl as soon as I was out of her sight.
The director and the building owner were standing and discussing what a success everything had been. I felt nauseous, but I wasn't going to let that creature ruin my work any more. I stepped in front of Lola, looking down at her. She took a step back, surprised.
"Listen," I said, through my teeth, "I'm sure you're a very nice girl, Lola, but if you're going to be the star of my play, you are going to have to achieve perfection. Who gives you the right to--"
"It's my first play!" she cried, and I could see tears welling up in her eyes. "And my name isn't Lola, it's--"
"Hey! That's my daughter you're talking to!"
The woman who was not named Lola and I both turned to face the building owner. I focused my rage onto him. "You used your untested daughter in my play? You are the most egotistical, self-serving man that I have--"
The owner's eyes bulged as he came to stand by his daughter, protecting her in his arms. At some point she had started to cry, and now she buried her face in her father's chest.
"Get out!" the man shouted. "No one else will work with such a drunk!"
My lips twitched, and despite myself, I smiled at the man. Then I doubled over and emptied the contents of my stomach onto the woman's--what was her name?--shoes.
Clothilde had heard the commotion, and she ran down the stairs, grabbing my arm and pulling me away. She knew better than to apologize. There was no salvaging my relationship with the building owner. I would have to find another place to put on my plays.