Decidedly Not Starving...Together

Charlie 1

The office space he rented from the hotel held the warm intimacy he hoped for the interviews. It was simple and square with warm carpeting and a corner desk facing the center of the room, the door in clear view. William sat behind the desk, paper and pen in front of him. It was his first time on this side of a casting call and his nerves itched along the edge of his calm demeanor. His mind repeated his own experiences, remembering the questions he had answered, the demonstrations he gave.

But those racing thoughts vanished in smoke as soon as he heard a knock pierce the silence.

"Come in."

"...Hello? Maxwell?" came a hesitant voice as the door swung open, revealing his first hopeful of the day, "I'm looking to interview for a magician's assistant?"

"Yes, you found the right room." He looked the woman over, taking in her presence. She stood tall even in the flats she wore, and though at first she seemed sheepish, as soon as she was assured this was the right room a warm light flashed in her eyes, excitement flooding her. 'Good,' he thought, 'Meek people don't do well on the stage.' It was a lesson he knew well.

"Well, feel free to have a seat Miss...?"

"Charlie!" she responded warmly, offering a hand for him to shake. Maxwell returned the gesture, noting the pointed professionalism in the gesture. He could imagine her practicing for the occasion. She took a seat, adjusting her dress and short dark hair, a bold and modern style. "I hope I'm not early. I, well, didn't see anyone else waiting."

"No, not early at all. Honestly, I just don't believe there are too many people jumping for the position," he confessed with a bitter but well humored chuckle.

"Wonderful! That just means less competition for me, right?" Charlie interjected, the smile not leaving her rose painted lips. Bold, confident, the more she spoke the more impressed Maxwell was with the woman. Not even he, when he was younger, would have managed that sort of easy banter with a prospective employer.

"Well, we can see how it goes," he responded, careful not to make her feel too certain of herself. After all, she was only his first interview. "I'd love to hear about your qualifications first. Have you had any experience on the stage before?"

"Well, nothing full time," she admitted, "but I did join a local theater troupe and put on plays in my free time. That was where I first found a real love for performing. And not to brag, but I have been part of a Shakespeare production a time or two with them." There was a charming lilt in her voice, her pride made sweet with earnest joy.

"Oh?" he raised a brow at her, "Let me guess,  Juliet?" He couldn't completely suppress condescension in his tone.

This was met with a roll of her eyes. "Not quite," Charlie responded before clearing her throat.

"Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts! Unsex me here and fill me from crown to toe top-full of direst cruelty!   Make thick my blood! Stop up the access and passage to remorse!" The small section of monologue was delivered in a fervor. The shining light in her eyes turned from joy to a keen, sinister glare. Her voice rang with venom....and like that, as she came to a close, it vanished. Once more, she became the sunny girl she had been a moment earlier.

Maxwell couldn't help but give pause in the silence, his eyes a bit wide. "...Well well, that was diabolical. Color me impressed. You certainly have a gift for acting, but this isn't exactly an acting job. You said you love the stage? What is it you enjoy the most about it?"

 "Oh, the fun of it all, really. My favorite thing is hearing the reactions from the audience or to catch a glimpse of them and see them drawn into the performance. Maybe I like the attention a little bit?" she added at the end with a small laugh. "Or getting caught up in a role. I love the rush of feeling I get delivering lines, falling into the act and feeling what they feel."

Maxwell nodded, taking down notes as he observed her. Really, he could think of few things to note that might be cons. Her personality seemed made for the stage...but was she cut out for magic?

"Excellent. Now you know you'll be working as an assistant for a magic act. Have you had any experience with magic or sleight of hand? Illusions?"

"No, I'm afraid not. But I'm very willing to learn," she noted, not wanting to seen incapable.

"You'll have to work with cues and timing as well as the different props and mechanisms used on the stage. If you're brought on, I will take time to rehearse with you and show you most of the stunts and how they operate before putting you on stage."

"Most stunts?"

"Yes, most. There are a few...signature tricks I perform that I'm not too keen on letting anyone in on. Not to worry though. You'll still know what cues to take while I run through them."

The rest of the interview involved more hands on tests. She was tasked with showing her understanding of cues, practicing how to project her voice and present to an audience. At each step, Charlie may falter but only for an instant before recovering quickly. She was keen in taking direction, determined, and never seemed to take offense or grow frustrated with Maxwell even when he went out of his way to nitpick at her actions. After all, more than anything else his assistant would have to tolerate him and all that entailed.

When it was said and done, he dismissed her with a goodbye, promising to send word to her given address swiftly should she be selected. He watched her leave, prepared to wait the rest of the day for other applicants, but something in him just knew he would have a hard time keeping her off of his mind.