The Playing Fields

Chapter 22

THE PLAY

"Carlos! Can you shift that blue spot a little to the left please!" Nigel stood by his seat in the auditorium shading his eyes with his script and looking up to the control room.

"Uh- left, okay. That better?" His free hand twisted the box of the spotlight slightly while the other groped for the buttons on Arlene's blouse.

"Just a tad more... there. That's got it." Nigel resumed his seat and studied his papers.

"Is someone up there with you Carlos?" Shelia called lightly, cupping her hands like binoculars in front of her eyes.

"Uhh, yeah, Mrs. Croft... Arlene's giving me a hand." He quickly covered her mouth as she began to giggle.

"Oh- isn't that wonderful, even the children are getting involved." Shelia smiled vacantly at the others on stage with her. "Speaking of children, I think I'd better call and check on Candy."

"Shelia, for Pete's sake." William crossed the stage and put an arm around his wife. "You gave Wendy more instructions than God gave Moses... she'll be fine."

"I know, but it's been..." She glanced anxiously at her watch, twisting it on her wrist nervously.

"Shelia. She'll be fine."

"Okay people, could we have Benbow, Fretter, Mr. O'Brien and Swift at the table stage left please." Nigel leaned his wrists on the back of the seat in front of him and waited as the actors shuffled about finding their positions. "The rest of you can watch from the wings, okay? Uhhm, Cutter, you should be on the other side of Swift... that's it. Now, from the second paragraph, page seven, beginning with Benbow- 'I don't see how this is going to work'."

Milo straightened his chair, coughing aside as he prepared to speak. "I don't see how this is-" The blue spot suddenly shot crazily up the curtains followed by a crashing noise in the control room.

"Carlos?"

"Oooof- sorry Mr. Stainway, I uh, tripped. Just a second, uh there... that okay?"

"You alright up there?"

"Fine. We- I'm fine. No problem."

"Good. Okay Benbow, once again please." They ran through the scene several times, each one different and each one stirring animosity among the participants.

"Uhhmm, not bad, not bad. However, and I think Victoria would agree, you don't have to accent every other word. Just use a normal pattern of speech, these are, after all, just regular folks putting on a play."

"I don't think we want to take too much of the emotion out of the character, dear," Victoria spoke calmly from her stool at the side of the stage, "Benbow is, after all, a leading member of our play's community."

"Thank you Victoria," Milo swaggered to center stage, tugging his tie in place, "I see this man as the guiding hand- the uh, compass, if you will, for the group's direction. I think-"

"Yes, well, very good uh, Milo. We can probably all adapt to that approach... I suppose." Nigel shot his aunt a weary look and sat back down, waving for the actors to continue.

THE COMINGS AND GOINGS

"I told you that stupid little stool wouldn't hold both of us," Carlos held his pants up with one hand while he helped Arlene to her feet. She stood red-faced, biting her lip to keep from laughing aloud, her brassier around her waist and her jeans in a puddle around her ankles.

"When you fell-" she began to snort, and covered her mouth," it bobbed around like one of those foam tubes the kids use for swimmm-i-n-g." She bent over, shaking with uncontrollable laughter, both hands tight over her mouth.

"Hah, hah." Carlos couldn't help grinning at her as he tucked himself in and adjusted his pants. "Well its bobbing days are over for now." He said, disappointedly.

*****

"I don't care if it is just a play. I don't like that scene with you and Allen at all." Daryl slouched on his sofa, a large brown drink in one hand and a copy of the script in the other.

"Oh don't be such an old pooh," Tiffany chided, primping in front of the mirror in the daring dress Ellen had sewn for her role as Thelma. She and Allen had eagerly rehearsed their scene backstage while Milo and the others were rehearsing out front. For decorum's sake, their hands had behaved with propriety, but their tongues had dueled lustily during their characters' required kiss. "We're acting. You didn't see Donald getting upset did you?"

"Donald! He's your acting husband for Christ's sake! Why the hell would he care? I'm your real husband and I'm telling you, I don't like it."

She flounced across the room and planted a kiss on the top of his head from behind the sofa. "I know exactly who you are, dumpling."

"And I'm not too crazy about that dress either," he turned to watch her walk away, "you can see your goddamn nipples!"

"Oh, and that's something that you find unattractive I suppose." She mixed herself a tall gin and Collins, turning and leaning a hip on the bar while she sipped the drink and watched him.

"You know what I mean." He pouted angrily, draining his glass.

"Yes, I do. You're a jealous little hypocrite, Daryl." Tiffany smiled and wiggled her fingers at her sulking husband. "Good night dear, see you in the morning."

*****

Grace Winston sat in the dark staring across at the silent drama behind her neighbour's windows. She laid her head back when Tiffany left the room, and rolled the cool, ice filled glass across her throat. Daryl had practically turned somersaults trying to get next to her at the rehearsal, holding chairs, opening doors and fetching drinks. Now if it had been Jeffrey, she reflected, it would have been considerably more interesting; Jeffrey attracted her for some reason that eluded her. The fact that he was a member of the medical community, albeit just a dentist, might have had something to do with it. Grace liked the type of men drawn to her profession; young, strong minded, driven by egotistical arrogance... and durable... oh my, yes. As Melody Swift, her role in the play, she had several scenes with Jeff's character where they argued over costume budgets; Grace was determined to introduce a little more heat to those scenes somehow.

She opened her eyes and finished her drink, watching Daryl posturing in front of a mirror, expanding his chest and studying his profile. Grace laughed aloud, rolling her eyes as she dragged herself out of the chair and padded across the carpet toward her bedroom.

*****