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 Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:09 pm
After receiving Gently's phone number he'd gone about his day, and the next day as well. He'd called her on the second day, early in the morning whilst tending to his flowers. He'd been staying at Lily's house, for the past three days and after yesterday.....The time out was greatly appreciated. He could still swear he felt the pain his body had suffered the day before. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, what true pain was. And it was...amazing, awe inspiring and all together overwhelming in it's intensity as well as it's eye opening beauty. Beauty wasn't something a person would figure came from pain, unless they were a sadist or a masochist but even still. The Beauty was in seeing the world through clearer, more embracing eyes. He could be dead, he was sure some people would have died under such stresses and pain, and that made one look at the world in a new manner. It also put a fine line in his life, the first fine line drawn in his life. He was sure it wouldn't be the last either, he just knew he could be sure of it. Things were now before the meeting and after the meeting. A new life, a second life.
Rubbing his chest as he stood, half leaned against the wall, of his favorite cafe he waited for two drinks. His own was an espresso with pomegranate syrup and cherry also. He was feeling the need to pamper himself, just a touch, this morning. That dull ache in his chest reminding him that he may not be here, and of what some of these people could be. The idea caused his next breath to hitch in his throat, quickly quelling his emotions and thoughts, he stood up as his order was called. Two steps to the counter and both hot drinks were grabbed. "Thanks."
The female behind the counter, who'd just made both drinks, smiled at him warmly. He'd seen her so often she knew his order, or rather both his order options, and he'd gotten to know her to an extent over the past three years he'd been coming here.
That aside though he had places to go, and someone to see. Three canvas' were in his trunk, laid out carefully with a blanket over and under each. Alexandre was interested in seeing which play Gently was auditioning for, and how she'd fair. He had a feeling though she'd do well, something told her that her passion for it also came with talent.
Both coffee and espresso found their homes in his cup holders, as he got himself into the suv he had. He had told his parents, when it came to getting a car, that he didn't need a car but an syv. He was too short for a car, he felt too low to the ground and had issues seeing over the wheel. Count on his mother though to always point out that it wasn't a car, as he had a tendency to refer to every vehicle as a car.
Now to get to her, without spilling drinks, and before they got cold. Alexandre wasn't one to drink while driving, it tended to result in spilled coffee due to some idiot stopping short in front of him; or some other nonsense.
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:01 pm
Gently had been up a bit later the past few nights than she wanted, which was saying a lot as she was often up quite late on energy hunts and training exercises, anyway. While those things had played a part in why she was up so much, it also had to do with something much more innocent.
She had gotten a few new video games from her favorite used game store, and they had been eating her attention completely.
Gently had found the balance between her two jobs, her two lives as it were, with relative ease. The Negaverse was as much a part of her as being a reporter or being a theatre nerd was. She played video games, and she stole energy. She hunted senshi and knights like mice, and she paid ridiculous prices to see movies in the theater. That was her life, and she was loving every moment of it.
Still, she now felt a little stressed, wishing she had found some time in the middle of all her enjoying herself to practice her monologue a bit more. True enough, she had been running it every chance she got, even while draining energy from some drunk guy in an alley, but she still felt like she hadn't given it enough attention.
Nerves playing up, maybe.
She was waiting at the theatre, a very familiar place for her. It was where she spent most of her time, helping and working, and playing a lot of improv. Now she felt a little like an outsider, if only because she wasn't there as staff or as a guest but as someone looking to make an impression and land a role. She had a smile on her face, anxious but in no way scared. It was a kind of eager set of nerves that invigorated rather than creating hesitation.
She could really do with some coffee, though... ah well. She glanced down the street, not knowing what kind of car to expect.
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:11 pm
That balance would be one he'd need to find, and soon. He really needed to find his way in this new world he'd gotten himself in to. He wasn't sure just how he'd go about making sue no one found out, especially his mother. If she got a whiff of something off about him she'd e on it, she wasn't one of the top lawyers in the city for nothing. He'd have to balance things and hide things, things he'd never done before with his parents.
Those thought though were far from his mind right now, where as last night they'd plagued him as he lay awake in Lily's room unable to sleep once again. He was tired, exhausted really. But the espresso helped, at least in keeping him able to function. He'd been trying to get sleep, it was why he'd gone to Lily''s looking to sleep over at her home. He'd thought it was someone down the block pranking him, making noises outside the house to wake and unsettle him. It seemed it wasn't, and he didn't want to seem like he was loosing it, so he hadn't told Lily a thing. She's surely find out soon though, he was looking more and more tired.
A black suv, Lexus, turned onto the street as the blond looked for a place to park, it seemed parking wouldn't be all too hard; lucky him. He found a parking space a few buildings down from the theatre and pulled in, making sure he didn't tap the car behind or in back of him. Once sure that he had room in order to pull out, in case both cars were still here when he went to leave, he finally parked and killing the engine he got out. A small slid out, his feet hitting the ground with a small amount of force, he turned to grab both drinks and with his keys. Cups in hand, keys hanging from his right pinky, he made his approach down the side walk.
"Gently, good to see you again." Calling out with a smile in place. It wasn't the biggest, nor the brightest smile, but he was smiling none the less.
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 10:42 am
"Hello Alexandre!" she called lightly, moving to meet him. She saw the cups in his hands and offered to take one, though the one she picked wasn't the one he had gotten for her. Maybe she knew that, but it wasn't evident as she smiled at him.
"And you come bearing gifts. Now that's my favorite kind of friend and artist, I think. Can coffee machines paint?"
It would be an easy way to make friends.
She was glad to have someone to bounce her nervous energy off of. True enough, the auditions were very casual and she knew most of the people there, but that wasn't enough to keep her eager nerves from tingling a bit. She was excited to get up on the stage and do her monologue, and was already planning to do some of the open cold reads with Alexandre, whether he wanted her to or not.
And she had a sneaking suspicion that he would not.
"Have you been to this theatre before?" she asked, holding the door open for him.
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 3:30 pm
"No, I don't believe they can." He said while holding out the coffee cup he'd been left with, her coffee. "This ones yours." He answered. He was glad that she seemed happy to see him again, he didn't mind her company which was saying something; he didn't like a lot of people.
"No, never. What play is it, you didn't tell me the other day nor over the phone?" He had read Shakespeare, good plays though he wasn't fond of the comedies. He likes the history based ones and the tragedies personally.
Covering a yawn up, with his free hand. "Sorry, I've been having a rough few nights with sleep." Apologizing for what some might think as him showing boredom or rudeness. He was just tired as hell. "And more importantly, what part are you trying for?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:58 pm
Gently chuckled and switched the coffee back with him. Sometimes she got away with it, sometimes she didn't. She never let it show that she was up to anything, though. Just an honest mistake with a friend, and certainly not an easily amused young woman playing a game only she knew the rules to.
"Oh! It's Twelfth Night. One of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Are you familiar with it?"
Of course, saying it was 'one of her favorite' Shakespeare plays was pointless, as that covered almost all of the plays anyway. But still, she couldn't help but adore this play. The comedies were great, and this one was particularly funny and sweet. at least, she thought so. It often depended on editing and the directors vision, of course.
As long as it wasn't Twelfth Night in Space, or Twelfth Knight or something, she'd be fine.
"Oh, I know how that goes. I haven't gotten much sleep either, preparing and work and all that jazz. Maybe some fun thrown in, but still. Sleep is hard to come by, sometimes. And I'm going for anything they'll give me! I'd love to play Olivia, though."
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 8:34 pm
"No, that's not one I've read or looked at even." He liked to go into a play with some background knowledge. He found it helped to look into the setting of the play before reading it. It helped to know the time and the place, what was going on in that place at that time. It had helped a lot with McBeth, which was a personal favorite along with Henry the V.
"Ah, a busy person." He said nodding his head, he was as well when he wasn't lacking like he was in sleep. His plants took a lot out of him, than painting and shopping, among other things. He was busy, but not in the sense of a job or working out at a gym, like some people were.
"Tell me about the play, and Olivia?" He asked, hoping to learn what she was trying for. It wouldn't do, in his min, to support her and be completely clueless on what he was supporting. He had to work on that, apply it to other areas....
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 9:08 pm
"Well... the play is about a woman who has to cross dress to serve a duke she falls in love with. She pretends to be her twin brother, who she thinks died in the storm. Olivia is the woman the duke is trying to woo, and he sends his new servant to get her heart, but she's not hearing any of it. She doesn't like the duke, but she does fall in love with the cross dressing girl, thinking her a boy."
She laughed, shaking her head.
"It's a fun role. You get to be snippy and entitled, but you also get to be hopelessly in love. She's not a simple character, or I don't think so. But really, I'd love to play anything. I'd be a moving tree with no lines, if they needed one. I just miss the stage."
They walked into the audience, the house, which was mostly empty save the rows nearest the stage. There were a few other actors assembled and milling about, some mumbling to themselves as they practiced their monologues, others reading from scripts while chatting with the others around them.
She smiled. This was one of her favorite kinds of settings. Actors in their natural habitat.
"So! After monologues will be doing some cold reading, just scenes, and usually we can pair up with whoever we want. I know you're not auditioning, but do you want to read a scene with me?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 9:38 pm
"While I don't like comedies I find it amusing none the less. I wouldn't say it would earn the title of a favorite of his plays, but I would read it, by the way you tell it." She made it sound interesting, like a romance novel turned play. Or a Soap Opera better yet.
"It sounds like a good part, I hope you get it." He honestly did, it sounded like a good part and he was sure Gently was more than capable of handling it. Hearing her speak about the play he knew she knew it well and like it a lot. You always wanted people passionate about the play and the characters in it, and to have them play a character they were passionate about. At least that was as far as he was concerned. If someone didn't like something they didn't do so well at it. It was the same with a lot of things in fact.
"You really were born for the theater." He spoke, smiling at the female next to him as he followed her into the theater house. It certainly was like he'd imagined, but it had a certain nice feel to it. It was already comforting, he didn't feel like the odd one out in here.
"I've never, not even for a school play. And I can't make a fool of myself." Which he would certainly do, there wasn't anything else he could do. He was sure he'd be no good at it. Taking a drink from his espresso. "I'd be absolute rubbish."
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 10:15 am
"You don't like comedies?" She wasn't as surprised by that as she might have been. Getting him to smile was a bit of a challenge, though she loved challenges. Still, she chuckled and nodded her head at him.
She gave him a big grin when he mentioned her being born for theatre. She imagined she was, easily. It was just in her blood, and if she went too long without some form of it she found herself less happy than normal. It was an easy solution, of course, and it kept her in high spirits just to have some kind of play in her life.
Acting was the order for the day, though. She had been doing a lot of tech and behind the scenes work, but now she needed to get on the stage with a script behind her and do some character work.
"Oh, don't worry! There are only actors like me here, and they'll be dragging their friends up there. Cold reads are mostly for fun and to show off. They go better if you're reading with someone you like!" She grinned at him.
"The thing isn't to think you're good or rubbish, it's to just have fun. How about you watch me do my monologue, and then we'll watch some of the other cold reads and see how you feel then?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 12:57 pm
No, I prefer the histories and the tragedies." He was a serious person, at least most of the time. He could smile and laugh, it just required him being close to the person and being in a less populated place.
Watching people mill around he glanced to Gently. Yes, she most certainly fit in here. She was made for a place like this. He knew he was similar to her, but for painting and his plants. He had given up going to Azure Valley in order to be home, since Azure Valley was a boarding school, so he could paint and tend to his plants. They were his passion and love.
"No one will hold it against me?" He questioned. He didn't like the idea of being scoffed and laughed at, whispered and glanced at. These were actions he did against other people. He did not like people doing such to him, it was why he refrained from doing anything which may allow for someone to react to him in such manner.
"I won't be any good, I'm worn out." He stated, hoping she didn't expect a lot from him. He might as well try though, if he was safe from repercussions.
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 9:03 pm
Gently laughed and nodded her head.
"You know, I'm really not surprised to hear that. I'm going to get you to enjoy this comedy, though, you can bet your bottom dollar. I mean, regardless of getting cast or not. I'll just have to put the blasted show on myself if I have to." She grinned teasingly.
"I've heard it said that comedy is the best medicine, even when you're not sick. Laughing and smiling aren't terrible things to do. We'll have to find something to get those muscles in your face working in an upwards motion."
She smiled at his concern, though, shaking her head.
"Don't worry about it: by the time we get to cold reads will all be in it for the fun, you'll see. Any laughing will be mutual, not mean. I promise!" And when she promised something, she meant it. At least, in this situation she did. Her lies were usually more Negaverse related.
Soon, the monologues began, and they were made to sit in the limited audience, clapping for each performer. Gently went up to do her own monologue, a piece from Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She forgot everything else as she fell into the character, a woman in love with a man who didn't look twice at her, a woman ready to perhaps sell out her best friend for one small chance to win the eye of the man who loved only that friend. It was funny, in its way, but the monologue was more bittersweet than anything else. At least, that was the way Gently was playing it.
When she was done she hopped off the stage and returned to Alexandre, grinning sheepishly.
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 9:38 pm
"Do I seem that stiff to you?" He questioned, though he was sure the answer would be a 'yes'. He knew he was serious, it couldn't be helped though. It was just who he was, and how he always would be.
Raising a brow he nodded slowly. "You mention it being a good medicine, do I look ill?" He questioned, wondering over that. Even as he followed along at her side, glancing all around slowly. He didn't whip his head around like an idiot, or some over hyper child.
He clapped for each person, polite and subdue. He wasn't loud, it was annoying and too much clapping and too loudly. His hands didn't like it, nor did he. But he did clap, more, for Gently and smiled as she came down to join him, "That was good. I know that play, I like how you played her." He'd had to read it in class last year. He'd disliked it. But she did the character well.
"Everyone is good." And he meant it, he didn't lie much. He was too blunt and honest for lying.
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:39 pm
Gently laughed at him, nodding her head.
"I'll take that as a good thing, then. Us all being good and all that. I mean, hell, that means the cast is going to be pretty stellar, right?" She knew the company usually found something to do with everyone that auditioned, if only because it was sometimes difficult to draw actors in to the small theatre. But that was just fine, they were building a reputation and Gently, at least, was sure things would get even better.
"I am glad you're liking it, though. See how fun it is? And everyone's being so great. Come on, we'll start the cold reads soon I bet. We'll get a side and practice a bit if you'd like!"
Or she would volunteer them the minute the director asked for someone to go up. And that was exactly what she did. When the last monologue was performed and the director offered out the sides, scenes they were going to be reading and performing from Twelfth Night rather than random plays like the monologues, Gently was on her feet and pulling him to the stage.
"Let's go, it's like ripping off a bandaid. Better to just get it done if you're worried or scared!"
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:32 am
"Yes, the casting should be very good, given the talent pool." Then again he'd never watched plays before, but from what he could see it was a good set of actors, and actresses.
He'd been all for practicing on a side, rather than being dragged right up stage like he was. He was nervous, though he would only admit that to Gently and in private. He really didn't think he'd manage this well, never having done it before and nerves getting to him.
"Sure, though I've never done that before either." Band aids were either taken off gently, and soaked off in water. Never just ripped off.
Standing on the stage he looked out at the others watching. He really felt like just jumped off the stage and onto the ground and finding a seat. But he had something to do, or rather something he was expected to do. "You owe me for this." He stated, eyes on Gently.
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