Chapter 249: Dragon's Lair and Tiger's Lair
Chapter 249: Dragon's Lair and Tiger's Lair (End)
"No! This is totally unacceptable! They are just like puppets hanging on strings!"
Backstage at the Central Cross Theater, after watching the final rehearsal before the performance, a middle-aged man wearing a neatly ironed double-breasted white suit without a single wrinkle on his body could not help but throw off his hat and pointed at a group of actors and shouted angrily:
"Feelings! What about feelings?
You are a living person, not a machine reading the lines I wrote! If you want the audience to be immersed in your performance, you must be immersed in it first!
Don’t always worry about the steps to enter the stage, the body expressions, the lighting and the direction. Drama is not afraid of your mistakes, nor does it require your accuracy. What drama really wants is a performance that can make the audience empathize with you! "
"That kind of performance where the steps are perfect and the movements are more precise than a machine, has no soul at all! A long and smooth and gorgeous line, with even the ending of the aria being perfect, may not be as effective as a cry from the heart!
You guys are really... damn it! After Andre, the only one worth watching, was boycotted and couldn't go on stage at all, what the hell did you perform? You are simply ruining my script! A bunch of idiots! I wish I could just hang you by a string and let you perform!"
The middle-aged man seemed to have a very high status in the troupe. Even though he had been pointing at her and scolding her for a full ten minutes, none of the dozens of famous senior actors who had toured half the world dared to talk back. A timid actress even began to tremble and sob.
After hearing the actress's crying, the middle-aged man seemed to feel that he had gone too far. After a moment of silence, he stopped scolding and instead directed the actors to go through the first act of "Twelve Days Together" again.
But unfortunately, even though these highly skilled actors have tried their best, their acting skills, which they have honed over the years, still cannot meet the minimum requirements of middle-aged men.
And seeing that this rehearsal was still so terrible and no one could meet his expectations, the middle-aged man could no longer control the anger that he had just suppressed with great difficulty.
"A bunch of trash! Trash! Trash!!!"
The middle-aged man cursed hysterically and threw the wrinkled hat in his hand to the ground. He stomped on it repeatedly with all his strength, destroying the expensive hat beyond recognition.
After a while, when he had vented his disappointment and anger, the middle-aged man wanted to do it again, but when he looked down at his watch and found that it was time for the performance, he couldn't help but sigh with disappointment, and then stretched out his hand to these useless rubbish actors.
"It seems that I can't rely on you... Then I'll do it!"
As he sighed with regret, a row of headlights above the stage suddenly lit up, completely illuminating the backstage filled with props and scenes. One by one, the slightly trembling puppets slowly stood up as the middle-aged man moved his hands.
And on the face of Agatha, the heroine of "Twelve Days Together", a puppet wearing a waitress uniform, a series of strange tears condensed from wood were rolling down her cheeks and hitting the floor backstage with a clatter.
……
"Hurry up!"
Grabbing Leon's hand, the princess quickly entered the reserved couple's box, pulled up her skirt and clamped it between her legs, then bent down without any ladylike manners, adjusted the chairs for Leon and herself, found the most suitable angle for watching the show, and sat down hastily.
"come!"
Reaching out and patting the empty seat beside her, Princess Veronica urged cheerfully:
"Come and sit down! When we came up, I saw the announcer preparing to go on stage. The first act, the first scene of Twelve Days Tour will begin soon. If you don't sit down now, it will be too late!"
"..."
There’s nothing wrong with sitting on it... but are you sure this chair is for two people?
Seeing that the double seat was more than half occupied by just one princess, Leon couldn't help but remind her:
"Aren't the chairs in this box... a little narrow?"
Otherwise, how can it be called a couple’s box?
Hearing Leon's question, the princess, who was looking at the stage expectantly, couldn't help but reveal a sly smile.
The Central Cross Theatre is not short of money, so the chairs are made so narrow on purpose. Given the width of the seats in the couple's box, even two slim ladies would not have much space to sit together. When a man and a woman sit together, they will definitely be squeezed together by the armrests on both sides.
For a play that lasts an average of just over three hours, most people cannot stand the idea of watching the whole play with legs together and posture correct. They will definitely try to change postures... For example, one person sits on a chair and the other person sits on him or her.
"Not too narrow, just the right size for two people to sit in!"
Although she knew what was going on, the princess, who had ulterior motives, would not be stupid enough to explain it to Leon. After trying to move to the side and make room for Leon to sit in, Princess Veronica pursed her lips and urged:
"Hurry up and sit down, hurry up and sit down, the curtain has been opened, and the opening instruments have started to sound!"
"All right……"
Although it still felt a bit narrow, Leon saw that the curtain on the stage had indeed been opened, so he did not continue talking, but sat in the half seat vacated by the princess.
And when he sat down, the princess, who had been holding back her body, relaxed a little, and her plump and soft body pressed against him. Even with two layers of clothing blocking the way, she still continued to convey a faint warmth and amazing elasticity.
"..."
I see……
After vaguely understanding why the chair was so narrow, Leon subconsciously retracted his body, but the princess next to him took it a step further and leaned over in an extremely despicable manner.
The little hand with icy fingertips found Leon's right hand accurately, and unreasonably passed through his fingers, completing a slightly cool interlocking of ten fingers.
I knew this trip would be a dangerous place!
"It seems... still a little crowded..."
His arm was pulled to the right, and his elbow faintly rubbed against a soft mass of flesh. The corners of Leon's mouth twitched slightly, and he couldn't help but whispered:
“Actually, I can also stand and watch…”
"Shh!"
Putting her right index finger in front of her lips and making a gesture to keep quiet, the victorious princess slightly frowned and said in a naive way:
"You have to be quiet when watching a play, but if you really want to talk, you can put your arms around my back, lean over and put your arms around my shoulders~"
"..."
I'll just sit down then...
She had no choice but to give up the idea of standing to watch the show as she had to take one set after another. She sat down on the chair a little stiffly.
The coastal tune full of harbor atmosphere on the stage has also come to an end. A "narrator" actor playing shell bells recites aloud to the sound of the tide simulated by the ocean organ and surge drum:
"Ankara, this quiet harbor town, has no shortage of tides and sea breezes, as well as young souls who are eager to relieve their melancholy in the beautiful and open waves..."
In the clear introduction of the "narrator", a male puppet wearing a white top and with a slender figure slowly walked out from behind the wooden prop house, sighing with sorrow in his eyes:
"There are twelve days left... After twelve days, I will no longer be a free me, but a captive bird flying in a strange cage..."
Wait, something seems wrong?
Looking at the leading actor "Elijah" who was lamenting on the stage, Leon couldn't help but raise his hands and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Was this a play or a puppet show? Why was the male lead on stage a talking marionette?
(End of this chapter)