The Play -Complete

Part One

The theatre was old and dusty and I sat on the stage with my knees pulled under my chin, grateful I was wearing my old jeans. It was getting towards the end of the day and I was seriously bored with sitting around, although watching the leads read through their lines was like an acting class in itself. I had been promoted to tea maker halfway through the morning, which I didn't mind too much. At least it meant I got to know everyone’s names quickly and they got to know me.

Gavin Parry, the director, was so laid back he kept calling me Kerry. 'It's Carrie', I repeated four times, and then I gave up. It wasn't important. I was just glad I got a call back this time.

After 8 auditions and nothing, I was on my way into Mr Singh to get my old shop job back when my 'phone rang. It was 3 months work and I promptly went and celebrated with Tina, my flatmate. I was still feeling a little hung over, all her fault. She had been more excited than me, being a huge Alan Rickman fan. Once she found out he was the lead, she bought me vodka all night and made me sign an old napkin to agree I would introduce her to him. I mean, seriously! I liked him in Die Hard and all that but he was just another older English actor doing the rounds, although when I gave him his tea him today he was very nice and didn't get my name wrong. He's not as stuffy as I thought he would be, either.

Gavin was speaking with the principal leads, Alan and Julie, giving them notes for tomorrows' rehearsals. I was glad I had a part, but nervous because of the part it was. This was a new play and I was the prostitute, the girl Alan's character sleeps with in the scene directly after the interval. It was such a small part, she didn't even have a name or many words to say, but it did mean being part naked in a bed, on top of the lead, simulating sex. It would be a new experience that’s for sure! It was only day three of the rehearsal and we were no-where near that part of the play, I guessed it would be in the middle of next week.

Gavin turned to all of us and clapped his hands to get our attention.

'Guys, thanks for your time today. Kerry...' he looked at me 'Can you stay behind for ten? And thanks for all the tea, by the way'

A small round of applause rippled through and Cal whistled. I rolled my eyes at him and grinned. He was very cute, his short black spiky hair and sexy grin had caught the attention of a few of us since the start of the week but I had since found out he was gay, something I kept to myself. I hated the gossip that sometimes went on backstage and refused to be part of it.

Most of the cast left, shouting goodbyes and arranging to meet in the pub later. I stood and stretched my legs before plonking myself down on an old pine chair vacated by Julie and waited while Gavin walked with her and Alan to the door and said goodbye. I was surprised when Alan walked back with Gavin and sat in the chair next to me.

'Well Kerry....'

'Good grief, Gavin...' Alan interrupted him with amusement in his voice. 'The poor girls' name is Carrie and you've been calling her Kerry all bloody day!' He smiled at me and leant over, patting my knee in a friendly way. I laughed.

'Its fine, I don't care, honestly!' I felt a bit embarrassed.

'Well you should care. If you don't stand up for yourself now you will be walked all over in this business, let me tell you...' He looked at me and raised an eyebrow before smiling again. He seemed nice and I appreciated his advice.

'Thanks. That’s a good thing to remember. I will try and find some backbone!' I grinned at him and he grinned back.

'Good girl, make sure you do...'

'Right... right...' Gavin looked from Alan to me, pushed his glasses back onto his face and seemed unsure what to say next.

'You wanted me to stay behind, Gavin...' I prompted him and heard Alan chuckle at his obvious discomfort.

'Yes, Carrie...' he emphasised my name and glared at Alan, who looked away to hide a grin.

'Right, well. The thing is, I know you have a small role but it is vital we get it right, its a pivotal scene where we see Edward, Alan's character, indulging in his other life, that his wife knows nothing about... Edward is all consumed by his secret life with the prostitute and we have only one scene to convey the depth of that to the audience...' Gavin looked at me and blinked.

'Yep, gotcha, Gavin.' I smiled at him. How the fuck would we be doing that, then? I thought to myself...

'Carrie, you do know we need you topless for the scene....' He blinked again.

'Of course. I knew at the audition. Is there a problem, Gavin?' I didn't know what he was getting at.

'Well, the thing is... well... em...' Gavin shuffled his feet.

'Oh for goodness sake, Gavin...' Alan let out a long sigh. 'I'll ask her, shall I?' He turned to me and smiled at the bewildered look on my face.

'Carrie, how old are you?' Alan looked at me.

'28' I replied.

'Thank god for that. And this is a personal question but I am assuming you have had sex at some point in your short life?' He grinned at me and his eyes were twinkling.

'I have but you're not getting the details!' I laughed at him. He was good fun and I started to relax, I was beginning to think maybe this would be a laugh and stopped feeling so nervous.

'I think I can take it from here, Alan, thanks.' Gavin cut in and glared at him again. Alan sat back and lifted his hands to express that Gavin was free to continue.

'Thing is Carrie, we have to make sure we convey the scene to everyone, not just the front row. I need to know how big you are...you know ' he made a gesture as if he were cupping some large breasts ' so I can make sure they can be seen from the back of the Theatre.'

I stared at him and my mouth dropped open.' Are you fucking serious?' I asked, laughing.

'Sadly, he is.' Alan looked at me and smiled a small smile.

'Right... Ok...' I took a deep breath. 'No time like the present, is there?'

'Right...no...Right...good, then. Alan, would you.' Gavin nodded to the back of the stalls and looked at me. 'I'm going up to the circle, I'll give you a shout when I need you too...em...'

'Whip them out?' I asked, my eyes wide and innocent.

Alan looked at Gavin and burst out laughing as he walked off the stage and to the back of the stalls.

I grinned to myself as I waited for Gavin to give me the word, imagining telling Tina I had to stand topless in front of Alan Rickman. While I waited, I unfastened my bra and slipped it out through the sleeves of my T-shirt, laying it on the back of the chair. Alan had walked to the back of the stalls; I could just see him and I looked up as I saw Gavin standing in the circle.

'Right Carrie, when ever you're ready, then... ' Gavin called. I took a breath and lifted my T-shirt off, standing topless as the two men looked directly at me. I was actually glad they were so far away, I needed to shave my armpits and they couldn't see me that closely from their vantage points. The one thing I was sure of was that they would be able to see very clearly that I was blessed with very large breasts.

'Turn to your left, Carrie, please...' Gavin called. I did as he asked; it felt like being in a police photo shoot.

'OK, can you lean forward a little for me.’ I looked up at Gavin and put my hands on my hips.

'Lean forward?' I asked him. This was a joke, surely.

'Please, sorry Carrie, I need to see them lower....' Gavin trailed off as if he suddenly realised the ridiculousness of the situation.

From the back of the auditorium I could hear Alan's laugh, deep and resonating and I started to laugh too. It was just too silly for words.

I leant forward but was laughing so much my breasts were jiggling all over the place.

'That’s fine, Carrie, you can get dressed. I'll be down in a minute. Alan, I need you back too...'

Quickly I grabbed my bra and put it and my T-shirt on before Alan had reached the stage. I sat back on the chair and grinned at him, he was still shaking with laughter.

'Get a good view, did you?' I asked him sweetly.

'Don't be naughty!' He admonished me but was smiling.’ You were visible enough from where I was standing, I am sure the audience will appreciate the scene.'

He had put his actors' hat back on and stopped laughing and so did I, just as Gavin walked back to us.

'Well?' He looked at Alan who nodded at him without looking back in my direction. I thought to myself that I shouldn't have teased him and resolved to apologise as soon as Gavin was out of earshot. I didn't want to spoil my working relationship with him before it had really started.

'Right then. Carrie, we need to start rehearsing this, em...not tomorrow but Friday, the bed will be here on Friday, but in the meantime, I need you and Alan to get together and do a few run throughs, that ok?'

'Its fine with me...' I trailed off and Alan looked up at me then looked at Gavin.

'How long will the scene be, Gavin?' He asked him.

'Hang on, I'll check...' He grabbed a notepad from the side of the stage and brought it over, glancing at it.

'It's almost 5 minutes... most of it will be the simulation but there is some speech from the girl and a couple of words from you... so, a couple of run throughs should do it, I think.' He looked at Alan, expecting a response.

'Right, Ok then... I can do tomorrow, early. That ok with you Carrie? But not here... I'll give you my address. Come round at 8.30, I have some stuff to do after that and before I come here at 11.' He stated, getting up and obviously planning to leave.

'Right, OK...' I nodded. He seemed pissed off and it was starting to irritate me. 'You had better write down your address, then, because I am busy too and I need to leave.' I glared at him and he raised his eyebrows at me.

'Backbone...?' He smiled then and took a pen from his jacket pocket. Taking a sheet of paper from Gavin he scribbled down his address and phone number. I grabbed it out of his hand and walked off, waving a little as I left.

'Call me if you can't make it, Carrie.... ' He called after me. I waved again to let him know I had heard and went to the dressing area backstage to grab my jacket before leaving out of the stage door at the back of the Theatre.