Body on the Stage

by Bev Robitai

  At last the second act drew towards a close and the stage emptied.

  Jayden went out dressed in his tail coat with white cuffs and collar, and waved the lights up, bowed, and exited in the dark. The actor playing the MC strode on in full drag and got a roar of applause as the audience recognised him as the ineffectual dancer in the toga with the grapes. In a long sparkly dress and high blonde wig he made a fabulous nightclub hostess, carrying on a chatty conversation with the audience, interspersed with risqué jokes, while Dennis knew that backstage in the Green Room, the actors were being rushed into their stripper outfits and getting ready. Warwick was probably already waiting in the ceiling ready to slide down his fireman’s rope.

  The buxom MC looked to the prompt box for confirmation the first stripper was ready and he could leave the stage. Receiving the nod, he wound up his chat and tiptapped off in his high heels, waving an elegant, long-gloved hand to warm applause.

  The house went dark, then with perfect timing the follow-spot hit the ceiling and the music started bang on cue as Warwick descended from the roof in his bright yellow fireman’s coat. Screams of delight rang out as women twisted around to see where he was coming from and realised he was lowering himself into their midst. He landed gracefully in the centre aisle, sprinted up onto the stage, and began his routine.

  The place went nuts.

  Dennis couldn’t believe how much the excitement level had ramped up now the audience was getting what they’d come to see. Continuous screaming nearly drowned out the music, especially when Warwick went down into the front row and invited a girl to pull his shirt off. There was no shortage of volunteers for the next item and his belt was disposed of even more quickly. Dennis shook himself and realised he’d better memorise where all these discarded items were heading. The scatter range was wider than during rehearsals as Warwick clearly had his mind on the women in front of him and not the stage behind.

  The music entered its last few bars. Warwick stood centre stage, and whipped off his posing pouch just as the lights went out, running off in the blackout in just a tiny G-string.

  Dennis had forgotten to cover one eye and had no night vision, but managed to grab all the bits and pieces by feel and whisk them off the stage in time for the lights to come up on the next round of the MC’s abysmal jokes.

  Somehow the outrageous costume and camp delivery made the MC’s material funny and the audience reacted warmly. He paraded round the stage for a few minutes then introduced the next routine.

  “Now ladies, mind your P’s and Q’s, or you’ll be feeling the long arm of the law!”

  Simon, dressed in his American cop’s uniform, walked out on the stage in darkness and crouched down, curled over, until the lights came up with an eerie blue cast and the sound effects from Terminator echoed round the auditorium. Dennis wondered if Jack Matherson was anywhere in the audience and would be offended by the fake policeman. Simon slowly uncurled and stood up, moving into a robot-like routine as the music played. The audience response was a little reserved until suddenly the music changed. Simon pulled a baseball cap from his jacket pocket, swiftly exchanged it for the policeman’s cap, and whisked off the jacket to reveal a brightly coloured silk shirt underneath. The sombre navy trousers disappeared with a flick of the wrist leaving baggy cargo shorts in their place.

  The girls erupted with delight, screaming and calling out, begging for attention. Simon looked them over slowly, drawing even more responses, before launching into his fast and energetic hip hop routine. With the coloured lights playing across the audience, the outstretched hands waving, and the relentless beat of the music, the theatre was transformed into a dance club with three hundred and eighty patrons all stamping their feet.

  “Bloody hell!” Tony shouted into Dennis’s ear, “I don’t know if the floor will be able to stand this for long. She’s only held together with woodworms and glue!”

  “It’s lasted a hundred and twenty years – it should be all right!” They grinned at each other, enjoying the electric atmosphere.

  This time Dennis remembered to cover his eye as Simon got down to his shorts, giving it time to adjust as the boxers, briefs and thong were removed to hysterical screams.

  In the blackout he scampered across the stage crabwise, scooping up all the clothes and shoes before retreating to the OP wing to drop them on the table where props and wardrobe would take care of them.

  He was looking forward to the next part; Ricky’s entrance from the trapdoor.

  Once the MC had calmed the audience down with his next section and the stage was ready, he left with a flick of his white glove to turn off the lights.

  There was silence, broken by a few anticipatory giggles. Dennis heard a faint hiss as a smoke machine activated, then a single spotlight from the back of the stage illuminated the white cloud hanging in the air. Several dramatic chords rang out as a helmeted figure rose slowly through the mist, arms held across his chest, unmoving. As his feet reached floor level the familiar strains of the Top Gear theme music hit the air and there was a roar of applause. Dennis thought there would probably be a few long-suffering men in the audience who would be relieved to see something they could relate to.

  Ricky burst into action, sweeping across the stage in an acrobatic display that had the whole audience applauding.

  Just then Dennis glanced over to Tony and saw him frowning, listening to something on his headset then speaking into the microphone. He beckoned Dennis towards him.

  “Do you have time to go backstage and check on Mark? Something’s wrong. I need to know if he has to be replaced by Jayden and if he does, is Jayden is ready?”

  Dennis took a quick look on stage and checked that Ricky was still in his white driving suit. “I’ve got about four minutes. I’ll be back.”

  He made his way out through the heavy padded stage door and through the make-up room to the Green Room, where he found Mark slumped white-faced in a chair and Sherry sobbing in the arms of Erica with a group of other women huddled protectively round her. He went straight to Mark.

  “Are you fit to go on stage? Tony needs to know right now. Yes or no.”

  Mark looked up at him, his eyes dull. “No.”

  “OK then. We’ll sort you out in a minute.” Dennis looked around for Jayden and saw him already being helped into his vampire costume. He went over.

  “You’ll be ready to go on? Do you need the MC to stall for extra time?”

  “Yes, get him to do a couple more of those bloody awful jokes so I have time to get in position up the back. Oh, and tell the music guy in the control room so he plays the right piece – it’s labelled ‘Twilight compilation’.” Jayden was clearly sparking on all cylinders with adrenaline spiking through his system. His eyes were alight and he quivered with suppressed energy. “Thanks Dennis. I’ll try to throw my clothes neatly for you!”

  Dennis hurried back and gave Tony the information, which was relayed it through the headsets to the Prompt-side stage manager and the control room, who then updated the MC and the sound man. By then Ricky was taking his bow, holding his white helmet strategically in front of him.

  The lights went out and so did Dennis, grabbing up the gloves, shoes and various pieces of the white driving suit. He hooked a pair of boxers with his foot but couldn’t locate the thong anywhere and had to give up the hunt as time ran out. Dropping his armload on the table, he hurried out to the Green Room to see if he could help with whatever drama had been unfolding behind the scenes.

  Mark was nowhere to be seen. Dennis checked the toilets and the dressing rooms but couldn’t find him. He sought out Erica to see what light she could shed on the situation.

  “What happened back here? Is Mark still around?”

  “Not if he knows what’s good for him,” Erica replied grimly. “Fancy shouting at that poor girl in her condition. It’s unforgiveable. Her life is tough enough without spoilt young men being a pain in the arse and giving her a hard time.”

  “In her conditio
n? What, you mean Sherry’s pregnant?” His jaw dropped.

  “Yes, about ten weeks along, and it’s a tricky time. Mark had no business yelling at her like that. I just hope she didn’t get too upset, it’ll be so bad for the baby.”

  “Do we know why he yelled at her?”

  “It doesn’t matter! You just don’t treat a pregnant woman like that whatever the problem is.” Erica was clearly unsympathetic to whatever difficulties Mark was going through.

  “OK, I’d better get back. Thanks Erica.”

  Dennis made his way back to the OP wings and squinted into the stage lights as he prepared to collect the items from Jayden’s scattered costume. The pale-faced vampire was showing off his well-muscled torso to wild applause.

  Once Jayden’s pick-up was done Dennis was free for the rest of the show. He went backstage to see if he could find Mark.

  To his surprise Jack Matherson there talking to Jessica. She was arguing fiercely in a low voice to avoid being heard by the audience out front, but the conversation was audible across the Green Room.

  “You CAN’T, Jack! Not one of the key actors! We need Mark for the rest of the run – can’t it wait till afterwards?” Jack leaned close and murmured a reply in her ear. Her eyes widened and a look of horror spread across her face. “He did what? Are you sure?” As Dennis watched, her skin paled. Jack nodded and murmured some more. Jessica’s face dropped and her shoulders slumped.

  “I guess Jayden will have to take over then. I’ll ask Adam to give him some extra coaching tonight, if he’ll do it.” She shook her head. “Well, that’s one problem we’ve never had to face before. What a dreadful thing to happen.”

  Dennis’s heart sank. Mark had been a good friend and now it looked as if he was in serious trouble. Had Sherry laid a complaint against him?

  He didn’t have the chance to find out because suddenly the room filled up with excited performers and stage crew all chattering like starlings about the show and the audience’s response to it.

  “Did you see that woman in the hot seat on the corner? She almost had my G-string off!”

  “Those two in the second row were vicious! They grabbed and squeezed!”

  “I thought the reviewer was going to do himself an injury he was laughing so hard. We’d better get a good write-up from him!”

  “Hey, what happened to Mark? Did he hurt himself or something?”

  “Good job Jayden, I bet you had to jump to get ready, didn’t you? You did well.”

  “Did you see him whiz down that bloody wire? The women underneath nearly wet themselves!”

  “Yeah, did you hear them? ‘Ooh, he looks just like Edward!’”

  Jayden was the centre of attention, getting pats on the back and all the accolades.

  Dennis made his way over to Jessica.

  “Is there anything I can do – I mean, does Mark need any help?” He fumbled for the words. “It sounds as if he might be in trouble. You don’t have to tell me what it is, but if there’s anything I can do, please say so.”

  She looked at him then, ignoring the babble of voices around them. With her head close to his, she spoke quietly. “Mark won’t be around for the rest of the run. Jack tells me he’s been charged with the murder of that Italian guy from the gym.”

  Dennis felt his head spin. The sound around him retreated to a dull murmur of background noise. “What? That’s insane! Mark’s such a nice guy.”

  “That’s what I would have said, but apparently he confessed. He’ll be held in custody until bail is arranged which could take a while, and he might not get it even then. You have to keep this quiet, Dennis. I shouldn’t be telling you, but I know you’re discreet. See if you can defuse the gossip that will be running riot around here – just say Mark isn’t well and has to take a few weeks off or something, you know what will work. If we both give the same line people will stop asking and guessing about it. It would cause a huge distraction if they knew the real story. Are you OK with that?”

  He blinked, still trying to take in what she’d said. Mark had been charged with murder? Of Vincenzo? It didn’t make any sense. Finally he nodded. “Yes, all right Jessica, I’ll do my best. But please, let me know what happens to him, will you? This can’t be right. Mark’s a good guy, he wouldn’t kill anyone, it’s just ridiculous.”

  She shrugged. “A couple of months ago I would have agreed with you, but he’s been acting very oddly for the last few weeks. I’d never suspected he had such a temper until I saw him and Warwick fighting in here that time. They both looked pretty homicidal then.”

  “So what happens with the show now?” Dennis felt a surge of anxiety at the prospect that Cathy’s financial future was even more in jeopardy.

  “Most likely Jayden will take over the role. He should know most of the lines, and Adam will hopefully give him a briefing tonight and maybe tomorrow before the next performance to make certain he can do it.” She ran a hand through her blonde hair. “I sure hope nobody gets sick or injured, ‘cause that’s our safety net gone.”

  Dennis shook his head slowly, still trying to process the information. “I can’t believe it. Not Mark. He was so helpful when I first started training.”

  “I agree that it’s completely out of character. But people change, especially when they’re subjected to great pressure. Something must have got to him to make him crack like that. Anyway, people will be watching us,” she put on a bright face, “and it’s time to finish off our chores back here and get ready for the opening night party. Everyone will be gathering in the foyer very shortly for the speeches and the presentation to Adam. Don’t want to miss that. Buck up, Dennis, you need to look cheerful even if you don’t feel it. It’s what we call ‘acting’, you know.” She gave him a sympathetic smile and hurried away.

  Dennis completed his duties helping Tony to set up for the next night’s show in a fog of disbelief. He kept replaying scenes in his head, trying to visualise Mark’s behaviour and scrutinising it for any anomalies. Three out of the five actors who had trained at the gym had seemed to be affected by steroid use, becoming angry and a little violent. Was it possible that Mark had had a higher dose, or been more susceptible to the effects? Or had something else triggered an impulse to kill? He hoped Jack would keep Jessica in the loop as the investigation continued so one day they would know the truth.

  The party was in full swing by the time Dennis made his way to the foyer, which was jammed from end to end with people. There was a smell of perfume in the air, and a hint of something familiar he finally identified as mothballs. Glasses and bottles were clinking among a roar of conversation as happy actors were greeted by admiring friends and family offering their congratulations. The two women colleagues he’d given tickets thanked him effusively, their faces flushed and shiny.

  Dennis grabbed a bottle of beer and found a space of relative quiet halfway up the foyer stairs to observe the goings-on below him.

  Over in the corner he saw Jessica talking to Tony, clearly telling him something in some detail. Tony was nodding seriously in reply. In the middle of the room Adam was surrounded by well-wishers congratulating him on a successful show.

  The sound of a glass being tapped caught everyone’s attention and the conversation slowly died down as Tony stepped up onto the two stairs leading to the auditorium to address the crowd.

  “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming tonight. Did you enjoy the show?” A roar of approval answered that question. “Now before we get into the celebratory part of the evening we have some speeches, and a couple of pieces of sad news for you, I’m afraid.” The murmurs and shufflings ceased as everyone waited to hear what Tony was about to say. “First of all, I’m making this speech as Vice President of the society because our President is no longer with us. As some of you know, Howard drowned while on holiday in the South Pacific trying to save the life of another swimmer, and we are devastated by his loss. Howard Daniels was an enormous asset to the society and a very good friend - he wil
l be sorely missed.” There were murmurs of agreement around the crowded room.

  “Secondly, you may have noticed that we had a quick change of actors part-way through the second act. This was not part of the show. It happened because Mark Malone was taken ill and couldn’t continue with the performance. He is unlikely to return for the rest of the run and his place will be taken by our very able understudy, Jayden Somerville.” More ripples of chatter greeted this announcement, pierced by an involuntary exclamation from Nick.

  “Oh shi…!” He clapped a hand over his mouth then apologised, stepping up beside Tony. “In that case, can I make a quick plea for a couple of volunteers to help stick correction inserts into several hundred programmes before tomorrow night’s show, please? Come and see me if you’re free during the day. Thanks!”

  Tony waved him away and continued with his speech, thanking Adam for his excellent direction and everything he’d done to support the theatre. He presented a small parcel which Adam unwrapped amid much laughter when it revealed a shiny sequinned G-string.

  “I shall wear it in your memory!” declared Adam, holding it aloft with a flourish.

  Dennis saw Cathy looking up at him, her head tilted in silent query. He should be down there talking to her, but how could he keep his promise of discretion if she asked him about Mark? He lifted his hand in a weak wave and looked away.

  It didn’t feel like an occasion for celebrating to him and the excited chatter began to grate on his nerves. He decided to make his exit as quietly as possible, so went up the stairs, crossed through the upper circle in the auditorium and went down the stairs on other side that led straight to the street door of the theatre. He made his exit into the cool night air and headed for home. He had a lot to think over.

  When he got home there was a red light on his phone and a message from his sister Janice.

  “Hey, little bro – you’re hard man to get hold of these days, but I’m thinking that’s a good thing. Means you’re out having a life. I just wanted to say well done for those amazing photos you emailed me. I couldn’t believe it was really you. Are you sure they weren’t Photoshopped?” He smiled at the laugh in her voice. “Anyway, you look as if you’re in the pink of health and you’re obviously getting out and socialising, so I guess I don’t have to worry about you any more. You keep up the good work and I’ll catch up with you another time. Bye, bro.”