Fault in the Structure

her plate and handed it over. Dame Beatrice perused it.

‘I see he asks whether it would be in order for him to attend the final rehearsal and take photographs,’ she said. ‘It would have been better to ask permission of Dr Denbigh, I should have thought.’

‘I shan’t bother to answer the letter. If he decides to turn up on Monday evening I can leave Denbigh to deal with him. Incidentally, he’s to appear on stage at each performance to boost the pageant. It takes place the week after The Beggar’s Opera. As for Caxton and the photographs he’s after, the press will be there, anyway. Denbigh won’t allow cameras at the actual performances, so one more person clicking away at the dress rehearsal won’t make that much difference.’

‘I see, too, that he requests the pleasure of a few words in private with you.’

‘They’ll have to be precious few. I’m on and off most of the time in the first Act and after that I’m prompting. Incidentally, you’ll enjoy the scenes between Polly Peachum and Lucy Lockit. Sybil Gartner and Melanie Cardew so loathe each other that their passages of arms on the stage are almost too realistic’

‘ “I shall now soon be even with the hypocritical strumpet”,’ quoted Dame Beatrice. ‘I trust that the bottle of ratsbane is large and is well and truly labelled.’

‘It is, and it’s just as well that the stage directions call for Polly to drop her doped glass. I wouldn’t put it past Melanie to add something toxic to the beverage if there was half a chance of Sybil’s drinking it.’

‘What fun you must have at your rehearsals. Do you think I might present myself at this one? If so, we could have George to drive my car and you would not need to drive home alone if the rehearsal does indeed last into the small hours.’

‘Smashing idea,’ said Laura. ‘I’d like you to see the rehearsal. We’re going to set the stage as well as put on the costumes and make-up. Our sets are rather fabulous. Our painters and carpenters have had the run of the college workshops as well as a lot of help from the students. We don’t even end the play at the condemned hold. We’re going to put Macheath on the hangman’s cart and it’s from there that he gets reprieved.’

‘Realism indeed!’

‘There’s another bone of contention between Sybil and Melanie, I ought to tell you,’ said Laura. ‘I really thought Sybil was going to spit – literally, I mean. My own costume, as I’m Polly’s mother and therefore very much a matron, is black and white. Polly was supposed to be dressed in a rather deep pink and Lucy in apple green, but when they tried the things on, Melanie, whose sallowness not even make-up can really disguise, looked so awful in apple green that she told Denbigh she really must have the pink dress plus a gypsy make-up put on really thick. Denbigh and the wardrobe mistress agreed, so it’s going to be an apple-green Polly and a deep pink Lucy. Sybil was so furious that we half-thought she’d throw up her part.’

‘But Dr Denbigh talked her round, I suppose.’

‘Yes. He can be the soul of tact when he likes. I contributed my quota, too, when Sybil backed me into a corner to unload her grievances. Denbigh pointed out that the success of the show depended entirely upon her. I pointed out that she looks pretty in any colour, but that poor old Melanie needed all the help she could get to look even presentable on the stage. Between Denbigh and me we got Sybil soothed, but it wasn’t easy. I just hope, with my fingers crossed, that Sybil won’t rat on me and tell Melanie what I said.’

‘I wonder whether Dr Denbigh has followed Sir Nigel Playfair and given How now, Madam Flirt to two of the ladies of the town, or whether he has put it in its rightful place in the script?’

‘Oh, the latter. He’s given it, as written in the text, to Polly and Lucy. It’s one of their best efforts and I’m sure that, if Denbigh’s production called for them to scratch each other’s eyes out, they’d go to it with a will.’

‘I am looking forward to this rehearsal. I wonder what Caxton has to say to you?’

‘Not knowing, can’t tell. Perhaps he wants to con me into trying to persuade you to let him do some more printing. He was awfully pleased to get that order for the tickets and posters. I expect he can do with a few commissions of that sort. It’s a pretty poor sort of place in which he lives.’

‘He may prefer it to a more palatial residence.’

‘I don’t know so much. He has a lean and hungry look which goes to my motherly heart.’

‘Such men are dangerous,’ said Dame Beatrice. ‘Do not allow him to lure you into conspiracies.’

‘Conspiracies?’

‘Not the word I really mean.’ She eyed her comely secretary with humour. ‘Exchange the queen of fairies for the Green Man,’ she said, ‘and then repeat after me: “I am sae fair and fu’ o’ flesh, I’m fear’d ’twill be myself.” ’

‘Good Lord!’ said Laura blankly. ‘Whatever would Gavin say?’

PART FOUR

:

Demolition

CHAPTER 16

« ^ »

It’s a wise rabbit that stays in its own burrow.

The Saturday pre-dress rehearsal went as Laura had expected. It lasted until twelve-thirty on Sunday morning and was, in her words, a shambles. Nothing but the utter fatigue and ragged tempers of the players caused Denbigh to abandon it even at that hour. Then, to the cheers of the students, he said that he expected everybody to