Chapter 5
Rehearsals for A Christmas Carol started the following Monday.
Sive finished her morning yoga routine with a long session of savasana.
She wanted to arrive at the table read in a state of perfect calm.
For some reason she felt unaccountably jittery about this one.
Maybe it was vicarious nerves for Sam. She was excited for him experiencing his first professional production, and she was anxious for it to go well for him.
She read over her lines as she ate a solitary breakfast, Aoife having already left for work.
Then she packed her bag and walked to the rehearsal studio.
She was passing the turn into Halfpenny Lane when she spotted Sam in the Halfpenny Place, the little bakery/café on the corner. He was standing at the counter chatting to Chloe, and they both smiled and greeted her cheerily as she went in to join them.
‘Want one?’ Sam nodded to a cardboard tray of coffees on the counter as Chloe handed him change.
No, thanks. But I’d love a green tea,’ she said to Chloe.
‘Coming right up.’
‘Excited for your first read-through?’ she asked Sam as Chloe turned away.
‘Excited, nervous, nauseous.’ He smiled. ‘All the feels, as they say.’
Sive laughed. ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be great.’ She was surprised how genuinely nervous Sam seemed to be. He always came across as so confident, almost cocky even, though never in an obnoxious way – more appropriately assured of his capabilities.
‘Good lu—I mean break a leg, both of you,’ Chloe said as she handed Sive her tea.
‘Thanks.’ Sive laughed. ‘And good save. You almost cursed us there.’
‘Hang on,’ Chloe said as they turned to go. She took two pastries from the display case and slid them into a paper bag, then handed it to Sive.
‘What’s this?’
‘Just a little sugar to steady those first-day nerves.’
Sive peered into the bag and breathed in mouth-watering smells of sugar and vanilla.
‘It’s a new Danish recipe I’m trying,’ Chloe said. ‘Sour cherry and marzipan. Let me know what you think.’
‘I think I can safely say it’s a winner already,’ Sive said. ‘But I’m happy to be your guinea pig any time you need one.’
‘And they’ll definitely take my mind off my nerves,’ Sam said. ‘All I’ll be thinking about is how soon we can take a break and eat these.’
The rehearsal studio was on the first floor of a former warehouse building a short walk from Halfpenny Lane.
It was a bright space, with large windows, plain white walls and wooden flooring.
They arrived early and Sam immediately sought out Cara, the stage manager, and handed her one of the coffees from the tray balanced in his hand.
‘Thanks, Sam. Appreciate it. But you know it’s not your job to get coffee for me anymore.’
Sam shrugged. ‘Some habits are hard to break. Need any help setting up?’
‘Thanks,’ she said, clapping him on the shoulder.
‘But we’re good.’ She waved to the group of tables arranged in a circle at the centre of the room, already set up with bound scripts, highlighters and water glasses.
‘I’ve got Andy,’ she said, nodding to a tall, gangly young man who was bringing in a platter of pastries.
‘You’re the talent now, so just relax and enjoy it. ’
‘I’m still happy to help if you need me.’
‘Not necessary, but thanks,’ Cara said over her shoulder as she strode off towards the door.
‘I feel a bit guilty not helping out with the set-up,’ Sam said to Sive as they joined the small group of actors by the craft table, drinking coffee from cardboard cups. ‘This is usually my job.’ He nodded to the circle of tables.
‘Don’t be. Cara’s right. Your job now is to concentrate on your role.’ Nevertheless, Sive was touched by Sam’s commitment to his job as assistant stage manager.
‘So what have you been up to since I last saw you?’ Sam asked.
They hadn’t got together yesterday for their usual Sunday dinner as Mimi had been doing something with Rocco’s family and Jonathan was away on a stag weekend in Kerry. She and Aoife had treated themselves to dinner out and a movie at the Irish Film Institute.
‘I’ve been working on publicity for the show mostly. And I started researching costumes. I have an appointment at the Abbey’s hire shop in a couple of weeks.’
‘Oh, pick me out a good top hat. I think it’s really going to suit me.’
‘I’m afraid you won’t get a top hat – they’re not for the likes of a lowly apprentice like young Scrooge.’
The rest of the cast began to trickle in and Mimi arrived, striding across the room to join them.
‘Ready for your first table read, Sam?’ she asked him, helping herself to coffee.
‘Yeah.’ Sam grinned at her. ‘Can’t wait! Though I do have a bad case of imposter syndrome.’
Mimi rolled her eyes and tutted impatiently. ‘Rubbish! You know what they say – actual imposters never suffer from imposter syndrome.’
Sive was pleased to see how happy the actors were to welcome Sam as one of the company. But everyone liked Sam. He’d been a permanent fixture at the theatre almost since it opened, his buoyant, friendly demeanour making him popular with cast and crew alike.
‘Ah, my future boss,’ Mitch said, joining them.
A tall, rangy man in his mid-thirties, Mitch had been a member of the company at Halfpenny Lane since day one.
He was a wonderfully versatile actor, with an uncanny ability to transform his appearance and disappear into any role, equally convincing as a good-natured innocent or a twisted villain.
In A Christmas Carol, he was cast as the hapless Bob Cratchit.
‘And my young apprentice.’ Shay, the actor playing Mr Fezziwig greeted Sam with a clap on the shoulder.
‘In more senses than one,’ Sam said.
Shay raised an eyebrow queryingly.
‘I mean, not just in the play,’ Sam said. ‘I’m also your real-life acting apprentice. Yours too,’ he said to Mitch.
Mitch’s expressive face broke into a wide smile. ‘Nonsense! You’re no such thing. You’re one of us now. Brothers in arms. Tell him, Shay.’
‘He’s right. There’s no hierarchy here. Eh, Sive?’
‘Absolutely,’ Sive said, smiling, loving them for supporting Sam so wholeheartedly.
Alan arrived, accompanied by Cara and they settled themselves at the centre of the circle.
When the actors had taken their places, everyone introduced themselves with their name and role, starting with Donal Ryan, a well-known veteran of the Dublin stage, who would be playing Scrooge.
Many of the actors had worked together before and knew each other well, so there was already an air of comradeship around the table that was effortlessly extended to include the newcomers.
Because of the rules around children working, the part of Tiny Tim would be shared by three boys in rotation, but they were all here today for the read-through along with their chaperones, who were required to accompany them to every rehearsal and performance.
They were seated along the wall at the back of the room by the refreshments table.
As was customary, the read-through began with Alan speaking a few words to welcome everyone and outline his vision for the show and the themes that he wanted to draw out in the story. Sive felt a shiver of excitement as the reading began, and she exchanged a smile with Sam seated across from her.
Half an hour later she was thoroughly enjoying herself.
Everyone was on top form, making each other laugh and already getting into character.
Mimi was brilliant as ever as the Ghost of Christmas Present.
She was such a wonderful character actor and Sive felt incredibly proud of her clever, talented sister.
Sam seemed to have relaxed and was holding his own, already off-book and hitting exactly the right notes as young Scrooge.
She felt a little frisson when they read their scenes together and he spoke his lines directly to her, lifting his head from the script and making eye contact with her across the table.
The table read ended with everyone on a high, and there was a lot of lively chatter as they packed bags and pulled on jackets, the air of Christmas cheer and goodwill they’d created still with them.
Sive went to introduce herself to the Tiny Tims’ chaperones, who were chatting among themselves as they waited for their charges.
‘Pleasure to meet you,’ the oldest of the three said, putting away her knitting. ‘I’m Irene – James’s granny.’ She gestured towards the blond child across the room. A stocky woman with closely cropped grey hair, she had a brisk, energetic air about her.
‘I hope it wasn’t too dull for you, sitting through that.’
‘No, not at all! It was lovely. We thoroughly enjoyed it, didn’t we?’ She looked to the other two women, who nodded in agreement.
‘Though whether we’ll feel the same after the twentieth rehearsal is another matter.
I’m Maria, Alex’s mother.’ Maria exuded an air of sophistication and elegance, with obviously expensive clothes, perfectly manicured nails and subtly highlighted hair.
‘But it makes a nice change from the pantomime.’
‘So you must be with Jack,’ Sive said, addressing the last woman.
She nodded. ‘For my sins. I’m Ciara,’ she said as she shook Sive’s hand.
She had a pretty face, with dimples when she smiled and was dressed casually in jeans and a soft oversized jumper.
Jack was the most experienced of the child actors, already a seasoned performer and fledgling star, having played the Artful Dodger in a TV adaptation of Oliver Twist.
‘We’re all heading to the pub now, if you’d like to join us,’ Sive told them.
‘Oh, that would be lovely,’ Ciara said, smiling. ‘Do you want to go to the pub for your tea?’ she asked Jack as all three children joined them.
‘Yes!’ He grinned, widening his eyes dramatically. ‘Can I have chicken nuggets? And chips?’
Sive was surprised Jack still had a strong Cockney accent, even when not reciting his lines. It was totally different to Ciara’s soft south Dublin one.