The Silent Appeal #7
Subject: Re: Hello
Dear Joshua,
I work in Human Resources for Sainsbury’s, but my passion is community care. I run counseling sessions on a voluntary basis with former prisoners and recovering addicts—there’s a significant crossover, of course. It’s hard not to be affected by some of the stories.
I’m not sure if I attract people looking for a crutch, or whether I subconsciously seek them out.
Either way, there’s an imbalance and I find myself craving the company of someone who doesn’t look up to me, or expect me to give advice or help.
We don’t have all the answers, do we? I love what I do—even my work in HR is rewarding—but it seems most of my friends are needy in one way or another.
I end up taking on the role of mentor or guide, but who guides me?
At the end of the day there’s no one for me to talk to.
Pathway South is a small charity and they can’t provide much support for counselors. If you ever fancy meeting up for a chat, just let me know. My number is below.
God bless, Fran
Message exchange between Marianne Payne and Kevin MacDonald on January 7, 2025:
2:17 p.m. Marianne wrote:
Between you and me, Karen’s very disappointed. Her part is so small it’s barely worth doing.
2:18 p.m. Kevin wrote:
There are no small parts, only small actors. Not my words. Stanislavski.
2:22 p.m. Marianne wrote:
Karen is five-foot-six, and I don’t see what a dead composer has to say about it.
2:29 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Stanislavski taught method acting and was a great influence on Sir John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier. He knew his onions.
2:31 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Look, Doris the maid may have very few words, but those words are crucial to the story and the arcs of other characters.
2:33 p.m. Marianne wrote:
Also, between you and me, Denise is quite annoyed to be sidelined again. She misses out every time. Is there really no part for her?
2:40 p.m. Kevin wrote:
What can I say? When Agatha Christie wrote The Hollow, she didn’t write a part for Denise. I’m simply casting the best actors for each role.
2:43 p.m. Marianne wrote:
Carol will be gutted too. She really wanted to play Lady Angkatell. Of course, she’s your mother-in-law so she’ll probably mention it.
2:43 p.m. Kevin wrote:
She probably will.
Message exchange between Kevin MacDonald and Carol Dearing on January 7, 2025:
2:49 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Everything ok?
2:49 p.m. Carol wrote:
Why wouldn’t it be?
2:50 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Thanks for reading last night. Tricky decisions had to be made.
2:50 p.m. Carol wrote:
I don’t doubt.
2:50 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Sorry you didn’t get a part.
2:51 p.m. Carol wrote:
Fine. Not a problem.
2:51 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Great! Well, thanks for being nice about it. Quite the relief.
2:52 p.m. Carol wrote:
I’m always nice, Kevin. You should know this by now.
2:53 p.m. Kevin wrote:
And I tell everyone I have the BEST mother-in-law anyone could ever hope for.
2:55 p.m. Carol wrote:
I’m only sorry you won’t see me in the Mendham Players production of The Count of Monte Cristo. Their production week is exactly the same as The Hollow and I’m playing Madame Danglars.
2:56 p.m. Kevin wrote:
WHAT? When did you audition for that?
3:09 p.m. Carol wrote:
Yesterday afternoon. I knew that you, permanently under the thumb of my lovely daughter, would never dare cast me in The Hollow (despite the fact I’m perfect for the role of Lady Angkatell).
So, I took myself off to Mendham, and not only were they looking for an actor of exactly my age and stature, I bumped into lovely little Dustin.
He’s playing Edmond Dantes. I can give him a lift to Mendhams every week.
3:10 p.m. Kevin wrote:
But you won’t be able to babysit for ANY of our rehearsals OR play week!
3:10 p.m. Carol wrote:
Correct.
Message exchange between Kevin and Sarah-Jane MacDonald on January 7, 2025:
3:11 p.m. Kevin wrote:
You won’t believe what I just found out. This is devastating.
3:11 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
Has she told you? When?
3:11 p.m. Kevin wrote:
You know??
3:12 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
Of course. I was the first—and I thought only—one she told.
3:12 p.m. Kevin wrote:
What can we do?
3:12 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
Nothing. It’s her business.
3:13 p.m. Kevin wrote:
But with no one to babysit Sammy we’ll have to bring her to rehearsals. We can’t have that demonic child in the hall for rehearsals or play week.
3:13 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
What are you talking about?
3:14 p.m. Kevin wrote:
YOUR MOTHER AUDITIONING FOR MADAME DANGLARS BEHIND OUR BACKS!
3:15 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
Mum’s got a part with Mendhams? NO WAY. Their schedule is exactly the same as ours.
Message exchange between Sarah-Jane MacDonald and Carol Dearing on January 7, 2025:
3:21 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
Congratulations.
3:22 p.m. Carol wrote:
Thank you.
Message exchange between Carol Dearing and Denise Malcolm on January 7, 2025:
3:26 p.m. Carol wrote:
Sarah-Jane is absolutely fuming. We’ve just had a heated exchange of texts. She’s never been so angry in her life.
3:28 p.m. Denise wrote:
Oh no, Carol. Will she calm down?
3:33 p.m. Carol wrote:
Who cares! They were taking me for granted and deliberately refused to cast me so I’d do free babysitting. There’s nothing like downing one’s tools for others to appreciate what you do for them. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were right!
3:39 p.m. Denise wrote:
Auditioning for another group, though. That’s more than withdrawing your labor. It’s like going to work for a rival firm and taking the database with you.
3:41 p.m. Carol wrote:
If there are any parts at Mendhams, I can put a word in for you?
3:44 p.m. Denise wrote:
Oh no, I’m loyal to Fairways, Carol, thank you. I’m sad not to have a part, but that’ll pass. I still want to do props and costumes.
Message exchange between Denise Malcolm and Kevin MacDonald on January 7, 2025:
3:58 p.m. Denise wrote:
Hi Kevin.
4:00 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Not you too! First Marianne is affronted on Karen’s behalf, then Carol flounced off, now the best props and costume lady in the whole of Lockwood (and its surrounding area) is about to hand me her resignation.
4:04 p.m. Denise wrote:
You don’t get rid of me that easily. I’ve got a gun at the top of my props list and want to run an idea past you.
4:04 p.m. Kevin wrote:
In that case, fire away. Boom boom!
4:07 p.m. Denise wrote:
I’ve been reading about The Hollow online and it’s quite unusual because the victim is shot dead onstage, right in front of the audience.
4:08 p.m. Kevin wrote:
One of the reasons I chose it.
4:11 p.m. Denise wrote:
It means we need a gun for the mystery gloved hand to point and fire. Most groups use a stage gun and create the “bang” backstage using two pieces of wood.
4:12 p.m. Kevin wrote:
That’s what we did in All My Sons.
4:15 p.m. Denise wrote:
In All My Sons the gun is fired offstage, for The Hollow we need that bang to be right where the gun is, or else it’ll look and sound completely fake.
4:16 p.m. Kevin wrote:
We can’t have a real gun onstage.
4:22 p.m. Denise wrote:
No, but we can get a starter pistol. They fire blanks with a very loud and realistic bang. I know a guy who’s on the committee for the Lockwood Marathon and they have a starter pistol we can use.
4:25 p.m. Kevin wrote:
A functioning firearm that has to be pointed at an actor and the trigger pulled. What could possibly go wrong?
4:30 p.m. Denise wrote:
Oh, Kevin! That’s not what I mean at all. The gloved hand holds a stage gun pointed at the actor to be shot. Behind the scenery, in the other hand, the “murderer” holds the starter pistol, aimed at the floor. They pull both triggers at once. Bang!
4:33 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Hmmm. That does sound good, Denise. And thank you for not being arsey about parts. If any actors drop out, you’ll be the first I ask to step in.
Messages posted to Fran’s Hollow Play WhatsApp group on January 10, 2025:
9:19 a.m. Fran wrote:
Great word-rehearsal last night. We’re getting the hang of the language. It feels strange at first, but that’s the way people talked back then.
9:59 a.m. Lucas wrote:
Prefer to just wing it than learn lines tbh
10:04 a.m. Fran wrote:
That’s “improvisation,” Lucas, but when you have a scripted play the other actors will learn their lines and they need the right cues. But don’t worry, we’ll all learn our lines together.
10:38 a.m. Amelia wrote:
Thanks, Fran. The more I read it the bigger my part seems to get.
10:40 a.m. Fran wrote:
I use several techniques to remember lines. We can try them all. It’s a daunting time, but we’ve got the first rehearsal Monday night and it’s going to be awesome.
11:42 a.m. Georgia wrote:
It says I look like a cow.
11:43 a.m. Fran wrote:
That’s just another character’s opinion. People were judgy back then.
11:43 a.m. Georgia wrote:
Even the stage directions say she’s thick and stupid.
11:44 a.m. Amelia wrote:
They mean the character, not YOU.
11:44 a.m. Georgia wrote:
You be Gerda, then. I’ll be Henrietta.
11:44 a.m. Amelia wrote:
No thanks.
11:46 a.m. Fran wrote:
You can’t swap parts. You’ll see at rehearsal on Monday: it’s much more fun to be an interesting, flawed character than a boring old hero.
Message exchange between Kevin and Sarah-Jane MacDonald on January 10, 2025:
12:09 p.m. Kevin wrote:
I sent the email on Tuesday. It’s now Friday. Every member of the cast has thanked me (or hammered me for NOT casting them) except two. Your starter for ten is: Which two cast members have not even acknowledged their roles?
12:10 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:
Celia and Joel.
12:10 p.m. Kevin wrote:
Correct! Even Nick and Barry texted “cheers mate.”
12:11 p.m. Kevin wrote:
And this is the Celia who usually replies to emails within minutes, listing her complaints and corrections. The very time I need her to respond, tumbleweed.
12:13 p.m. Kevin wrote:
She makes ME contact HER to ask if they accept the roles. It’s like the poker game in Goodfellas.
12:16 p.m. Kevin wrote: