1845 hours, Stardust Theatre. Convent Garden.


The audience section, which rose from the centre stage like an indoor imitation of classical Greek theatre, was largely empty. A handful of guardians occupied seats here and there - most of them napping or distracted from the commotion onstage. It was the night before Christmas Eve and therefore the night before the youth troupe[1] would be performing A Christmas Carol to a full house for three days running.

Virgil Carstairs had the beginning of a cold[2] and stood stage-right, with a large red scarf wrapped around his neck and the lower half of his face. He was addressing the actors, who were scattered across the stage. They had just finished rehearsing acts separately and were preparing for a full run rehearsal.

Stardust's production of a Christmas Carol had made some unusual choices but he thought it was going to go well, with haunting carols sung between each act.

"Okay," came his projected voice, tainted by a hoarse undercurrent. "I'll give you lot an hour to go over your lines again. I don't want to see any cheat sheets. If you forget something, don't worry. Someone on crew will hiss it from backstage."

An effete gesture towards a group of student and professional crew members, gathered in the wings. "If you have questions just come up to me," Virgil lowered himself on to a stool as he folded his legs up, pulling the sleeves of his thick sweater over his fingers. "And, for Merlin's sake, try not to fall offstage this time, Spectre."

1.	19th Nov - The Ghost of an Idea
2.	Magical Measles! Won't fully manifest until 26th.

Frank had his older brother's top hat, the perfect accoutrements to get into character. It had been floating out their room for ages and Frank was sure Figaro wouldn't miss it. Good luck, too, because Frank had brought it to every rehearsal and it was an object of much coveting back stage. But it was perfect for merry Fred who made the most of his modest station.

As soon as they were released by the director, one of Figaro's friends called Virgil - a very artistic fanciful fellow who had the best shoes, Frank began his first scene.

"A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!" Frank burst through an imaginary door.

"Bah! Humbug!" he said in a gruff voice, filling in for Virgil who was going to play Scrooge. Then Frank answered himself.

"Christmas a humbug, uncle! You don’t mean that, surely?”

Frank went back and forth this way, moving rapidly through his lines, changing voices. He strolled around the corner of the stage that would be the old lending house later on, doing his best to be merry and tolerant and all the things Fred was. He rushed through the iconic scene, ignoring other actors on the stage but came to a crescendo.

"... I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”

Frank had been among the more nervous players at the start of rehearsals but there was something about the hat and the lines and all the rules that made it easy to be silly and loud. Memorizing lines was easier than what he had to memorize for school, and actually more interesting.

Nemo arrived late but prepared. She took a seat in the third row far to stage right and put up her feet. The seventeen-year-old musician had found a too-big brickred sweatshirt frayed in fashionable places. It had on it a faded dragon in honor of the coming new year.  She pulled a lute from its case, courtesy of Starlight theatre's incredible instrument cache. It was like Wonka's chocolate factor, filled of every wonder and more than a few lutes to choose from.

She'd been practicing the period appropriate carols the last few weeks and composing some background accompaniment. She really couldn't wait. The kids were all so cute. As the kids went through a last-chance run-through of their lines, Nemo did the same plucking out the Coventry Carol. What Christmas play was complete without a song mourning the deaths of thousands of children by the wrathful King Herod? None, that's how many.

"You tell 'em!" she called out in response to Frank's fervent attestation.

Zeta Pepper was in the wings ostensibly running her lines. Both her scenes with with Virgil and he was supervising so she was laughing it up with a friend[1] in the wings. She knew her lines already so practicing seemed a little redundant; Zeta figured it was mostly for the younger kids.

"No! I'm a large absent-minded spirit," she boomed in her lowest voice and made a suggestive gesture. She doubled over in snorting laughter.

Rehearsals had been a highlight of her vacation, as had tagging along with Theta and her friends whenever she could. Everyone was very proud of Eta for landing a big role in the play, and proud of Zeta for landing a big role.

1.

Anyone!