Longsong Fortress, theater performance hall.
With the continuous whistling and applause of the audience, the curtain slowly fell. May wiped the sweat from her forehead, looked at Irene who was looking with excitement and anticipation, and nodded twice.
This affirmation made Irene cheer, and as soon as the curtain fell, she couldn't help but pounced forward and hugged May.
"Hahaha, can I really act well!"
So annoying, May rolled her eyes and pushed her away, "It's still some progress, and I can take the stage independently."
"Miss May, what about... me?" Roxia, another witch actor, asked cautiously.
"You're still a long way off," she said without hesitation, "stiff expressions, slow movements, no emotion in the lines, two mistakes in the second act, one in the fourth, which is typical Didn't memorize the script."
"Haha, Miss May is really strict," Gate said, rubbing the back of his head, "but the audience's response seems to be very good, listen, the applause has not subsided yet."
"Most of these people are civilians who have never been to the theater. Theater is a new thing for them," May said bluntly. "If it is a normal performance, those mistakes are enough to make the nobles boo." She paused. Dun, "If you want to go on the path of being an actor, don't be satisfied with temporary success. Only by constantly improving yourself can you gain a firm foothold on the stage."
"Yes, thank you for your guidance!" Everyone bowed their heads in unison.
May sighed and came again, clearly not being a drama tutor for this group of people at all. But she didn't bother to care about such trivial matters, "Okay, keep working hard. "The Witch's Diary" has been scheduled until September, and we still have several rounds to play. This is a rare opportunity, don't miss it."
"Yes!"
May received a notice from the Ministry of Education a month ago that all the crew members would go to the Longsong Fortress to perform. The so-called all the members are the few miscellaneous actors who followed her to the border, plus Irene Hilt.
Perhaps His Royal Highness and the agent Peiro reached an agreement, and the theater specially cleared a series of gaps for the crew to perform the "Witch's Diary" trilogy. As a result, these unfamiliar actors with unfamiliar acting skills and not even newcomers stepped onto the big stage of the Fortress Theater in such a grand manner. In normal times, even if they appear as supporting roles, it is unlikely that they will be selected, but now they appear on the stage as important roles, and they also perform hand in hand with themselves as the star of the West, which makes people sigh about fate. Impermanence.
Backstage, May couldn't help frowning.
I saw a group of people in the lounge making a fuss and seeming to be arguing over something. Seeing Mei and his group appear, more than a dozen people surrounded them under the leadership of a woman.
These people were all actors in the theater, and the leading woman, Mey, also knew her. Her name was Bella Dean. She was a little-known actor who belonged to a different crew than herself. Some nobles once thought that she was the biggest competitor of the Western Star, but in fact, whether it was acting or fame, she had always firmly overpowered the other party.
"Guess what I saw?" Bella walked around May and walked to Erin step by step, "A group of crappy actors who sneaked back from a small country place."
"What did you say?" Irene asked with a puzzled face, while Gate, Roxia and the others looked stiff and couldn't help but take two steps back.
"Pfft," Bella covered her mouth and said, "Look, she still doesn't know her identity." These words caused a burst of laughter from everyone, "Then let me just say it, a big city like Changge Fortress is not at all. The place where you should be, and the stronghold theater also doesn't welcome such low-level vulgar performances. What a witch's diary, it's just the struggle and wailing of a few bereaved dogs. Who would be interested in watching this kind of unappetizing drama? You'd better hurry up It's better to go back to Border Town."
"You" Irene blushed suddenly, "What is a third-rate performance, didn't you hear the applause from the audience?"
"Huh, audience?" Bella sneered disdainfully. "You call those who deal with mud, hoes, and furnaces spectators? Don't laugh at my big teeth! Just grab a few monkeys and go for a walk, and they will too. Would you like to cheer loudly! If it wasn't for free tickets, they would have spare money to watch you perform?"
"I..." Irene opened her mouth, but didn't know how to refute it.
"In order to arrange your performances three times a week, the revenue of the theater has dropped by several ten percent. Even we have been affected. As long as we are in line with your plays, the nobles will not come to watch at all!" Bella raised her voice, " Who would want to sit on a chair full of mud and oil? I wouldn't want to step into a messy theater after a bunch of hillbillies."
The other party is obviously here to find fault, May thought, the sudden insertion of the small town crew did squeeze out many people's opportunities to appear, but Bella Dean was not affected too much. According to information from some acquaintances, after he left Changsong Fortress, the theater intentionally made her a new star of the West, and naturally it was impossible to cancel the drama starring her.
Then Bella's actions, the purpose is obvious. She seemed to be scolding Irene and the others, but she was actually targeting herself. If these people backed down, she wouldn't be able to play The Witch Diary by herself, so she could only return to Border Town in despair. In this way, she is equivalent to defeating herself in the head-to-head confrontation, and by the way, she restores the opportunity for other actors to appear, and her prestige will inevitably rise, thus establishing the status of a new generation of Western Stars.
But she never let herself be a stepping stone for others.
"Are you serious about the decline in theater revenue?" May turned around and said casually, "Because the theater cannot make ends meet due to the elimination of tickets, why do you come to such a naive conclusion. The theater operator has undoubtedly been with His Royal Highness, Prince Lord Luo has reached an agreement, and the missing expenses will naturally be made up by the Border Town City Hall. This is a business contract, not a family game. You should really use your brain instead of yelling here based on your imagination. "
"You... what are you talking about!"
"Besides, it's just you low-performing rogue actors who have lost their income," she smiled slightly, "I once performed at the Abellon Theater in the capital, which was an open-air theater, and it happened that the day of the performance was detailed. Rain, but the nobles are still full of seats. So you say they don't want to come to watch the show because of the common people? No, they just don't like to make a special trip to enjoy the performance of a group of monkeys."
"..." The scene fell into a strange silence. Not only did no one come forward to accuse her, but there was no one to defend.
"Finally, you said that "The Witch's Diary" is vulgar and vulgar, and it is the struggle and wailing of a bereaved dog?" May raised the corner of her mouth, but her voice was extremely cold, "I may have forgotten to tell you that the script of this story was written by His Royal Highness the Prince. Yes, do you want to say that His Highness's thoughts are inferior and vulgar? Insulting the royal family and nobles, but you will be sentenced to be sentenced to beheaded, are you still going to insist on your opinion?" She looked at the crowd behind Bella, "Or among you Anyone want to try?"
Under her gaze, more than a dozen actors stepped back one after another.
"Enough!" Bella gritted her teeth, "Since you went to Border Town, you shouldn't come back! Do you think I don't know, May! The reason why you went to that bad place was not to see Irene. Stupid, but for the dawn"
"Snapped!"
Her voice stopped abruptly, a bright red palm print appeared on her left cheek, Bella touched her face in disbelief, "You, you dare to hit, hit..."
Phew, still impulsive after all, May took a deep breath. As a result, you may run into some trouble.
Sure enough, the two actors behind Bella came out, "Miss May, you are going too far."
"You don't know the importance of appearance to an actor. I think you have to apologize to her at least."
Apologize? Doesn't that prove you were wrong? May sneered in her heart, impulsive, but she didn't think she had anything to apologize for.
She looked at the two oil-headed men with a gloomy face, and couldn't help thinking of what Carter Lannis had said.
Regardless of the strength of men, they also have many weaknesses. Attacks on the eyes and throat will make them instantly lose their resistance, of course... and between the legs. As long as you are agile and decisive, it is not impossible to knock down men who are much stronger than you.
Although she didn't quite know how she chatted with him about this, she was ready to make a move, just waiting for the two to get closer...
At this moment, the door of the lounge was rudely pushed open, and a knight in armor walked in, followed by several warriors with spears. Ready for the crowd.
"I heard that someone here slandered His Royal Highness Roland, and they still want to plot against His Highness's crew?"
May was stunned, she blinked, thinking that what she saw was an illusion. However, nothing changed. She also saw the other party's secret smile on her face. The knight in front of her was Carter Lannis. (., Your support is my biggest motivation.)