Details for The Pantomime - Rehearsal |
Summary: | Lines and blocking are hashed out for 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune'. |
Date: | December 9th, 1939 |
Location: | Hogwarts - Auditorium |
Plot: | The Pantomime |
Related: | The Script |
Characters |
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((In the previous log: The Script, there is a rough script for those in the play, and in the audience to glean a bit of a play by play. It is the actual scripted part of the +Event. From the end of that script on STUFF(tm) happens which is very unscripted. Very very unscripted…this can include combat and other bad stuff so please make a note on the plot page if you're okay or not okay with: Drama, Combat(and the injuries/death that come with it), and such.))
((What the actors should do is before the 19th is get together and use the script to lay out some lines and dialogue and poses. This should be pasted within THIS Rehearsal Log. The Rehearsal log is for the most part so that poses can be emitted during the event from the log if an actor goes idle or can't make it to the actual event.))
Act 1, Scene 1, The Festival!
After everyone has settled down within the Auditorium the curtain slides open and a spotlight slowly brightens on the Narrator, Professor Beery who is dressed head to toe like some medieval sorcerer. He stands center far stage on a raised small hill where a fountain burbles behind him.
"Up high on a hill covered in an enchanted garden," Beery's voice is enchanted for the duration if the production and can be heard in every nook and cranny in the Great Hall, "…protected by strong magic and high secure walls, flowed the Fountain of Fair Fortune. Every year on the longest day, droves of people come from all over the land. Male and female, rich and poor, young and old, of magical means and without, they gather in the darkness before dawn, everyone hoping that they would gain entrance to the Garden. Because only a single unfortunate was given the chance to fight their way to the Fountain, bathe in its waters, and receive Fair Fortune forevermore."
The Narrator guides with gestures the audience who fill the Great Hall Tables to cheer and make merry and applaud to act like those gathered as the enchanted ceiling slowly goes through the colors of dawn and bit by bit illuminates the Great Hall and the stage.
<Pause for Audience Participation>
Madeline has been 'in character' as Asha as she came in and took a seat in the audience - bemoaning her ill health, coughing (into a handkerchief), and generally hamming it up. When it's actually her turn to head towards the stage, though, she has to fight the simultaneous urge to beam with glee and slump down into her seat. Neither are appropriate! Instead, she turns to the student sitting beside her and exclaims in a wavering voice, "I must go! I must go to the fountain, if I ever am to become well! Please," coughcough, "help me up!" With help, she staggers to her feet, swaying in place for a moment. Having purposefully sat several seats in, she struggles her way past the students between her and aisle, with the occasional cry as her 'weakened' state puts her off balance.
The gown and robe for Asha look as if they were once beautiful - but now are stained with puss. Bandages show from under the sleeves and at her throat, and sores have been replicated on her cheek and chin with charms and make-up. Her skin looks far paler than the active girl's usual healthy glow as she staggers towards the dais - occasionally falling into a student along her way. "Sorry- so sorry. I'm just," she breathes raspily, "unwell!" Can someone say over the top?
Josie jumps a little when attention turns to her. Dressed in threadbare robes that look to have seen many, many better days, she gets up and makes her way, staying out of arm's reach as much as she can, and jumping if anybody should reach for her on the way. When she gets to the stage she introduces herself, "My name is Altheda, and I'm very sorry I'm such a mess. Bandits robbed me, stole everything I had… even my wand!"
All throughout the meal, Melody had been sitting at the Hufflepuff table, eyes red as she sniffles quietly, frequently reading a worse-for-wear parchment that she clutches in one hand. It's garnered a curious question or two, and surely a few smirks from the few who know the part she is to play. She's wearing a gown for the pantomime, so it's obvious she's to be one of the players, but the skirt has been crumpled carelessly, her hair is equally messy and tangled, and the makeup she was wearing is running down her cheeks in dark streaks from her tears.
Her attention focuses on each of the other little witches in turn, and when Josie speaks her part, Melody waits a beat, then wails dramatically as she stands, fully crying now. She shakes the parchment at the boy sitting next to her and says loudly, "Amata, it's not you, it's me." Without waiting for a response she crumples the paper and moves toward the stage now as well. It's only a moment before the tattered paper is pulled open again so that a new line may be quoted from it's writings. "Amata, I just don't feel the same way toward you." A few steps and then, with the loudest, most grievous wail of all, "Amata… you're like… a… sister to me." By now she has reached 'Asha' and 'Altheda', looking to them for comfort and to comfort them each in return.
"Altheda! That's horrible!" Madeline exclaims, one hand going to cover her mouth in shock - before lapsing into another coughing fit. "I'm… I'm Asha, and I've been so terribly unwell," she laments, her voice still wheezing as best as she can fake. "Only the waters of the Fountain of Fair Fortune can restore my health!" She wraps an arm around poor, penniless 'Altheda,' - and lovelorn 'Amata' when she arrives as well. "You poor thing. Could there ever be three as unfortunate as we?!"
<Audience Participation & Maids Improv>
As the maids approach stage front-right, a spotlight shines on a nearby section of wall. The girls have yet to notice a knight upon a sickly, swaybacked horse…or rather, Felix Flitwick in painted papier mache armour, wearing a horse prop that hangs from suspenders over his shoulders. Spying the three maids, Felix "trots" toward them to the sound of someone backstage clapping coconut halves together. "Greetings! Fair…maidens!" He says loudly. "I am Sir Luckless. I am a knight!" He turns to the audience, pointing excitedly to his breastplate. "Are you in need of a knight? I am a knight!" As he struts about on his horse, his spur manages to catch Melody's long skirt, tangling it worse and worse the more he shows off his knightliness.
But before the maids can answer, a spotlight shines on a large crack within the wall and little bits of dust start to tumble from the crack until suddenly it bursts open as thick black vines lunge out of the hole. The tips of the vines whip about like snakes scenting the air and then with a little concealed gesture of his wand from the Narrator and Herbology professor the vines flail out and twist themselves around Asha (Madeline). Coiling up her legs to just above her knees the vines have her and as soon as their grip is solid they zip back towards the hole in the wall to drag the maid and anything she's attached to through.
As the vines shoot forth and wrap around Madeline, she lets out a weak and startled cry, not even attempting to resist their pull in her 'weakened' state - but she had been leaning against 'Altheda' for support. She latches on tightly, while calling out, "Altheda! Oh, help me! I'm not stroooong enough to resist them!"
'Altheda' gives a yelp as Asha grabs her, but sets her heels and pulls, doing her best to help. "I've got yo… oh!" Unfortunately, a ripped piece of her tattered robes was under her foot, and her attempt to hold back is turned into a comical slide. Scrambling, she reaches out with her free hand to the closest thing she can reach: Amata's arm!
With her attention returned once more to the letter she's mashed up and straightened more times than can be counted, 'Amata' is in tears again and not paying attention to the cries of the others. Until she's grabbed as well, and lets out her own cry of surprise. "Altheda, you're pulling my arm out of the socket!" She tries at first to pull herself free, but when she realizes that the vines are ultimately dragging them all, her struggle turns to an attempt to keep them all from being pulled away. Melody struggles valiantly, to little avail, and in the process her long skirt manages to get entangled on Luckless' armor.
With his leg hopelessly tangled up in Melody's skirt, Felix (who has barely noticed the girls' peril as he flashes smiles to the audience) is caught off-guard by the sudden tug on his foot. With a squeal of surprise, Felix topples face-first to the stage, well and truly mashing the head of his "horse" underneath him. As he is dragged toward the hole in the wall, he protest, "Just a min-…ah! Gotta get…outta my horse…" After some considerably flailing, he somehow frees himself of the suspenders connected to the horse, leaving his steed behind as he vanishes into the aperture.
The spotlight brightens on the Narrator once more and he lifts his hand calling for another uproar from the crowd. "The furious screams of the disappointed throng thundered and darkened the first rays of morning. But then they fell silent…" Another gesture is made like and conductor silencing his musicians comes from the Narrator. "… as the garden walls sealed once more."
<Audience Participation. Everyone is upset and roaring with disappointment and anger that they weren't the ones that were selected! Then fall silent.>
As the creepers slink back within the wall and the bricks re-seal the Maids and the knight come from behind the mended wall and begin to walk along the front of the stage. Asha and Altheda are angry with Amata, whom accidentally brought along the knight, ruining their previous laid plans of the three of them working together to get to the fountain.
"Wh- why is he along with us?" 'Asha' asks in a weak, quavering voice, still leaning against Altheda for support. "He can't bathe in the fountain - I… I need to, or I'll never-" She cuts off, Madeline reaching up to mop at her eyes as if she's started to cry. "It's my only hope!"
'Altheda' puts an arm around Asha, and says, "Please don't cry, it'll be alright." Then she turns to Amata and asks, sharply, "Why did you bring him? This'll ruin everything!"
"It's not like I did it on purpose!" Melody protests petulantly to the other two maidens, holding the skirt of her dress up. "And he ripped my favorite dress with that clanky armor of his!" Thankfully, this doesn't bring a return of her tears, but she looks on the verge. "How can you be angry with me? It's his fault, not mine!" Facing the wrath of two of her companions, 'Amata' tries to deflect their chastisement to what she feels is the 'proper' target. "I don't want a man anywhere near me, they're vile, selfish creatures!"
<[Comic relief!] Luckless talks to the audience while the Maids are arguing.>
Felix pulls himself his feet. Cue the sound of clanking pots and pans backstage to stand in for his armour. He flashes the maids a bright smile. "I'm a knight!" He insists again as the visor of his helmet flops down into his face. He pushes it up, only for a pauldron to fall right off of his shoulder. As he picks it up to reattach it, he mutters, "I'm…uh… Sir Luckless. I'm a knight and I-…" With a wide sweeping motion of his arm, he nearly clips Madeline's head, and gives her an apologetic wince. At the disapproving words and stares of the maids, Felix's shoulders slump. "It's true. I'm no good as a knight. I don't know how to use a sword. I can't…uh…joust. I don't even have magic, because I am a Muggle. A Muggle knight…but not a very good knight." Felix stands stock still for several uncomfortable beats, then suddenly says, "I'll just climb over the wall and go away." Stiff-backed, Felix walks toward the wall.
Seeing the knight trying to take his leave of them, 'Amata' turns on him with a startlingly mighty, "Don't you dare take another step!" Immediately, hearing her own tone, her face softens as does her demeanor. Her voice is much more gentle when she addresses Luckless again. "I'm… sorry. This isn't your fault, either. We are in this well and truly now, and we must make the best of it and help each other." Melody holds a hand out toward Felix, beckoning him back. "Please… come with us."
Looking ashamed, 'Altheda' shakes her head and says to the knight, "Wait. I'm sorry, you need the fountain as much as the rest of us do." She steps over to take Felix's hand and says, "Yes, come with us, please."
Madeline attempts to stay in character - but being forced to duck Felix's wild swing prompts a quiet giggle, and and understanding grin. She quickly puts on a more serious expression, however. "Well, I suppose," 'Asha' pauses to cough, "it's not really his fault. We might… might as well go on together. We might need each other." She continues to cling to her support pillar - as if she wouldn't be able to stand without the help. "Together… we'll make it through."
The lights fade and the curtain slides shut.
<Pause for Audience Reaction while the scene shifts.>
Act 1, Scene 2, The Worm!
The lights brighten once again as the curtain glides open to reveal the hill has moved to center stage and is much higher up so that the fountain can hardly be seen in the shadows of the rigging above the stage. The spotlight focuses on the Narrator who is now sitting on top of the wall to the right of the stage. A tendril of the creeper vine affectionately rubbing itself against the professor of Herbology like it was a pet kitten. "So it was that when the forlorn band made its way through an enchanted garden they came upon the base of a lush hill. Curled up around the base of the hill there was something waiting for them. But onward they went…" Beery sings the word, ~"Together!"~
The spotlight fades from the Narrator and slides over to the actors.
<Maids & Luckless Filler>
When it comes time for the actors to meet the worm Beery claps his hands with an ear to ear grin. "Simply perfection my darlings. Perfection! Professor Kettleburn is unable to give us our Worm until the day of the performance. So we will call that a wrap for today. Practice. Practice. Practice!" He kisses his hands and then tosses them in the air towards the student and then waves as he heads off the stage to go attend to other duties.