Part   Thirteen   "The Show Must Go On"

 
Friday 2nd December 2016 (Continued)
 

"Is that Tom Lake, at the back of the High School group?"

"Yes Fleur, can you get Steven?"

"No, Tammy, I'll deal with Tom, you get the boss, just in case."

Tammy made a quick exit, she wasn't certain she had been seen but didn't hear anything in her wake. Of course several of the audience wanted to say something to her as she went past and she had to politely say she was a little busy.

Steven was chatting to the cast.

"Sir, Steven, we may have an unwelcome guest in the foyer, he's tagging onto a group from Thurso High School."

"I take it that it's the one who was intent on ruining the show?"

"Yes, Fleur is monitoring, she thought it was better that she handled it."

"Indeed, Tammy, Fleur and myself are Theatre management and your responsibility lies with the play."

The former private school headteacher walked off.

"It's Tom isn't it?" Lucy was trembling. "He said he's ruin the show."

"When did he say that?"

"He sent me a text."

"Lucy, I thought you had blocked his number?"

"I did, this came from another number."

"Why didn't you let me know?"

"Uncle Iain said not to worry you, you had enough to deal with."

"Okay, I'm sure Fleur and Steven can sort it out."

Tammy checked with the lighting technician, all she'd managed to do the previous evening was to wave at him.

"Any problems?"

"No, not yet, I don't think we've had a fault since the theatre was refurbished last year."

"Good, and thanks for doing this."

"I enjoy it, it's a whole lot better than being on the stage!"

"I know what you mean, but at times I regret not being up there!"

Tammy could hear some shouting coming from the foyer but decided to let the others deal with it, it wasn't long before Fleur and Steven came looking for her.

"We've ejected him, I don't know what he had planned but his language was foul, fortunately Fleur had kept the primary school groups outside, on their buses."

"Was anyone else involved?"

Fleur answered, "I think I saw another lad was hanging around outside but I didn't get a close look."

"It might have been Lucas?"

"Perhaps we can check the CCTV later, We might need the footage from the foyer, but it's worth checking the carpark cameras as well."

"Thanks both of you, perhaps we can get on with the show?"

"Indeed, break a leg!"

Steven and Fleur started back towards the foyer. Tammy could see that the audience were still coming in and clearly the incident was a talking point amongst many of the children, and their supervising adults. Just then she spotted the B Cast coming into the auditorium, but Fleur had managed to intercept them - saving Tammy the trouble. Clearly Fleur had thought the same idea; use the off-duty cast as extra marshals.

Tammy was still close to Steven so updated him, although she had a spark of inspiration at the same time and offered it to the retired headteacher.

"I like that, leave it with me."

Her next port of call was the Green Room, all five of the cast were now ready and clearly first night nerves were going to be a problem.

"Will Tom try to get in again?"

Tammy would have liked the luxury of glossing over the possible outcomes, but that wasn't possible.

"Hopefully not, Fleur and Dr McIntosh dealt with him and there's extra security in the foyer."

"What about the stage door?"

"It's shut but it's a fire door so it can be opened in an emergency."

"So he couldn't get in that way?"

"No Lucy, he can't. Now, do any of you have any questions?"

"When are we on next?"

"Sorry James, didn't I tell you?"

"You might have done, but I could have been distracted at the time!"

Tammy blushed, unable to do much else, Lucy answered for her. "We get the matinee show tomorrow, and that's it. The other cast do the two evening shows."

The five minute bell sounded.

"There will be a slight delay before we raise the curtain, so you have a few minutes extra. Get to your places on time though, I'll be out front."

She walked across the stage and down the steps at the side, where Steven McIntosh was now stood.

"I have gathered three Headteachers and two Deputy Heads."

"Thank you Steven, and thank you everyone for agreeing to this extra curricular task."

That generated a smile, and even a smirk. Meanwhile, more of the audience noticed their school's senior management was now gathered by the stage, generating a wash of whispers. A minute later the house lights dimmed and Tammy walked, alone, onto the stage under a single spot. She hoped the lighting tech would realise what she had planned.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and welcome to the Mill Theatre. Could I first ask everyone to turn their phones off or at least mute them. Teachers, if you don't know how to do that, ask your class."

Naturally all the eleven and twelve year olds thought that was hilarious, but whilst they giggled or chortled, all of the Heads walked onto the stage. Suddenly the theatre was silent again. Tammy handed the microphone to Steven.

"Hello, for those who don't know me I was the Headmaster at St Andrews School, but I'm sure you recognise your own Headteacher or Deputy Head here. The reason we are all on this stage is because one person has been trying to ruin this show and we don't know if anyone in here was going to help him. Our advice is simple, don't. None of us like bullies and we want you all to know that we will find and deal with all bullies."

A few of the other senior staff on the stage said similar words then they all walked back to their seats, Steven handed the microphone back to Tammy.

A mobile phone rang, the entire audience turned to look.

"Err, sorry, I forgot I was carrying two."

Tammy saw, and recognised, the guilty party; she thought about saying something in response, but this was a drama and not a farce.

"Without any further ado, we present Deathtrap!"

Tammy wondered if the plot was a little too dark for the eleven year olds, but the theatre board had cleared it and hadn't asked for any changes or cuts to the script.

By the end of the first Act, Tammy's mouth was dry so she went in search of some water, Iain Davison caught up with her, "I'd just like to speak with Lucy Oh, apologies for my phone - I was still technically at work."

Tammy grabbed a bottle and went in search of Joanne, she was touching up one of the boys' warpaint.

"Done! Don't rub your cheek!"

"How's it going, Jo??"

"Fine, Tammy, this isn't hard work but I am losing pay by being here!"

"An hour a day?"

"Yeah!" She laughed, "but I do like the atmosphere in the theatre, and nobody questions my choice of colours!"

"I'll remember that next time you do my make-up."

"Here, how did that lad try to get in?"

"He was tagging onto a secondary school group, from Thurso Highschool, perhaps he was hoping we'd think he was a teaching assistant?"

"Not with 007 Tammy on the case?"

"Anyway, Fleur handled it."

"What was it with the suits on the stage?"

"Not sure if Tom has an accomplice, although we have no idea what he's planning. We wanted to make sure the kids all had guilt complexes if they thought about helping."

"Yeah, maybe, thing is teachers are the biggest bullies in most schools."

"That's a big generalisation, Jo."

"Okay, maybe a few teachers, but I still reckon the bad ones are in the majority of schools."

"Even St Andrews had a couple of rotten ones."

"All dealt with now?"

"I'd assume."

The bell sounded, Tammy made a quick dash to the nearest loo.

A few minutes later she found Iain in the Green Room, with the cast. "It's time, Iain."

"I'll stay here, it was a little uncomfortable around those teenagers at the back."

Tammy regained her seat next to Steven. "Any problems?"

"Two attempted thefts of chocolate, it seems one of the pair was told it was an initiation task by an older boy."

"Oh dear, what's been done?"

"Left in the hands of the relevant teachers."

The lights dimmed and a few seconds later the curtain was raised for the second Act.

About twenty minutes into the second Act, Tammy could hear tapping. It wasn't loud but the theatre was very quiet. When one of the actors was distracted by the noise, she decided to investigate.

Backstage she could hear a grunt and found Iain holding an older teenager. "Let me go!"

"Okay, what were you doing back here?"

"I wanted the toilet."

"So you went past the No Entry signs."

"I didn't see no signs, it was dark."

The knocking, which had paused, now continued, the lad became agitated.

"Tell us your name."

"No!"

By now, Steven and Fleur had also arrived, Fleur recognised which group he'd arrived with so quickly took his photo with her phone. "We'll identify you later, let's go."

As they went back into the auditorium, the knocking became a little more frantic.

"Shall we see who's there?" Asked Steven.

The door was eased open, and the two lads were very surprised , although they recovered quickly enough to leave in haste. The door was firmly, but quietly, shut; Steven decided to go to the lobby, just in case.

"I recognised Tom Lake, so you know who the other one was, Tammy?"

"Yes Iain, he's Lucas Younger, he's on the same course as me."

"I see. I reckon Mr Lake will be back in front of the Sheriff shortly, I'll join Steven out the front to phone it in. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, so far I haven't caught Lucas actually doing anything."

"Bear that in mind if you decide to make accusations!"

"I'm planning on keeping my head below the parapet."

"Good idea, I must go!"

Tammy walked back into the Green Room and listened to the play's final ten minutes from there. She moved to the side of the stage as the final scene unfolded and the curtain dropped.

"Well done everyone, quickly .....!"

When the curtain came back up all five actors, plus Tammy, were on the stage. There was applause from the adults and eventually most of the children joined in. Tammy signalled and the curtain dropped again. As soon as the house lights came on there was movement in the theatre, and various teachers were shouting as their flocks to stay still. Tammy decided that backstage was a much safer place.

"What happened?"

"We found Tom outside with another lad, he had an accomplice who was going to open the stage door."

"I asked about the door!"

"Yes, Lucy, but we have to be able to open it from the inside and Tom knew this."

"So, did they get him?"

"They ran away, your uncle's dealing with it and will no doubt run you home."

Tammy sent them to the dressing rooms to clean their faces and change, Steven and Fleur joined her in the Green Room.

"An eventful afternoon, Tammy?"

"Yes, Steven, and I'm back here tonight - remember?"

"We all are. By the way, I sent the other cast home at the end of the interval."

"Okay, it gives them an hour extra to relax!"

"Now, Tammy, we have a problem."

"Another one?"

"Yes, the theatre's website has had a glitch, apparently we have sold out for a matinee performance on Sunday."

"But we're not playing on Sunday?"

"You are now."

"Great. I'll let the cast know, it'll be this lot!"

"Did you read the reviews?"

"No chance, I've been busy and I haven't even checked my phone for messages."

Naturally one or two couldn't make it on Sunday, including Lucy.

"Sorry Tammy, we didn't know so I have other plans."

"Until just now I didn't know either!"

Twenty minutes later backstage was cleared, Tammy grabbed a broom and helped sweep all the confectionery detritus out from behind the seating. They had an hour before the doors opened for the evening performance and the theatre had to be clean and welcoming.

The B Cast arrived on time and didn't need any prompting to get ready, meanwhile a more mature audience was taking shape. This was the first proper night, just about everyone will have paid for their tickets.

She took a walk up to the bar and was recognised by many, even if she could only name about half of those who called her name. The bar staff looked familiar. "Evening lads."

"Good evening Miss Smart."

"Is this another sideline of yours?"

"We volunteer to run the bar on weekends if there's an event on and if we're free. It helps deter the miscreants if they know we're here."

Tammy couldn't agree more, the two Fraser brothers were perfect bar staff, you wouldn't argue with them if they refused you a drink - not if you knew that they were also part-time police constables and the muscle of the local shinty team.

She spoke to the evening's cast and explained the day's events as they'd missed the later incident.

"I need some volunteers for Sunday's matinee?"

She received some offers, but Lucy's counterpart wasn't available. She decided to call the understudy later as there were too many things to deal with.

-----

She crawled into bed at eleven, after a late re-heated supper in the kitchen.There had been no further news of Tom and Lucas so the day's second show had been perfect, no trouble, no errors and no worries. She still hadn't called the understudy, but it could wait. Regardless of everything, the show had to go on.

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Mill Theatre (local info site) - https://arts.caithness.org/group/112

The Mill Theatre (Thurso Players) - http://www.thursoplayers.org.uk/Mill%20Theatre.htm

Shinty (A Highlands Sport) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinty