Centre Stage

Curtain Up

"Go on! Open it!" Mandy nudged her "you've been like a cat on hot bricks all afternoon.  Get it over with!" 

Lucy looked at her and made a face.  Mandy was the best friend anyone could ask for, and in THIS fickle world?  Even more so, since she was a one woman advertising agency for Lucy's talent and career.  Not that she was actually supposed to be, she was actually supposed to be her main rival, but Mandy had never let that get in the way.  She'd been friends with the tall, blue eyed, redhead since college.  They'd met on the same performing arts course and had pretty much been joined at the hip ever since.  She was as short as Mandy was tall.  As dark as she was red and where Mandy had eyes like a summer sky?  Lucy had emeralds that glittered with little flecks of fire.  More unalike and yet more similar you would never find.

For the last ten years, that had included acting together.  Mandy and Lucy had joined the company at the same time, both deciding to move home for a rest from the hectic  and stressful life they'd led Off-broadway, deep in the beating heart of New York's theatreland.  Originally, they set off for the bright lights on graduation, seeking fame and fortune. Work beckoned, for each in a different production.  It had been hard and exciting but fame eluded them, like so many others. They decided to settle for fortune.  When that wasn't forthcoming, they decided just to settle.  Back home.  Where they made decent tea and the weather was reliably crap.

Life had gone on, they'd worked regularly and enjoyed everything.  Both perfectly aged for leading parts, they regularly came up against each other, neither actually bothered if they lost out as long as it was to each other.  They were less like friends, more like a very small gang.  There was always the next time.  More often than not, that was how Mandy saw it, she'd accepted long ago her friend was destined for something greater and she was happy. She loved Lucy like a sister and although they were as different as chalk and cheese, they had each other's backs.

Six months ago, they had been reading through the trade papers one cold and wet Wednesday night in London's regenerated Docklands area.  The flat they shared was small but perfectly formed.  Two bedrooms, living room and bathroom.  A small (very small) balcony off the living room and a hallway that currently was filled with boxes and bikes.  All the stuff they'd always promised to put away when they moved in.  It drove Lucy bonkers, but somehow?  It simply became invisible.

Mandy had spotted it first - the advert.  A Shakespeare workshop in London's West End .  Six weeks, culminating in a performance, sponsored too, so no money needed. That in itself was very appealing!  Directed by and starring a major figure in that particular genre.  It would be a chance to explore the works of one of the greatest playwrights, learn from one of the best actors of his time and add yet another string to the already burgeoning bow that was their repertoire.  At least, Lucy's repertoire.  Mandy just never took to all that 'Thee and Thou and Forsooth' nonsense as she put it.  It didn't stop her thrusting the advert under Lucy's nose though.

"Go on!  You're good at that stuff, you know you are!  You'd wipe the floor with anyone." the PR machine cranked into action.

"But they'll get thousands of applications. I don't stand a chance." Lucy shrugged.

"Oh get away with you woman.  You're amazing. They just need to see that." Mandy paused and chewed a nail. "I wonder who it is?  Says if your accepted, they'll let you know then. Want to stop all the fangirls applying probably.  I BET its Brannagh.  Or Andrew Scott. Or that Simon Russell-Beale bloke, he's good.  Old but good.  Ooooh!" her eyes lit up, "maybe it could be David Tennant - you know how HE likes a bit of the Bard!"

"Yeah, why not just add Tom Hiddleston to the mix and be done with it eh?" Lucy smiled and Mandy laughed loudly.

"Oh you'd LOVE that wouldn't you!  Bet you wouldn't be able to speak for the ENTIRE workshop. 'oooh Tom you're so dreeeeemy, you're so handsome oooooh Tom kiss me! mwah mwah mwah!" Mandy pranced around the living room pretending to kiss a cushion while Lucy tried to throw things at her.