Below the Radar - Cyprus Summer of '74

Chapter 27 : Tights and Tears (Dance to the Music)

Antigone

The first of Alex's plans to win over Kate, Antigone, failed dismally, or so he thought.

It required no support from Dan, Alex was able to balls it up quite happily all on his own.

As the unexpected opportunity began to present itself spent at least three return journey's to St. Johns' thinking it through. After initial concerns and doubt, he convinced himself it could work and decided to give it a go.

As it turned out, the plan flopped before it began, due to something Alex had never even considered possible in all his deliberations. Plus, into the bargain Alex bought himself three weeks of grueling work, put himself into a new and strange environment whilst simultaneously exposing himself to risk of ridicule from all his mates.

On the flip side, as it turned out, it gave Alex: an opportunity to find new friends, a smidgen of local acclaim, and provided a brand new and ultimately rewarding experience that he would secretly treasure for the rest of his life.

* * *

The large local drama group, a mixture of local Cypriots, ex-pats and serving Brits had a major production of the classic Greek Sophocles tragedy 'Antigone' planned for three nights in late June. The production was to be performed at the ancient Amphitheatre at Curium, a prestigious, dramatic and spectacular venue, one part of the major archaeological site dating from the Hellenistic and Byzantine period. The professional director brought in had belatedly decided that the production would benefit from a short 'prelude' or 'mime' to the main event. To this end, he had engaged a keen member of the drama club, Clive Branch, as producer. Clive also happened to be an arts and drama teacher at Campbell Junior School in Limassol.

Colleagues at the same school, Clive was a good friend of Alex's dad Don, being an enthusiastic footballer and member of the imaginatively named 'The Teachers' team that Don ran. Deciding on a dance mime, with four teen age parts, he opted to forego auditions for all but the lead part. That being so, he was very keen for Alex to join the mini-troupe, possessing all the key attributes required for three of the four roles; small, athletic, flexible and slender. Francesca his mum and Don had tried to convince Alex to take part, but he had flatly refused; he didn't want anything to do with that poncy rubbish.

Until, that is, he found out that Kate was one of only three girls who'd been asked by Mr. Branch (as Alex always thought of him) to audition for the fourth and lead dance role. There being no doubt in Alex's mind that Kate would win the part, to him there couldn't be anyone better, he immediately changed his mind and signed up, seeing this as a god sent opportunity to get closer to Kate. And so it might have been. But well though Kate danced at the audition, she was not successful. The part went to a tall, dark skinned and lithe girl called Kim whose dad was an Air Traffic Control officer at Akrotiri. Even as he sat dumbfounded and slack jawed at how rapidly his little plan had unraveled, Alex had to admit Kim was an excellent dancer and by far the best for the part. He could not back out now.

The next two weeks were spent at school studying or at rehearsals, most of which took place at school in the drama class. The role of the three little 'demons' as they thought of themselves was very simple. They provided the threat and foil to the main 'angel', Kim, in the short piece portraying the battle between good and evil in dance. Alex hated being thought of as a dancer, insisting to anyone who'd listen that it was more like athletics or gymnastics.

Everyone ignored him and his mini-protests, which continued even as flamboyant flapping 'wing' movements were added to the dance as the three demons circled, chased and hounded the angel across the floor. He'd been told they would wear black costumes that would hide their faces totally, so no-one could actually be recognised, for which Alex was quietly relieved. After he'd stopped feeling sorry for himself, Alex became good friends with his two co-demons; Derek (Alex couldn't help but snigger every time he thought of a demon called Derek) and Roxanne (the perfect name for a racing, whirling demon). They had embraced the whole event enthusiastically, helping Alex along the way. Kim, who had taken the lead role was far and away the best dancer among them, was more aloof and distant. Improbably, none of them had got as far as considering the 'stage' part of what they were doing. They'd been immersed in rehearsals solidly at school, which took place in a large plain room. Equally, being isolated from the rest of the 'cast' they had no sense of the whole piece, nor really had a clue what the main play was about.