The Royal Scandal | Prince William |

Space to Think

November 6th, 2010

"When are you going to put us all out of our misery?"

Jaclyn looked her partner up and down her sharp swan makeup probably making her appear scarier than normal. "You're going to have to be more specific."

"Marriage Jaclyn Amalia, marriage."

She surveyed their surroundings. Taking note that they were currently standing in the wings waiting to make their onstage entrance, and the full swan corp was currently behind them. The girls all dressed in the same soft white tutus were no longer bothered with talk of her royal boyfriend, and barely batted an eye at Thomas's statement.

"This doesn't feel like the appropriate time-

"When is the appropriate time?"

"When I'm not about to go onstage and die."

Thomas rolled his eyes, hands on his hips, "You're always dying on stage it can't be that hard."

"All I'm saying is that the guy wants to make you an actual princess," as I opened my mouth to correct him his glare slammed it shut. "You don't really have a good argument to be upset. You should be happy that you have someone who wants to spend forever with you, hell you should be happy you're allowed to marry him."

The retort is the first real slap she's felt regarding the subject. Tabloids can call her an array of words for prolonging the situation, and those around her can whisper about her cowardice. She doesn't care. But she cares about what Thomas thinks, and she cares about his feelings.

Before she can say anything, Thomas's hand is on her back the other taking her leading hand as they run out on the stage. They separate and the only thing on her mind is the dance. The tragic final dance between the lovers.

She flocks with the corps, arms fluttering and lengthening like overarching wings, and even though the movement feels magical her expression is sorrowful.

Each time her and Thomas touch it's infused with pain, and she hopes he can hear her silent apology as he dips her back, their foreheads touching as their eyes clench shut. Siegfried and Odette have accepted that the only way to break the spell now and release the swans is for her to die.

As controlled chaos fills the stage Jaclyn runs up onto the elevated prop rock. She looks to Thomas to see a frozen gasp etched across his face, and she withers her arms towards him for dramatic effect.

She retches herself over the stage, hitting a point in the air where she hangs beautifully like an ornament meant for decoration. Then she's free falling, hurtling towards the thick foam mat waiting below. She considers lingering, splaying out and just taking a chance to breathe in the relative seclusion, but then Thomas is above her and they've been scolded before for jumping when the other was laying on the pad.

Once he's down safely she collapses back down with him, both their eyes drilling up at the fly system as the music continues to swell. They wait and they wait without saying a word, a nightly tradition, until finally the audience cracks with pounding applause.

------

Closing night was always bittersweet. Everyone was temporarily saying goodbye to their characters, parting from a role they held so closely to themselves for so long. This was not Jaclyn's first time playing Odette/Odile, but there was something about taking off the white feathered tutu that stung. Her hands clutched at the elastic straps, but eventually she was able to depart from the costume and return it to wardrobe. 

Closing night also meant chaos erupted backstage the second the curtain dropped. The backstage crew ran around tearing sets down, replacing gels in the lights, and unplugging the equipment that was specific for the show.