Falling From Grace: Student-Teacher Forbidden Romance

Chapter 10

[RECAP: The school is going to put on a production of The Crucible, as the sixth formers are studying it in English...]

Half the school had shown up to the auditions for the play, even though only the sixth formers - and those taking English - were eligible to take part. The hall was packed out and the atmosphere was intense.

Sister Rosalind was bewildered by the interest. "I can't think what the sudden interest is for. We usually do Shakespeare. Perhaps that's put girls off in the past?"

Gabriel had a fair idea why so many had turned out. It certainly wasn't due to a preference for American playwrights over English ones. He kept his expression guarded and avoided catching any one girl's eye. The last thing he wanted was to be accused of favouritism.

He suspected the casting would create a lot of conflict among them. He just wanted it over with, so they could start rehearsals. He had already found himself increasingly intrigued by the idea of producing a play. He had been involved with a student theatre group in his university days, though he had long since given it up for his religious pursuits.

"If the rest of you are here to watch, you can sit quietly in the seats at the back," he ordered them. "Those sixth formers wishing to audition should be in the front two rows."

Mai and Figgy, who had come along only to give Leonie moral support, tried to head for the back of the room but Leonie stopped them. "It will be so much cooler if you guys get parts too."

Figgy looked nervous. "I really can't act. Speaking on stage absolutely terrifies me."

"They may need help backstage though. Please. It will be so much more fun if you're involved."

Figgy reluctantly agreed, and Mai said she would have a go as well.

Sister Rosalind and Gabriel had chosen a short scene from the first act to use for the audition. The girls were put in groups and each group read the same section.

It was a big mix. Some stumbled over the lines, others were monotonous. There were a few natural actors, and then there were Suki and Leonie.

Suki's group went first, with Suki naturally choosing to read Abigail. Watching her, Leonie felt a stab of doubt. Suki was very good. She managed to put a sultry malice in the lines, playing Abigail as a devious, slippery character.

Finally it was Leonie's turn. She stepped on stage and the world slipped away. Even with Figgy reading Samuel Parris in a nervous whisper and Mai managing to perform the Reverend Hale as a clear pastiche of Mother Benedict, Leonie was thrown back three hundred years. She didn't even have to consciously try to act, she simply was Abigail.

Leonie-Abigail was imploring them to believe that she had never sold herself. That she was a good girl and a proper girl. Her appearance on the surface was of earnest entreaty. But below this facade lurked the sly gleam of the lie. She was bewitching and chilling and Gabriel caught his breath watching her.

He looked down at his script, not wanting to show any bias to Sister Rosalind. He saw the nun's eyebrows raised but didn't want to jinx things. After all, why should he care which girl played which part? But he did care, he wanted to see the American girl reading Miller's lines on stage.

"Thank you everyone. Father Gabriel and I will be discussing the cast, and a list will be posted up tomorrow morning. Just remember, those of you who don't obtain speaking parts will still be very much in demand for all the other roles involved in a production. I hope we can all have a very happy time of it." Sister Rosalind dismissed them, and went on her way.

As she was walking out, Leonie couldn't resist casting a glance at Father Gabriel. He looked back at her and she felt a connection between them. When he quickly looked away she was even more sure of it.

Please let me get this role, she thought. It meant so much to her. It was her chance to prove whether she could perform well enough to choose acting as a career.

Leonie knew how hard it was to succeed, even if you had some talent. The competition was insane: there were hundreds of professional actresses for every role. Thousands, even. You couldn't just be good, you had to be exceptional. And she knew that she had a long way to go.