From Fall to Winter

Chapter 16

I sat in the third row seat H. I was front and center. But not too front because I didn't want to strain my neck.

It was a dainty theater. Maybe enough seats for 150? I'm not good with numbers. The playbill (more like a pamphlet) read Ballintemple Community Theatre presents Richard III. I scanned the cast list

Cillian Murphy... Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

The cast list was short. If I remember correctly from my high school literature class, productions of Shakespeare had some actors play more than one role. It reinforces those characters relations towards each other or some shit. It could be that or that there wasn't many people to play the parts. Not sure.

The theater was somewhat filled. You'd expect a full house on the last performance but who knows how numbers work in the Ballintemple Community Theater. This could be a full house to them. Ok let me stop making fun of this sparse town. I'm just a city girl who's also a hater.

The lights turned low. The stage lights turned on. Cillian appeared on stage. In his thick native accent he began orating:

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried...

I knew these lines, which are the only way that could understand them. The combination of his accent and Shakespearean prose made it almost difficult to understand, but I knew. I didn't need to understand those words that came out of his mouth to know he was a good actor. I saw it in his body language, in his voice. It was like watching Kenneth Branagh.

The romantic in me wants him to lock eyes with me as he delivers his lines. But no. A true thespian addresses all. Not just one. And he didn't. With every line he scans the entire theater. Again, the romantic in me hopes that when he looks at us all, he's searching for me. But no, he's a true thespian.

I need to calm down and just enjoy the show.

And I did. I drank a cup of coffee so most of my time was tapping my foot to relieve the weight of my bladder. But when the show ended, the whole cast came out. Maybe like 10 people, less than ten? People were throwing flowers onto the stage. Shit should I have bought flowers? I didn't even know people still did that. They all took a bow. Like the awkward freak I am I signaled a thumbs up. He managed to see that and winked at me.

The curtains closed.

I followed the crowd out. I made a b-line for the bathroom. There were about three people in front of me. It looked like my high school bathroom. White and blue tiles. I couldn't tell you how great it felt to finally pee. It almost gave me a sense of clarity. Who am I kidding- this is me we're talking about. I washed my hands for about three minutes to distract people from the fact I was staring at myself in the mirror. I took my hair out of my ponytail and parted my hair. I applied my lip gloss. Who am I trying too impress? Or better question: why am I trying to impress him?

I turned to the woman next to me and smiled. She was staring at me the whole time.

"Good show aye."

"Yeah it was really good."

She was taken aback by my accent. Whatever. Per his instructions, I went back to the lobby, and went around the theater. Many people were scattered around the room with paper cups and small plates of snacks. Another social event, just what I need. I peered around looking for Cillian.

"Looking for someone?"

A girl with red curly hair stood before me. She played Queen Anne I think?