Anderwelt von Rusalca ================================================================================ Kapitel 2: Behind the scenes [english!] --------------------------------------- "Gee, it's hot up here!" The young woman sighed and straightened herself. She was only twenty-two years old, what made her the youngest of all employees here. Nonetheless she was working as hard as everyone else. She knelt in front of a profile spot to adjust it for the great show tonight. When she raised her head she felt dizzy for a few seconds, but as always her field of vision cleared up again, forcing the black spots, that appeared in her view, back. Once she could see clearly again she got back to work. It wasn't half as good as she wanted it to be, but that was the reason why she showed up so early. It always took her and her co-worker hours to have everything lighted the way they want it. To them, lighting was art. The art to get people into different moods, to thrill them and abduct them to other worlds. The worlds and many faces of theatre. Tonight she would take them to an old castle, with crumbly brick work, great iron doors with strange Celtic ornaments engraved and loads and loads of ancient looking props. But right now she was only doing the front light to lighten the scenery in different colors. She sat in twenty-six feet height, on the audience bridge. The reason why they called it like that was simple: the spots were affixed above the seats for the audience, so they could light the stage from the front side. Sure, they could've used the spots at the other end of the hall, but then they'd lose too much brightness. Why she was complaining about the heat in the mid of January was one of the mysteries only lighting technicians would know about. Spots, especially those with the power needed to light the stage properly, get extremely hot even after a few minutes. The spot she was adjusting at this moment she could barely touch anymore. Her working gloves helped, but when she leaned forward all the heat hit her upper body and made her sigh again. Four hours later they were finally done with everything. Adjusting the spots for the show, programming the show on the lighting console and finally - after the soundcheck was made - rehearsal the procedure for tonight. The same as every day, but with another stage play. Still she couldn't think of doing something else. The spots were more like a warm embrace to her than something she could burn herself with. The scenery pieces were what she could call a home, her own four walls and even the ateliers seemed more like a playground than a workshop for serious business. Theatre was a place she adored since she had been here for the first time. She couldn't really remember what the actors on the stage did, but she remembered every single detail around it. The red padded seats with golden armrests, the fluffy black floor and lighted stairs, the red curtain framed by a black colored portal and a lot of musicians in the orchestra pit. As she found out later, they were called the orchestra. A smile showed up on her face when she remembered it. How old had she been? Ten, maybe eleven. It was a school trip no one really wanted to make, but of course the teachers insisted on it. Who would've guessed this school trip would make up her mind and decide what she'll become later? She didn't think of such things back then. But she never regretted it, either. Two hours later she took seat in front of the lighting console and set everything up to the entrance of the audience. They poured into the theatre and took their seats, chatting and definitely looking forward the play they were going to see. The lights dimmed until completely dark and the chatter fell silent. As she pulled up the faders for the first lighting atmosphere the heavy red curtain swung open and revealed the first scene. The actors, completely covered in wigs, make-up and expensive looking costumes entered the stage and the play began. The main actor wore a blank white mask in the shape of a smiling face and a colorful dress with way too many applications to count them all. As he looked through the holes for his eyes in the mask, he saw many familiar faces. The first and second row was reserved by his family. Every single pair of eyes expecting him to do something great. When he started his monologue about a king and a queen living behind the castle walls behind him, his parents smirked. He told them about their fair and loving way of ruling their kingdom. About the beauty of the queen, her smile being brighter than the sun, and the strength of the king, able to beat anyone who wanted to harm them. When he looked at his parents again he saw pride in their faces. Then he started to talk about the young prince and his beloved siblings, his kind grandparents and grumpy yet likeable aunts and uncles. Everyone in the first two rows seemed to have a satisfied look in their eyes. Next, he moved on to a nice young lady the prince met when he was out in the woods. And indeed, in the fifth row a young woman he had just met this morning began to smile. The play moved on until the actor and story teller of this play got everyone’s attention and put a smile on everyone’s face. After two more hours of entertaining the audience he took a deep breath and bowed out. The heavy red curtain closed and the audience burst in applause. The curtain opened again and revealed every actor who played tonight. They stepped forward and bowed, until the curtain hid them again. What a release. Finally, the working lights went on and the actors into their dressing rooms. The stage technicians showed up and started to take down the scenery. The prop makers took their props back into their atelier, the sound and lighting technicians put away their cables, microphones and lamps needed on stage. A few minutes later the main actor of tonights play showed up again, wishing everyone good night. They replied, of course. The young woman heard him talking about the audience and how happy he was to finally get rid of this ever-smiling mask. But that was what the people wanted to see. He sighed and shrugged, he couldn't do anything about it. He would be on stage again, doing the same thing over and over again, as long as he was sure to take off the mask after the show. When he saw our young lightning technician on stage he went over to her, giving her a charming smile. “Tomorrow's your turn. I put the mask on the desk for you.”, he said. "Thank you. I'd rather be behind the scenes, but I guess they want to see me, too.", she replied. "Will you be doing the lighting tomorrow?" "Yepp, along with Phil." His eyes searched for the so called 'Phil', but didn't find him. Maybe he was down in the workshops. "Make sure I look good. I don't want to disappoint my audience. They can be very delicate, you know?" "Don't worry about that. You look good in every kind of light." She laughed. Not about the compliment he just gave to her, but about the fact that he meant it. He waved good bye to his fellows and left the theatre. The young lighting technician and tomorrow actress herself remained smiling. With them as backup she knew she couldn't possibly fail. Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)