Fifty-seven years of stagecraft.
Miller, Albee, Mamet, Moliere.
And Shakespeare. Troilus, Henry IV, Oberon, Macbeth.
Stunned at his pale face hanging in the mirror as he wiped the Ben Nye from his eyes with cold cream.
This he could still do without thought.
Ironic, or maybe apt.
He closed his eyes again, tried to summon the line as he had onstage.
No, no, no, no! Come, let’s away to prison;
And then nothing.
The stunned silence of the audience turning to unease and finally to derision at the sight of a mute Lear while burning shame consumed him like a house fire.
A tragic end. Knowing when to quit is a fine art in itself.
Yeah, pretty much the nightmare scenario
My actor friends tell me this is a growing fear as they get older
Yeah, I have it too. Thanks for reading!
Dear Josh,
I could feel the panic rising. I imagine that’s an issue with aging actors. Loved the image of removing the Ben Nye. I’ve done theater and relate to the texture and scent. Well staged.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks! I watch an actor like Brian Cox who knows so much Shakespeare and imagine what it would be like to lose that in public. This has to be one of the great nightmares of all actors. I’m sure it’s probably happened, too.
What a nightmare! It’s common enough to suddenly feel you don’t know the next line, but if you relax and just speak, out it comes. If that mercy were to suddenly end…
I shall have sleepless nights now!
You told this story beautifully, Josh, and made it hideously credible.
Thanks Penny
When the movies discovered sound, many a actor lost out. Glamour often it seems comes at a price. Well told
Thanks!
I guess it should have been a 56 year career with him exiting at the top of his game, or at least not at the bottom… Well told.
The tension was palpable in your story.
Oy, poor thing. Sigh. I wish someone had helped him realize he might’ve needed to quit earlier. Though if it is sudden, he may not have had a warning (and a medical investigation may be overdue in either case…). Oy.
Every actor’s nightmare. They need nerves of steel.
Tragic. Poor King Lear
As in life and reality…. ugh truth, writ in terse abs. drama. Loved it. I’ve done theatre, and this one brought back the sweat of onstage lights, the palpable breath of audience…. that tension is a Thing!
Very evocative piece. Well done.
Aw, poor guy! Shame on that audience for jeering at him when he had such a sterling record. Well0written–you made me feel the pain.
Felt the pain in the last sentence. Beautifully written.
Very well done! A great short scene about losing what one loves best.