REHEARSAL
by
Brian Sands
Chapter 3 The Plot Thickens
The next morning, something was happening to Alison’s air conditioning, so Laura slipped into jeans and a pullover against the colder air that was coming unbidden into the room. Alison also wore slacks and sweater for the same reason.
When they had tidied up after breakfast, Alison looked at Laura and asked, ‘What shall we start with, Lalla?’
‘How confident are you with your first lines?’
‘I did make a few mistakes last night, didn’t I?’
‘Yes, but nothing serious. The audience won’t notice because you’re now making your lines flow. There aren’t any awkward pauses ... no mental blocks. But how about we recap on those early scenes, then move on to the big scene in Act Two?’
‘Sounds fine. Which chair would you like? There’s another one in the storeroom that might be interesting to try out.’
‘Storeroom?’ Laura looked around the room uncertainly.
‘Over here, behind the steps next to the closet. It’s very easy to miss.’
Alison walked to the back of the steps with Laura following. ‘Ta raa!’ She opened a door that was virtually out of sight from the main room, except for one edge that blended into the wall. With no handle visible. They stepped inside. ‘This is what the whole area was like. I haven’t had time to renovate this room.’
‘It’s what I imagined your cellar would look like, Ally.’
Old furniture lay scattered about. There was a workbench cluttered with an assortment of objects, and there lay or stood about the room chairs of different sizes.
‘Here it is!’
Alison indicated a low-backed chair with padded armrests and wide tubular legs. Its seat was padded also.
‘It looks very comfortable,’ said Laura. She plumped down into it.
‘It is, isn’t it? Shall we use it?’
‘Why not?’ Laura reached her arms behind her. The top of the backrest came to just above her elbows. ‘My arms go all the way over. Gee, if you tie my elbows as well as my wrists, I think it will be just as tight as having them around the back of the big chair.’
Alison carried the chair through into the main room and set it down in the middle. ‘Right, Lalla, my dear captive. Make yourself comfortable.’
‘It won’t be for long, will it?
‘That depends on you, Lalla. I’ll only tie you as tight as you say. I have to admit, though, that I enjoy it ... but I don’t want to be cruel.’
‘You’d better continue to tie me tight, Ally. I need to experience being really tied up so I can communicate that on the night.’
‘Sort of like pretending that it’s real on the night because you know what it’s like when it’s real?’
‘Uh ... yes. Something like that ... I guess. Come on, get to work and truss me up for our next rehearsal. And make it good!’
Alison used a short piece of sash cord that went around Laura’s wrists twice before she tied it off. The knots were so tight, however, that it was as though Laura was bound in a yard of it. Her hands were parallel this time instead of crossed.
Laura flexed her fingers. ‘You’ve become very good at this, Ally. Have you ever thought of going into the kidnapping business?’
‘How much are you worth, Lalla? ... Hold still. I’ll do your elbows now.’
‘Not a lot. I’m afraid ... I can’t move my arms!’
‘Not at all?’
‘No.’
‘Then you’re safe in my hands, which is good because I have you at my mercy.’
Alison wound a long piece of cord several times around Laura’s waist and the back of the chair. And when she had finished with the ankle and leg ties, fastening Laura’s ankles to the central rung of the chair, Laura felt that she was well enough secured, though it was not the same as when she was tied to upright attention in the larger chair.
‘Okay, Ally. Let’s get started. We should be able to run through this scene a lot of times before we take a morning tea break.’
‘I’ll get your gag ready.’
Alison cleared her throat and, with the swaths of cloth in one hand, began to read from the script.
*
ACT TWO, SCENE 3.
THE SECRET ROOM. MORNING. THE NEXT DAY.
The curtain opens to reveal DOLORES, still sitting in the chair bound and gagged. GERTRUDE enters from left centre stage and walks across to DOLORES, a breakfast tray in her hands.
GERTRUDE: Wakey-wakey. How’s my little prisoner this morning? I trust you were not too uncomfortable during the night. (She places the tray on the table and walks across to DOLORES). I thought you would need some refreshment, just a little, mind. We can’t have you over-eating. Now, let me see ... (GERTRUDE bends over DOLORES and begins to pluck at the knot of the gag at the back of her neck. She seems to have a sudden thought and stops and straightens up.)
GERTRUDE: Before I take this thing off, I don’t have to warn you to remain quiet do I? Any attempt to scream or call for help will end in being gagged again with no breakfast. Do you understand? Shake or nod your head. (DOLORES nods vigorously). Good. I’m glad we understand each other. (GERTRUDE completes untying the cloth, dropping it carelessly into DOLORES’ lap as before. DOLORES spits out the gag and works her jaw, licking her lips).
DOLORES: (In a husky voice). Water ... (GERTRUDE fetches a glass of fruit juice from the breakfast tray and holds it to DOLORES’ lips). Thank you. (She drinks).
GERTRUDE: Now, dear Mam’selle, you’ve had several hours to think matters over. (She replaces the empty glass on the tray and turns back to DOLORES as she speaks). I hope you have come to the right decision, for your own sake. Tell me what I want to know about that evidence of yours and I’ll be magnanimous and feed you some of this yummy toast. (GERTRUDE takes a mouthful and begins munching).
DOLORES: I’m not hungry. And I have no intention of telling you where the documents are hidden.
GERTRUDE: (Speaking with her mouth full). Aha, so it is documents I must seek. You do understand that you shan’t be released until you agree to my demands.
DOLORES: You can’t keep me here indefinitely. My disappearance can’t have gone unnoticed.
GERTRUDE: No indeed. The police at this moment are scouring the district for you, as we suspected they would. (She laughs nastily). You’re the top suspect since their forensic division found that the old lady died from an overdose of a very slow-acting poison.
DOLORES: I - I have nothing to do with that. But you, on the other hand, have the motive.
GERTRUDE: (Shaking her head). That’s a very dangerous thing to say, Mam’selle, considering that you are completely helpless and at my mercy. If I am the murderer, then why am I offering you freedom - for a price? I would be more likely to make sure that you were never able to tell the police, or anyone, anything, ever again!
DOLORES: (Shivering in fright). I don’t understand. If you’re not the murderer, then who is?
GERTRUDE: How should I know? I’m only in this game for the money. (GERTRUDE leans conspiratorially over DOLORES). I’ll let you know that much because it’s best for you to tell me where the documents are, and then make yourself scarce. Before you came along, I had a nice little scam going with the old lady - until she died, of course. Without you around, I have sole title to the fortune because of the papers the old duck signed over to me.
DOLORES: But don’t you see that our lives may be in danger because we both have interests in the will! (She begins to struggle agitatedly but her bonds hold her fast). Please untie me. Let’s go together and tell the Inspector what we know. We’ll have police protection then.
GERTRUDE: Set you free, just like that? Oh no, my dear Mam’selle. I will brook no competition.
DOLORES: Then I shan’t cooperate. You can’t hold me here forever. You’re not a killer, so eventually you’ll have to let me go.
GERTRUDE: Ah, but I can make your incarceration here very uncomfortable. No respite from your bonds; no bathroom privileges. How many more hours do you think you can take, trussed up like a turkey with a gag in your mouth?
DOLORES: Do your worst. (She raises her head and looks up at GERTRUDE defiantly). I shan’t cave in to your wishes.
GERTRUDE: (Angrily). I was hoping you’d see reason. Well, you’ll stay on ice till lunch, then I’ll ask you again. In the meantime, I am obliged to gag you again. (GERTRUDE takes up the cloth and prepares to tie it over DOLORES’ mouth. DOLORES renews her struggles and attempts to bite GERTRUDE who pulls her hand away sharply).
GERTRUDE: You little spitfire! Do you want me to slap your face?
DOLORES: No ... please. (She relaxes with a look of resignation). I guess I can’t do a thing to stop you.
GERTRUDE: Hold on to that thought ... Hmm, I almost forgot to put this on properly. (GERTRUDE takes up the wad of cloth, still in DOLORES’ lap, and bunches it up.)
DOLORES: (Desperately). Please reconsider what you’re doing! If the murderer is still around ... Mmph.’
GERTRUDE stuffs the gag into DOLORES’mouth. She then ties the cloth strip tightly over her prisoner’s face). That will hold you. You now have more to think about than before. When I come back, I want some cooperation.
GERTRUDE crosses back to the table, takes up the breakfast tray and exits stage centre left. The lights dim, lingering momentarily on DOLORES who is shaking her head in an unsuccessful effort to dislodge the gag.
CURTAIN
*
By mid-morning Alison and Laura had gone through the scene from Act One several times over. At Laura’s insistence, Alison did not untie her prisoner. The gag went on and came off following the stage directions and, for that scene, both women were soon fluent in their lines.
Alison glanced at the wall clock. ‘Morning tea.’
‘Mmmm. Take this thing off,’ said Laura indistinctly through the cloth. ‘Ahh ... That’s better. It’s a very effective way to keep a woman quiet, Ally. It feels ... strange, when I want to say something - like correcting you in your lines - to find I can’t speak properly or make myself understood.’
‘Not to mention being unable to scream or call for help.’
‘No ... It’s impossible with all that cloth in my mouth.’
‘Can you breathe okay when I put it on you?’
‘Sure. I’ve learnt how to breathe through my nose.’
‘Yes ... But you don’t have to be gagged so fiercely, you know. There’s no need to put packing in your mouth, Lalla. A Hollywood gag would be sufficient for the night.’
‘But it’s not a proper gag if I can still speak loudly and clearly through it.’
‘I don’t think the director will take to the idea, like I said.’
‘No ... You’re probably right. But I still think it’s a good idea to make everything as real as possible during these rehearsals. I can act the part of a really well bound and gagged damsel in distress if I know what it’s like ... As I said before.’
‘I guess we continue with me tying you up really tight then?’
‘Why not?’ Laura wriggled in her bonds. ‘But it would be really frightening to be tied like this by a burglar or a kidnapper. That’s a degree of realism I’m not keen on exploring.’
‘Do you want the ropes off now? You’ve been tied to that chair for more than two hours straight.’
‘Thanks, Ally. It will be good to be able to stretch and walk about for awhile. And have that coffee ... Ahhh ... My fingers are tingling. You really tied my arms tight! ... But this is all leading up to a full rehearsal, maybe tomorrow or on Monday, when I’m kept in the chair most of the day.’
‘You’ll need to rest up in between times, Lalla. Remember how tired you were yesterday.’
*
The two young women relaxed in the house upstairs for an hour over lunch, listening to one of the Ravel CDs from Alison’s large collection of classical music. When they returned to the basement lounge, Laura crossed to the sofa and picked up the well-thumbed script.
‘Let’s run through all the scenes we’ve done so far: Act One, Scene Three and Act Two, scenes one and three.’
‘Hmmm,’ Alison mused. ‘That takes us through the capture and the interlude to the thickening of the plot when Gertrude says she’s not the murderer.’
‘Yes. Let’s leave Scene One in Act Three for tomorrow.’
‘Okay ... Ready to be tied up again?’
‘Sure.’
‘I’ll tie it as tight as usual, me proud beauty.’
In silence, Alison bound Laura to the small padded chair they had used that morning, fastening her arms over its low back and tying her elbows together. Several coils were made tight around the prisoner’s waist. Then Laura’s ankles and legs were bound together.
‘There you go ... Tight enough?’
Laura wriggled experimentally. ‘I’m not going anywhere, that’s for sure. And I’m glad I’m wearing jeans this time. You tie a mean knot, Ally.’
‘Just doing my best to get in the spirit of it all, Lalla. Shall we start?’
‘Go ahead. Start from the lines, "Your little outburst reminds me that precautions must be taken."’
Alison picked up two pieces of white cloth, old but clean bed sheet remnants that had been cut neatly into wide strips with dressmaking shears. ‘I’ll use these this time, though it will probably be that silk scarf on the night. Okay?’ Laura nodded. ‘Get ready for your gag, Lalla ... "Your little outburst reminds me that precautions must be taken."’
One piece of the cloth was folded into a neat pad and wedged between Laura’s teeth. The other, now folded into a three-inch wide strip, was bandaged around the young woman’s face just under her nose. Alison drew the knot tight at the back of Laura’s neck, paused a moment, then jerked it tighter and tied it off.
Laura rolled her eyes and hammed it up, shaking her head and struggling ineffectually in her bonds. But she was thinking, Alison’s getting a bit carried away. The gag is really tight!
*
Four times Alison recited her lines for the three scenes with only a few mistakes. The gag came off and was replaced over and over again where the script called for it and, after an hour of this, the two young women were growing bored.
Alison gave a theatrical sigh and stepped back. ‘Let’s take a rest, Hon. It’s fun tying you up and untying you, but watching a pretty damsel struggle in her bonds is like watching paint dry or grass grow. When you’re anchored in a chair there’s not much you can do.’
‘Mmmph!’ Laura nodded in hearty agreement.
She could not speak, but she was feeling stiff and uncomfortable. The thoughts crossed her mind again that not only would it be frightening to be bound and gagged under more serious circumstances - such as by a burglar or a kidnapper - but also how unbearable it would be to have to sit or lie helpless for hours with nothing to do but fret under the bonds and the gag, and wait terrified for her captor’s return.
With such fears out of the picture, Laura was beginning to see how boring it could be to spend a weekend trussed up in ropes and gag. And that was how it seemed to be turning out. It was now Saturday afternoon. They should do some rehearsing that evening. So it left all of Sunday, then Monday for the dress rehearsal. She had packed the appropriate costume for the melodrama.
But Alison had memorised nearly all her lines perfectly. That important part of the rehearsal was accomplished. So there might be some sense in cutting it short. Perhaps have the dress rehearsal on Sunday. She could go home then, and rest up on Monday. She wanted to be fresh for work on the following day, and the real dress rehearsal was scheduled for next Saturday.
Laura raised her head and began to voice these suggestions, but she had momentarily forgotten the gag and all that came out was a faint ‘glg.’ And Alison seemed in no hurry to remove the cloth from between her prisoner’s jaws. She was washing her hands at the kitchen sink and splashing water on her face, seemingly forgetful of Laura sitting bound and sweating in the chair a few yards behind her.
But just as Laura began to agonise about being ignored, Alison turned and started to walk towards her friend. ‘Time to give you a break too, Lalla.’
A red light began to wink on and off from an installation in the ceiling above the kitchen that Laura had not seen before. Alison followed her friend’s eyes.
‘Ahh. That means the phone’s ringing upstairs. I left the sound disconnected purposely so as not to be disturbed down here ... I guess I’d better answer it. It might be important,’ Alison paused halfway up the stairs, ‘Oh, I forgot. You’ll be okay bound and gagged there for a few minutes more won’t you?’ Laura shook her head. ‘Don’t be silly, Lalla. A true heroine has to take her gag and like it!’
Alison disappeared through the door. To Laura’s great relief, she left the lights on.
It was only ten minutes by the kitchen clock, but it felt like an hour to Laura, who was by now fretting almost tearfully under the gag and fighting in real earnest to free her hands. But Alison had done her job well. Up until then, Laura’s struggling had been theatrical and she had not fully understood how helpless she really was.
When Alison reappeared, she was flustered and excited and did not seem to notice Laura’s discomfort.
‘Guess what?’ she cried.
‘Mmph?’
‘The Director, she’s coming over!’
‘Mmmph mmphh, glg!’
‘Don’t worry,’ said Alison. ‘There’s no need to be embarrassed.’
‘Mmph?’
‘When I told her we were rehearsing and that I had you bound and gagged in the cellar, do you know what she said?’
‘Mmph?’
‘She said ... you know that affected voice she puts on sometimes ... "Oh Dahling. How terribly droll! Do keep her like that, won’t you? I really, really must see." So, you see dear Lalla, I can’t touch your bonds until the Director comes.’
‘Mmmph ... mmmph. Glg ...gkkk.’
‘But it’s a coup for you, Lalla! Out of the two of us, she thought that you would probably be the better damsel in distress. And now she wants to see for herself, to see whether her judgement was right. ... And there’s another thing, the reason why she’s coming over. After talking for two minutes about how temperamental writers can be, and how lucky we were to have a playwright who had it all together, as it were, she went on to say that the writer’s made changes to the second half of the script and added a new scene! She wants to tell us about the changes in person. So then she said how important it was to leave you bound and gagged, not only for her own amusement but also because it’s something to do with the changes the writer made.’
Alison poured herself a drink from the wine carafe and sat comfortably in the armchair in front of Laura. She sipped the red liquid and, with a faint smirk on her pretty lips, watched her friend’s futile struggles until they subsided.