Dark Receiver

"You have been talking with Elron haven't you? Yes that is exactly what I'm aiming for, how amidst gang war, hatred and death love can be found even in your worst enemy"

They had discussed it of course, but she had her own ideas, especially since her preparation for the role.

"It made for a great movie, of course Leo was just a pretty boy, he didn't really have that kind of acting in him. He was a fortunate son. I want to make my characters gritty, angry...so that when they fall in love, you can see it is real and just how powerful such a love can be"


She agreed, but was amazed by his next words.

"Aye it is but a dream"

She shook her head.

"Why? Why is it but a dream?? You're the producer aren't you?
Well ... then ... produce!"


To her inexperienced mind it was simple.
 
Glen Kane

He gave her a tolerant smile

"Yes my dear, it is easy to produce without sponsors, venues and actors. I would have done this years ago if it was that easy"

He gave her shoulder an affectionate pat

"Well the food is done, Elron get the salads for us and I'll bring the real food, then we can have a glass of water and talk some more"
 
"Yes my dear, it is easy to produce without sponsors, venues and actors.
I would have done this years ago if it was that easy"


Claire shrugged at his answer. He knew best, of course he did, but ... if it was his dream ... surely there was a way ...

"Well the food is done, Elron get the salads for us and I'll bring the real food, then we can have a glass of water and talk some more"

She filled up her glass and sipped at it as she carried it to the table, sitting in the place indicated. She didn't know the first thing about production, she realised and perhaps she would learn quickly enough that the theatre wasn't quite the "romantic" setting she had believed it to be ...
 
Glen Kane

After everything was set, Glen asked Grace, when he was done he smiled at the two

"Well Elron you have been foaming at the chops to get your teeth into the food, I just hope it's as good as you believe it to be"

He sat back and watched the two as they dished up, he remember happier times, when he was one of the people dishing up after Grace have been said, when there was still parents and brothers and sisters. He shrugged off the melancholy and got some food for himself as well
 
She watched as he said Grace enjoying his welcome, his traditions and his cooking.

"Well Elron you have been foaming at the chops to get your teeth into the food, I just hope it's as good as you believe it to be"

Claire smiled and tucked into the meal finding it delicious. She glanced across at Glen and saw that he seemed quiet all of a sudden. She reached out and touched him on the arm.

"Hey ... I'm sorry if I upset you ... about the production thing ... like you said ... what do I know about the theatre business ... but ... "

She hesitated, then added.

"... that doesn't mean you have to stop dreaming, right?"

For some reason, she was willing him not to give up on it.
 
Glen Kane

He looked at her and smiled

"Oh don't worry about that, I was just thinking of something else. I'm sure that somewhere along the line some new and young sponsor would like the idea and give me a chance. Who knows maybe sooner than later"


Elron Kramer

"Let's just hope it's sooner, I really would hate to sit out on the project on behalf of a bad hip replacement"

He shared a grin with Glen and then he continued to eat
 
"Oh don't worry about that, I was just thinking of something else. I'm sure that somewhere along the line some new and young sponsor would like the idea and give me a chance. Who knows maybe sooner than later"

Claire hoped so; but at least his words had reassured her. She squeezed his arm and continued with her meal.

"Let's just hope it's sooner, I really would hate to sit out on the project on behalf of a bad hip replacement"

She laughed across at him.

"Yes ... how old is Romeo supposed to be again...?"

She jibed.

"Though isn't he supposed to be the ... mature ... one ...? "

She pondered her question and thought, not for the first time just what the comparative qualities of the characters were and how she and Elron would fit into them and work together ...
 
Elron Kramer

"Oh yes very mature, killing himself without trying to find out from the priest what really happened"

He grinned as he continued to eat and then frowned

"Well there is speculation about that to be honest"


Glen Kane

"That is true, people pegged him from being between 15 to 21 and Juliet at 16, maybe 14, so it is hard to really figure out how old they really were in Will's mind's eye"
 
"Oh yes very mature, killing himself without trying to find out from the priest what really happened"

She laughed.

" ... but a man who lives by his emotions ... love, rage, grief ... like a reflex action rather than thinking things through ... you're right .. not so mature ... "

Elron and Glen went on to speculate about their ages.

"... people pegged him from being between 15 to 21 and Juliet at 16, maybe 14, so it is hard to really figure out how old they really were in Will's mind's eye"[/I]

She too ate, finding she was hungry after her nerves causing her loss of appetite the evening before ...

" ... I guess it all depends on how we fit in with the rest of the cast ... "

She commented, knowing Lady Capulet was often played by a younger woman coupled with an older husband to play Lord Capulet. She had always been intrigued by the Tybalt character and wondered just how Mercutio would be interpreted in this production ...
 
Glen Kane

"And in that lies my problem, my whole cast is young, I think the oldest on that stage tomorrow will be me and I'm only 23"

He chuckled

"At least with a cast like this I can push the characters into a direction I want them and not in the direction they think they should go"

He finished his salad and looked thoughtfully at her

"Hair loose, minimum make up...I think with the right wardrobe I can pass you for 16, of course that old man over there is just a hopeless case, he looks 50 no matter what we do to him"
 

"And in that lies my problem, my whole cast is young, I think the oldest on that stage tomorrow will be me and I'm only 23"


She smiled, noting his age. In many ways he seemed much older, more sensible, more domestic, yet he and Elron together were like naughty school boys still!

"At least with a cast like this I can push the characters into a direction I want them and not in the direction they think they should go"

She was pleased to hear that the cast was so young and most likely less experienced than she had feared.

He finished his salad and looked thoughtfully at her

"Hair loose, minimum make up..."

He was assessing her appearance professionally now.

"I think with the right wardrobe I can pass you for 16, of course that old man over there is just a hopeless case, he looks 50 no matter what we do to him"

She laughed at the comment, but shook her head.

"I'm sure that falling in love will take years off him ... "

She put down her cutlery on the now empty plate.

"That was lovely Glen. You're a great cook!
I hadn't realised how hungry I was ... "


Nor had she expected to feel at ease so soon and feeling so eager to get started on the play. She only hoped that her parents would not make things difficult ...
 
Glen Kane

He chuckled

"Well I'm glad that you enjoyed it"

He looked at Elron who was still eating

"I don't know how he can stuff himself with three plates of food and remain that thin. Look at him, he has to drink black coffee to cast a shadow"
 
"Well I'm glad that you enjoyed it.
I don't know how he can stuff himself with three plates of food and remain that thin. Look at him, he has to drink black coffee to cast a shadow"[/I]

Claire looked across at Elron.

"Some people are just lucky I guess ... "

She commented, though she had actually never been concerned with calorie counting and obsessive weight watching. She too had a good appetite!

" It's a good thing you're not laying on the catering for the production Glen, you'd probably end up with an oversized Juliet. "

She chuckled as he seemed to consider the idea!

" ... please no ... I actually think I'd have problems "fatting-up" for the role ..."

She giggled sipping her water.
 
Glen Kane

He made a show of looking her up and down, even if the table did cover most of her body

"Well if you were all skin and bone I might just have had to insist of fattening you up"

He chuckled and realized his glass was empty

"Oh you demon cup you, thou art always to be found empty when need of thou be the greatest"

He got up and looked at her

"Refill or are you still fine?"
 
Claire's gaze locked with Glen's as his attention ran up and down her body.

"Well if you were all skin and bone I might just have had to insist of fattening you up"

She gave him a challenging look and made no comment.

"Oh you demon cup you, thou art always to be found empty when need of thou be the greatest.
Refill or are you still fine?"


She saw his glass was empty and hers too was almost so.

"... refill please ... "

She held her glass as he made to pour in the water commenting to Elron.

"A kind heart he hath:

Smiling up at Elron, she continued.

" ... a woman would run through
fire and water for such a kind heart."
 
Glen Kane

He filled her glass and then filled his, before returning the now empty pitcher, returning with a new one, placing it on the table, before helping himself to more of the salad and fixed her with a grin

"You read a lot it seems"

He thought a bit and then continued for her

" But yet I, would my master had Mistress Anne; or I would Master Slender had her; or, in sooth, I would Master Fenton had her; I will do what I can for them all three; for so I have promised, and I'll be as good as my word; but speciously for Master Fenton. Well, I must of another errand to Sir John Falstaff from my two mistresses: what a beast am I to slack it!"

He chuckled and ate some of the salad
 
"You read a lot it seems"

Claire nodded.

"I'm a book, plate, theatre junkie ... and perhaps what you'd call a Shakespeare nerd"

" But yet I, would my master had Mistress Anne; or I would Master Slender had her; or, in sooth, I would Master Fenton had her; I will do what I can for them all three; for so I have promised, and I'll be as good as my word; but speciously for Master Fenton. Well, I must of another errand to Sir John Falstaff from my two mistresses: what a beast am I to slack it!"

She nodded, barely remembering the rest of the speech herself.

"... Quickly said .. "

She murmured wondering if he'd pick up on the pun.

"Though Merry Wives is not a play I'd claim to know much about ... I just find quotes kinda ... stick ... sometimes ... "

She grinned.

"Let's hope my lines 'stick' as effectively!"

She told him. She had read and read the play and had recited all the parts to herself for hours, but recalling them in front of a live audience would be quite another thing ...
 
Elron Kramer

"I am sure that you will"

He sucked some sauce from his thumb

"What you don't know is that Glen is going to drill us until we strike, then he will threaten to replace us to get another few lines out of us"

He chuckled and eyed the rest of the food

"Dang Glen you really went all out on this one. I'm stuffed"


Glen Kane

He eyed the food that was left

"And you actually allowed some to escape you? Seems like I will have some breakfast after all"
 
"I am sure that you will"

It was Elron who spoke. Claire looked across at him watching him as he finished eating.

"What you don't know is that Glen is going to drill us until we strike, then he will threaten to replace us to get another few lines out of us"


Claire could not imagine Glen being a hard task master, but he was definitely a professional so who knew what methods he would use when getting his play staged to his satisfaction.

"Well ... I intend to work hard ... "

Claire told assured them both.

"Dang Glen you really went all out on this one. I'm stuffed"

She watched the banter between the two men.

"And you actually allowed some to escape you? Seems like I will have some breakfast after all"

They were obviously very good friends and had alot in common, but were acutally very different, especially when it came to house sharing.

"As you two know each other so well ... does that ever cause problems when you're producing ... ? "

She wondered if they maintained a 'professional distance' in front of the other cast members.
 
Glen Kane

"It used to yes, but I found a way to work around it with the other production members. We get together and decide on how we want to work a production, then we stick to that plan unless something pops up that causes us to change our plans"

He spread his hands in part of his shrug

"You learn out of your mistakes and so we have gotten to the part where we could even act together in a scene because we know what we want"

He chuckled

"Most guys gets to that point in their late thirties early forties"

He finished his salad and sipped some of his water

"Have you eve thought of writing a play Claire? I mean you have read enough and I'm sure that there would be something that could inspire you to do that"
 
"It used to yes, but I found a way to work around it with the other production members. We get together and decide on how we want to work a production, then we stick to that plan unless something pops up that causes us to change our plans. You learn out of your mistakes and so we have gotten to the part where we could even act together in a scene because we know what we want"

Claire listened to Glen's answer with interest.

"Most guys gets to that point in their late thirties early forties"

She supposed that communication was the key. Ironically, it wasn't something she had alot of experience of as an only child and parents who talked, but didn't seem to actually voice their opinions or concerns.

"Have you eve thought of writing a play Claire? I mean you have read enough and I'm sure that there would be something that could inspire you to do that"

She considered his question.

"I never have ... though ... I used to dream up alternative scenes, alternative endings ... the fascination of 'what if' ..."

She confessed rather self consciously.

"Perhaps, once I see how a theatre production really works, I should think about it. It would be an interesting project, if nothing else ... "

She laughed.

"Not that I could imagine anything of mine hitting the stage ... it's clear I have no idea about the costings, sponsorship and the detail of staging a play. My ideas would probably not appeal to the "mass audience" ... "

She concluded.
 
Elron Kramer

"Well we don't just deal with Will's work you know? We had some successes with unknown writers as well"

He gave Glen a sly look

"In fact, Glen wrote a few plays that made it to bigger stages, isn't that true Kane Richards?"


Glen Kane

He just shook his head and threw a mock slap at Elron

"Anybody told you that you talk too much Mr Ron?"
 
"Well we don't just deal with Will's work you know? We had some successes with unknown writers as well"

As he spoke, Claire realised that Elron was even more involved in theatre than she had ever imagined.

"In fact, Glen wrote a few plays that made it to bigger stages, isn't that true Kane Richards?"

Claire turned to Glen in suprirse, eager to find out about his scripts and wondering if Kane Richards was his pseudonymn?

"Anybody told you that you talk too much Mr Ron?"

She looked from one man to the other and laughed.

"You two ... "

She laughed in exasperation.
She found them entertaining all the more so as the warmth that underpinned their banter was so heartwarming.

"I'd love to read something you've written ... "

She assured Glen.

" ... or go see it, if it's currently running anywhere nearby ... "

She wondered what ideas, what themes would appeal to him and whether he had thought about his "market" when he wrote or if he simply had a story to tell ...

"Do you write Elron..?"

She questionned ...
 
Elron Kramer

"Heck no, I'm a reader, a critic, a narrator, never expect me to write, you will be ashamed for my part



Glen Kane

"Usually the best idea is to run whatever I write past Elron, he is always brutally honest with his criticism and that helps a lot"

He looked around

"I think I have a transcript around here somewhere, I usually file them away, but that one seemed to have slipped out of the pile I filed away today"

He gave Elron a look that clearly stated that he knew that Elron did it
 
"Heck no, I'm a reader, a critic, a narrator, never expect me to write, you will be ashamed for my part

Another difference between the two, she noted.

"Usually the best idea is to run whatever I write past Elron, he is always brutally honest with his criticism and that helps a lot"

Again another illustration of how the two complemented each other.

"I think I have a transcript around here somewhere, I usually file them away, but that one seemed to have slipped out of the pile I filed away today"

Claire's eyes lit up expectantly.

"Is this something recent ... or something that's already been ... produced..?"

She hoped she had the terminology right.

"I assume this has met with Elron's approval ...?"

She queried ..
 
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