"Back Stage: Enter Stage Left, Act I" Chapter 8
Title: "Back Stage: Enter Stage Left, Act I"
Rating: Varies between chapters- all warnings posted with each chapter.
Spoilers/Disclaimers : Torchwood, belongs to the BBC and RTD, I’m just borrowing the characters- I own nothing here, nor do I make any money! So please don't prosecute! It’s an AU story, so I’m pretty sure that it shouldn’t spoil anyone’s enjoyment of Torchwood itself.
Summary: Torchwood characters in a story set in the contemporary world of UK theatre/entertainment.
A/N: Apologies for this being posted later than I wanted- yet again. BUT there will be another chapter within days… and I’m hoping it’s a bit of a reward for everybody’s patience! More apologies in advance for LJ’s expected random format changes.
Chapter List: http://wanda1969.livejournal.com/23796.html
Chapter 8
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Weeks went by like days, and the cast and crew of Aladdin soon found themselves in the final week of the production with few mishaps or problems along the way, testament to the ultimate professionalism of most of those involved. There had been a couple of near disastrous scene changes where the set threatened to lurch forward through the front cloth, and a few faulty mics for Tosh, but they’d all worked together to recover the situations, and the audience had been none the wiser, and the Box Office sales had reached an all time record high throughout the run.
Adam had turned out to be a great Stage Manager for Hartman; he had managed to keep the performers in check, much to the Cardiff crew’s surprise- they had never expected one so young to be capable of controlling so many egos and subtly averting the usual backstage bickering. He had also turned out to have a wicked sense of humour and was happy for all involved to indulge in backstage gags and in-jokes as long as they weren’t detrimental to the punters’ enjoyment.
Owen had failed in his season-long quest to ‘pull’ Rose Tyler, but a couple of the stage crew had been very successful in their attempts to woo several of the dancing girls- and in Chris’ case one of the male dancers. Rob, Toshiko’s on stage helper, had fallen hard for one of the older twirlies, Leanne, who was only a couple of years his junior, and was determined to see her long after the production ended. Owen’s derisive comments about Panto and showtime romances never lasting did little to diminish the soppy and starry-eyed look that Rob exhibited every time her name was mentioned, or whenever she was nearby.
Tosh and Ianto had quietly laboured on, although the Welshman had been more subdued than in previous years when he’d happily joined in the production company’s Christmas and New Year celebrations and regularly gone out clubbing with the crew and cast. He’d still joined in, of course, but not with his usual enthusiasm; his relationship with Lisa was often at the forefront of his mind. The fact that Lisa had the Christmas weekend off work and had gone home to visit her parents had done little to alleviate his worries, and explaining her absence from the Jones family’s celebrations had been far from easy. His sister, Rhiannon, had just nodded knowingly as Ianto made his excuses- Rhiannon had never been that friendly with Lisa, deciding that she was far too ‘stuck-up’ and ‘snooty’ when it became clear that the move back to Wales, of all places, had most definitely not been her idea. But he still continued to tell himself that everything was normal for such a busy time of year for them both- they would fix everything when the Festive season was over.
Away from home, Ianto had repeatedly found himself in the company of Jack Harkness. And it had been far from a hardship. Jack was an amusing companion during work outings and the two men had even been known to pop out between shows for a quick pub snack when, for each of them, the company of the others had turned out to be too ‘full-on’. The actor almost always managed to raise Ianto’s spirits with his outrageous and sometimes risqué tales, and turned out to be a good listener on the very few occasions that Ianto’s melancholic mood couldn’t be lifted. These rare moods were always connected to his relationship with Lisa, and Jack offered his best advice: as soon as Ianto could, he should whisk Lisa away for a romantic weekend or holiday, or failing that an intimate meal out. Whatever the option, he urged Ianto not to let his ‘real’ life drift- he himself had done that often enough, and had lived to regret not making the effort. In spite of Jack’s comments, the Welshman wasn’t looking forward to the end of the run. Not only was he filled with a sense of dread at having to confront his home life issues, but he was going to miss the exuberant entertainer who he had come to regard as a good friend and confidante.
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To Be Continued…