Marguerite Blakeney is clearly beyond scruples (blazeinhereyes) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2019-01-01 07:55:00 |
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As a general rule, practicing songs or monologues by herself was a lot easier than trying to do actual dialogue. However the scene that they were going to be doing the next day was one that required just that. Getting her lines in and knowing when to interject. And she was home alone at that moment. While Marguerite knew that Percy should probably be home soon, she still wanted to at least get an idea.
And of course it was the leading into the end of the first act. The Elephant Love Medley. With different songs from the movie. Well, some songs were the same, others were different. All the same. Either way, it was something she was looking forward to, but cues were going to be especially important given there was a lot of interjecting and responding to Christian’s idealistic claims.
Which was why she was currently trying to alternate between the two roles.
Percy was looking forward to seeing Marguerite in the production of Moulin Rouge. Of course, he always looked forward to watching her in any production she was in, so that was nothing new. And yes, he was also biased in his opinion. He also enjoyed helping Marguerite with her lines where he was able to. Of course, the easiest had been when she’d been in The Scarlet Pimpernel because, well, it was them. It wasn’t hard to help there.
He was just getting home after having had a relatively easy day at the office and then having spent a couple hours at the non-profit. All in all, he was in a good mood after having a pretty good day. He stepped inside and heard Marguerite was home and apparently rehearsing. Closing the door, he set his suit jacket over the back of a chair and loosened his tie before he headed to where Marguerite was and leaned against the doorframe with a smile on his face.
“Am I interrupting?”
Alternating between Christian and Satine was certainly something and part of why she had yet to realize that her husband had come home. Though it wasn’t so uncommon. Whenever she got into rehearsal mode, Marguerite could sometimes tune everything out. And that was just with going over monologues or songs. Add in when she needed to alternate lines and cut herself off? Well, Marguerite was more than a bit distracted.
So much in fact that she actually spun in shock when she heard Percy address her and looked to her husband, smiling some as she shook her head.
“Not at all. I was trying to run lines but given the nature of the scene….you’re just in time if you don’t mind playing an idealistic fool in love.”
While it wouldn’t be as easy as running lines for The Scarlet Pimpernel had been (honestly it was mostly just getting the exact phrasing and timing down for that given the fact it was their dreams), Marguerite had a feeling that it wouldn’t be too hard. The roles of Christian and Satine suited the two of them quite well.
It was amusing to watch Marguerite play both parts of the scene. Of course, it only showed that his wife was that much of a talented actress that she could undoubtedly pull off a single-woman show. Percy secretly wondered if she’d ever do a single-woman show and play all the parts herself, but that was something to consider in the future.
“An idealistic fool in love, you say? Well my dear, it just so happens that that is just the part I was born to play!” He grinned a bit and moved over to his wife, giving her a kiss in greeting.
“Which means yes, I’ll help you run lines. I do enjoy helping you run lines.”
While Marguerite was still getting used to the idea of doing the solo concerts after the one she’d done earlier in the year, she also did quite enjoy getting to play against someone else on stage and so a one woman show in which she was all the parts? Not really something she had all that much interest in at the moment. Though it was hardly something on her mind at the moment.
As Percy claimed that the role of an idealistic fool in love was the role he was born to play, the actress just smiled more and returned the kiss.
“Mm, I thought so. Honestly we might just make an actor out of you yet.”
That was said with a slight twinkle of the eye because Percy was the master of disguise in the dreams and had to put on many a role. But it was still fun to tease. But as he said that he would help her run lines, she handed him her script as she was supposed to be mostly off book for the following day’s rehearsal as well.
And as the scene was Christian sneaking into the Elephant from the window, she had her back to him briefly before turning and seeming shocked, as she was now embodying Satine as opposed to Marguerite.
“What in God’s name?!”
“I suppose it’s never too late to change careers,” he responded with a smile. After all, Percy was a master of disguise in the dreams. It wasn’t that much of a stretch to being an actor. Of course, there were some different skills that needed to be utilized, but the essence of an actor was there in his master of disguise. He could assume a role completely. He could make one hell of a method actor, actually.
Still, as Marguerite handed him the script, he took a moment to scan the scene. Percy liked to be prepared when it came to helping Marguerite run lines. He also liked to try and get at least the basic stage direction down as was noted in the script. But it didn’t take very long for him to get into the role of Christian.
He gave a little nervous chuckle. “I...I’m sorry, I had to.” He paused momentarily. “No, I’m not sorry.” He also tried to pretend like he’d just climbed up and through a window. Again, the method acting coming into play.
Really, Percy could be quite something if he ever decided to give acting a go. There of course was a lot to it, there were scripts to follow and the like. But he was quite good at becoming the disguise when he needed to so she could see him as an actor if he ever so desired. So she just gave a slight tilt of the head in acknowledgement of his comment.
The fact that Percy liked to actually have an idea of the scene and try to go with the stage directions was one of the reasons she was more than happy to have him help her with lines. Some would just read the lines and give her nothing to work off of. Which she could do of course, but it certainly made it more difficult. So for him to try and get an idea of the scene and the stage directions so she could do her own? All the better.
“What are you doing here?”
Percy did think he could make a decent actor if he ever wanted to be one. While he was better at improvisation, he could memorize lines. Stage direction might be the more difficult part for him, but as long as he got into character, he shouldn’t have a problem.
And of course, it was easy for him to take on this role. Even with just the brief read he’d given the scene, he could see the similarities between him and Christian. So it was more a natural part for him, which he certainly liked.
“I know you care for me, Satine, I can see it in your eyes. And I know I’m not rich but one day I’ll be a successful composer, I know it, and I’ll write every love song the world has ever known all for you.” He was definitely getting into the part, giving Marguerite plenty to work with.
The main concern with Percy and acting truly was getting him to listen to stage directions. But if he was ever needed in a pinch… though Marguerite really did hope that this would not be the show where he needed to step in last minute because something happened to everyone else who knew the role. It was too personal and the ending….well. This was not the show for that.
Still, there was one thing for Marguerite to say that Percy was a natural for this particular role and she for Satine as opposed to seeing Percy actually do the lines and experience it for herself.
“And I wish I could sing them with you, truly I do. But I am who I am,” a slight pause and shift in posture to signify that the conversation was over, “Believe me, I'm doing you a favor. Please leave.”
Stage direction would definitely be difficult. Percy preferred improv. But of course in a pinch, he would gladly stand in in any performance that Marguerite was in. He tended to be around the rehearsals for her shows enough that he’d learn the basic stage direction of the main characters. He could definitely get by in a pinch.
And at the moment, it was definitely a good thing he didn’t currently know what happened at the end of Moulin Rouge. Otherwise, he’d most likely get a little fixated on that.
“Is it because of losing the club, because of Zidler and the others?” He pressed. Yes, he could certainly see himself playing this role if it was needed.
The show must go on after all. Of course given the fact that none of the scenes dealing with Satine’s death had come up yet - at least in terms of the ones Percy had needed to sit in on since she wasn’t in the first number, that was still going to be something that she would need to figure out how to breach. Just not right now.
“They’re the only family I have.”
And another sign that Marguerite easily could have become like Satine had situations been different. Were it Armand, they knew she would do whatever was necessary to keep a roof over his head, to keep him safe. Agree to be the courtesan of a high ranking Duke even if she didn’t love him? That was nothing if it meant the well being of her brother.
That definitely was another similarity between Marguerite and Satine. Percy well knew that Marguerite would do whatever it took to keep her brother safe, to keep a roof over his head. Family that was close like they were would go to those lengths for each other. Percy couldn’t completely relate given he had no family left to speak of, but he liked to think that if he had a sibling, he’d be just as inclined to take care of them as Marguerite was of Armand.
“They would want you to be happy. Do you think you’ll be happy with the Duke?”
Shaking her head some, Marguerite turned to Percy.
“Look at me, Christian. Really look at me.” Because of course there were many ways that could be taken and there was honesty to the words, honesty to what Marguerite would have said had she never gotten into acting in the Dreams. Honesty and knowing the truth of her words. All if things had been different, “I can’t keep singing and dancing forever. I can’t live forever on my charm and my looks. On my body….” A pause and straightening of the body as she washed away any regret she might have and focused instead on what life had dealt her, on what was necessary for survival. “The Duke might be my last way way out. Judge me for that if you will, but you haven’t lived my life.”
There definitely were multiple ways that the initial response could be taken. And yet Percy both complied with it, and took it in a slightly different way. The little changes in her body language said all that needed to be said.
“Then let me be your lover. Live your life, be with the Duke, but let me love you.” Words spoken by a man who was clearly in love. He wanted to love and be loved. And it wasn’t going to be easy by any means, but it was better than attempting to live with a broken heart. It was better than spending the rest of their lives wondering what could have been. Right? This was definitely worth it all, right?
Right.
Most men would take it one way, and it was a way that seemed to be expected and the lines spoken seemed to hit a chord. Because it seemed that there was more, but also the expected physical aspect. Yet..more. It was something Marguerite-as-Satine didn’t seem to quite know how to take.
No. That wasn’t it. She just knew how these stories always ended. In pain. Claims of being fine with things the way they were only for that to end up a lie.
“Having an affair, is that what you want?”
Was it worth it? She honestly didn’t know because it would only end in pain even for those brief moments of happiness and escape. So putting it in blunt language, jar him back to reality.
Sure, Marguerite’s words were supposed to jar him back to reality, to dissuade him from trying to pursue what could potentially be fleeting happiness. However, it seemed to only fuel his resolve. Fleeting happiness was better than no happiness at all as far as Percy-as-Christian was concerned. And, well, Percy himself tended to feel that way.
Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, as the saying went. But it was a very true statement.
“I want every moment I can have with you. Stolen or not.”
She couldn’t deny that it did sound nice, and there was a moment and softening of the voice as she let go of her need to protect herself, of protecting the Moulin Rouge to admit to what she herself actually wanted.
“I want that, too.”
And that was all he needed. A confirmation that she wanted the same thing, and that was when the dreamer and lover in him combined and came out. He wanted to sing about it to any who would listen.
“Listen to your heart, Satine. Let me write a thousand love songs for you. Let me sing about youth for the ages.”
And of course he would take that brief moment of honesty and run with it, ignoring everything she had already said on why it wasn’t viable. And so she was going to have to again break it down to him. Again remind himself (and herself) why it wasn’t realistic.
“Christian, I can’t go back to the streets.”
He was nothing if not determined, though some might say stubborn, on this matter. And where matters of the heart were concerned? He was definitely determined and stubborn. So even with her attempt to break it down to him again, he didn’t give up.
“Then come with me to the stars.”
Despite the fact that she meant it when she said she couldn’t go back to the streets, she still shook her head. He was endearing in a stubborn way and really, the stars as a response to her very valid concerns about returning to the streets?
“You are utterly hopeless.” Yes there was a slight laugh to her voice, how could there not be?
Utterly hopeless? Most likely, but that’s what happened when he was in love. He was adamant about getting the woman he loved, even if he could only have stolen moments with her. He couldn’t help but to be emboldened by her statement.
“I am. But love is...like oxygen. Love is a...many splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong…”
Of course he did and all she could do was sigh and shake her head because it wasn’t necessarily a compliment. Yes, it was sweet. But that didn’t make it any less feasible and he really, really needed to come back down to reality.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
Percy noted that the scene went into a song. And, well, he couldn’t help himself but to keep it going. Marguerite hadn’t specified where she wanted to stop the scene. So he continued on.
“All you need is love!”
They weren’t quite at the singing yet, but she still maintained the agitation.
“Don’t start that, please.”
And then the louder repeated of the line as if wanting to shout his love and ignoring her concern.
“I heard you the first time!”
But then Percy was going into the actual singing and there was a brief moment of her pausing with a quirk of the brow because she certainly hadn't expected that but okay. Percy wanted to go into the singing, they would go into the singing.
“There’s no way cuz you can’t pay.”
She managed not to completely break character at that line given the image of Percy being unable to pay for anything was rather hilarious, but there was a slight crack before she got back into the role. Because if Percy was going for the singing, well...who was she to stop it?