SVT#32: Jessica on Stage
I know I said I was going to do SVT: Jessica and the Earthquake and I will, but when I recieved the books from the 'Bay I'd been waiting for, I re-read this one first and was instantly transported back to childhood. I loved this book! Which makes it kind of sad that, reading it now, all I want to do is snark at it.
On the cover, Jessica's supposed to be on stage (go figure, the artist actually managed to depict a scene from the book) in a play she is part of due to an acting class. It's a bit non-descript, actually, do you think the artist by this point realised that at some point Sweet Valley covers would be laughed at and decided to go white bread on us?
"Oh no, what a disaster!" is the opening line to the book - Jessica has forgotten to bake cookies for the Unicorn meeting that afternoon. Oh Noes, woe is me, shock horror, etc etc! Apparently, she's been convinced she's the next Sarah Bernhardt after watching a show at a local theater and is acting accordingly. She manages to convince Alice to take her to the store to buy some cookies, playing on the 'don't you think I should live up to my responsibilities' line - funny because, once at the store, Alice buys the cookies herself, so completely undermining the whole point. Yet another brilliant parenting tactic. On the way home, Alice has to suddenly brake for a dog, and someone hits the back of the van. It's a frail old lady who shouts at Alice and denies any blame. This is Mrs Harrington. They take her to hospital (with Jessica whinging all the way there how late she will be for the Unicorn meeting) and on the way home Alice comments on how familiar Mrs Harrington looks....(that's subtle foreshadowing, FYI).
The next morning, Liz's saintly saintliness kicks into overdrive and she mopes over how lonely Mrs Harrington seemed (even though all sge did was shout and moan and be generally grotty). So she gets Alice to take her into the hospital to give Mrs H some homegrown flowers. More foreshadowing about her striking looks and high cheekbones. Mrs H apologies for her behaviour the night before and tells them she lives alone, her beloved husband is dead and it doesn't really matter that she has to wear a neck brace because nobody is there to see if she does the housework or not. Liz's heartstrings are thoroughly stretched by this point and she feels all sorry for Mrs H.
When they get home, all is revealed. Jessica has been studying acting watching black and white movies on TV (frankly, I can't think of a more boring pastime). She knows why Mrs H looks familiar - she's actually Dolores Dufay who starred in Winds of Eden (not East of Eden, then). The twins and Alice have hot chocolate and she tells them all about Dolores; she was part of a husband and wife team who were really famous and talented and even got an Academy Award. Jessica of course sees Dolores as her scratching post on the way to fame, even though Dolores hasn't made a film for a very long time.
The next day at school Amy and Belinda (????? Do you think the ghostwriter actually read the other books because I don't think Amy and Belinda are meant to be friends, let alone hang out together ?????) rush up to Liz and tell her they've found an ultra cute stray black and white kitten near the Little League field. Liz's animal heartstrings twang and she agrees to go see it. Meanwhile, Jessica has kept her nouth firmly shut about knowing who Dolores is - much to Liz's (and mine) amazement. She does, however, stop Liz going to see the kitten that night after school. Turns out she wants to go and see Mrs H, apparently to do something nice for her, but actually to get her autograph (not that she tells Liz this or anything).
After school they stop and buy some gourmet tea for her, but Mrs H is less than keen to let them in. I can understand this as if some bratty kids of the woman who slammed her brakes on for a dog in front of me turned up on my doorstep I would be less than impressed. This isn't the reason why, though. It turns out that, in the time Mrs H was in hospital, her house got burgled. Shock shock, horror horror, shock shock horror! Apparently her house is really run down and shabby (I guess she lives near Sophia and the other scum of the valley then). Hear that thrumming noise? It's Liz's heartstrings going into overdrive. Mrs H has called the police but as it's Sweet Valley and the twins need to have a chance to be involved, they haven't found any clues as to who did it. Mrs H can't tidy up very well because of the neck brace. The twins clean up for her (actually, it's Jessica who suggests it, and without bargaining for an autograph on the way. I don't think the ghostwriter did read the other books you know).
Whilst cleaning, Jess find a framed photo of Dolores in her heyday, and asks Mrs H if it's true, who promptly cries and leaves the room. Tact of a bull in a china shop, Jess. Mrs H doesn't like being reminded of the past as she's still upset over her husband's death and how she won't act anymore because he's not there. No, Liz does not offer to be a grief counsellor, but you can tell she's close. Jessica goes all virtuous and offers to keep coming back until the house is tidy. Quote: 'Mrs Harrington looked surprised. Elizabeth looked even more surprised.' Lolz!
Liz goes to see the kitten and of course then goes home and asks Alice if she can keep it. Hang on a cotton picking second. Isn't Jess allergic to cats? Or is she? I get lost with whether she is or not. Alice agrees with no hesitation (obviously) and it's all set that Liz will get the kitten the next day. Jess rushes in and says Mrs H is heartbroken as she's found her treasured scrapbook of her career is missing; the twins decide to turn detective and find it themselves since the SV police force are obviously too busy honing their skills for 4 years time when Crazy Margo arrives.
The twins spend Saturday morning hunting for the scrapbook - I guess the starving kitten in the field had to wait. They go to the police station but nobody wants to help (how surprising) so they hunt round charity shops and antique stores but to no avail. Liz goes to pick up the kitten and they all decide to suggest a name each - ready for the suggestions? You may need a bowl ready, to puke into. Ok. Patches. Cuddles. Miss Kitty. And the worst - Sweetie Pie. What self respecting cat would want to be called Sweetie Pie!! If anything, it sounds like Tweety Pie, and what an insult that would be.They take her to Casa Wakefield and she creates havoc, earning herself the name of Mischief.
Jessica decides that Mrs H needs cheering up and Steven suggests getting her a dog. His friend Joe Oppenhemier (seriously) has some German Shephard puppies going for free (yeah right, pedigree pups are expensive, believe me I know). Liz is less than enthusiastic but she lets Jess ramroad her into it. Jess picks out an over enthusiatic pup even though Liz wants a quieter one, and they take him to Mrs H's house. At the very least a female pup would have been better. He lunges into Mrs H's house and wees on the carpet. That's the end of the puppy idea. Liz takes him back while Jess straightens up. Mrs H has lost her reading glasses so Jessica agrees to read to her and comes across an advert for a free acting workshop. Everything's blooming free in Sweet Valley. Mrs H thinks Jess should go for it if she wants to be an actress but Jess is less than keen as it sounds like a lot of work and starts at half 9 Saturday mornings. Bloody hell, if I get up at 9 that's a lie in for me, any day of the week. So she begrudgingly signs up.
To her surprise, she really enjoys it and goes to Mrs H's house to tell her all about it. Mrs H gets all enthsiastic about it and reminisces, ending up with giving Jess a signed photo of herself in her younger days. Jess finally tells Lila and Ellen about knowing Dolores but they don't believe her (hmm, I wonder why, ahem, Quakefield Wakefield). However, the signed photo persuades them, and Jessica says if they come to the performance at the end of the acting workshop, they will meet her there.
Jessica works really hard at the acting class and ends up being cast an important role (as we all knew she would). However, her co-star is really shy so Mrs H practises with her. Jess is amazed at how well Mrs H can act. Really, do you think a world renowned actress couldn't act then, Jess. Jess tries to persuade her to go back into acting but Dolores is having none of it.
It turns out Dolores can't go to the performance on Saturday night because she won't go out at night but she'll go to the dress rehearsal on Saturday afternoon. However, Lila and Ellen have already made plans and won't change them, but Jess thinks this might be for the best as Mrs H doesn't look like a famous movie star anymore. Just when you think she's being nice, she turns round and bites you.
On Saturday, Jess is looking for a big gold bird kite that belonged to Steven that she's promised to take in for the play (the play is called The Kite). However, he's thrown it away so the twins decide to go to the market to buy another one. Jessica goes to the kite makers stand and Liz stops to look at some books. And what do you think she finds. The scrapbook, of course. They buy it and take it to the police station, getting the number of the van on the way. Go, Super Snoopers! Oh, sorry, wrong series....
Jessica goes to the dress rehearsal and meets up with Mrs H, who won't allow Jessica to tell everyone who she is. During the performance, Liz comes in with a covered basket; Mischief is in the there having been to the vets for her shots. Mischief likes Mrs H and falls asleep on her lap. Guess where this leading....
The boy who Jess is paired with, Martin, is really nervous and forget his lines, but overall the performance seems quite good. Jess is looking forward to the proper one in the evening. Liz asks Mrs H if she misses the stage, and she admits maybe it was a mistake giving it up after Richard died. That's the power of twin persuasion I suppose.
The twins go back to the police station and it turns out they cracked the case. The man selling the book was the burglar, and they found most of Mrs H's missing items. When they get home, Mrs H rings up and says she will be going to the evening performace after all. The twins decide to give her the scrapbook after, as a surprise. And then Liz comes up with an idea for another special gift....
At the performance, Dolores dresses back up in her finery and does her make up so she looks more like she did when she was famous. However, Jessica gets bad news that Martin, her shy co-star, has dropped out due to nerves. She has to go tell her family, but Dolores saves the day and acts out Martin's part (apparently the play is very famous and Dolores already knows the lines, very conveniently). It's a brilliant performance, as Jessica's performances always tend to be (even the Miss Teen Sweet Valley one ended well).
Later, at Casa W, they all eat ice cream and the twins present Mrs H will her scrapbook. She is of course very pleased and happy. She announces that she called her old agent and she's going back into acting. And he'd just take her, like that. Even though new stars have been dicovered, because of the Wakefield Twins influence, Dolores wil be a supastar again! Also, we find out what Elizabeth's mystery present is....it's Mischief, of course. She gives her to Mrs H, even though I'm sure Amy and Belinda would be mightily pissed of considering they found her, and everyone's all happy, sparkling teeth, and so on.
At school the next day, everyone congratulates Jess on her performance, but Caroline steals the show as it were and announces the arrival of the East German boy's gymnastics team, book 33: Elizabeth's New Hero.
I didn't realise until I was searching for a cover pic for this book that SVT 80# The Gossip War, also features Dolores Dufay and Mischief. Go, continuity!
On the cover, Jessica's supposed to be on stage (go figure, the artist actually managed to depict a scene from the book) in a play she is part of due to an acting class. It's a bit non-descript, actually, do you think the artist by this point realised that at some point Sweet Valley covers would be laughed at and decided to go white bread on us?
"Oh no, what a disaster!" is the opening line to the book - Jessica has forgotten to bake cookies for the Unicorn meeting that afternoon. Oh Noes, woe is me, shock horror, etc etc! Apparently, she's been convinced she's the next Sarah Bernhardt after watching a show at a local theater and is acting accordingly. She manages to convince Alice to take her to the store to buy some cookies, playing on the 'don't you think I should live up to my responsibilities' line - funny because, once at the store, Alice buys the cookies herself, so completely undermining the whole point. Yet another brilliant parenting tactic. On the way home, Alice has to suddenly brake for a dog, and someone hits the back of the van. It's a frail old lady who shouts at Alice and denies any blame. This is Mrs Harrington. They take her to hospital (with Jessica whinging all the way there how late she will be for the Unicorn meeting) and on the way home Alice comments on how familiar Mrs Harrington looks....(that's subtle foreshadowing, FYI).
The next morning, Liz's saintly saintliness kicks into overdrive and she mopes over how lonely Mrs Harrington seemed (even though all sge did was shout and moan and be generally grotty). So she gets Alice to take her into the hospital to give Mrs H some homegrown flowers. More foreshadowing about her striking looks and high cheekbones. Mrs H apologies for her behaviour the night before and tells them she lives alone, her beloved husband is dead and it doesn't really matter that she has to wear a neck brace because nobody is there to see if she does the housework or not. Liz's heartstrings are thoroughly stretched by this point and she feels all sorry for Mrs H.
When they get home, all is revealed. Jessica has been studying acting watching black and white movies on TV (frankly, I can't think of a more boring pastime). She knows why Mrs H looks familiar - she's actually Dolores Dufay who starred in Winds of Eden (not East of Eden, then). The twins and Alice have hot chocolate and she tells them all about Dolores; she was part of a husband and wife team who were really famous and talented and even got an Academy Award. Jessica of course sees Dolores as her scratching post on the way to fame, even though Dolores hasn't made a film for a very long time.
The next day at school Amy and Belinda (????? Do you think the ghostwriter actually read the other books because I don't think Amy and Belinda are meant to be friends, let alone hang out together ?????) rush up to Liz and tell her they've found an ultra cute stray black and white kitten near the Little League field. Liz's animal heartstrings twang and she agrees to go see it. Meanwhile, Jessica has kept her nouth firmly shut about knowing who Dolores is - much to Liz's (and mine) amazement. She does, however, stop Liz going to see the kitten that night after school. Turns out she wants to go and see Mrs H, apparently to do something nice for her, but actually to get her autograph (not that she tells Liz this or anything).
After school they stop and buy some gourmet tea for her, but Mrs H is less than keen to let them in. I can understand this as if some bratty kids of the woman who slammed her brakes on for a dog in front of me turned up on my doorstep I would be less than impressed. This isn't the reason why, though. It turns out that, in the time Mrs H was in hospital, her house got burgled. Shock shock, horror horror, shock shock horror! Apparently her house is really run down and shabby (I guess she lives near Sophia and the other scum of the valley then). Hear that thrumming noise? It's Liz's heartstrings going into overdrive. Mrs H has called the police but as it's Sweet Valley and the twins need to have a chance to be involved, they haven't found any clues as to who did it. Mrs H can't tidy up very well because of the neck brace. The twins clean up for her (actually, it's Jessica who suggests it, and without bargaining for an autograph on the way. I don't think the ghostwriter did read the other books you know).
Whilst cleaning, Jess find a framed photo of Dolores in her heyday, and asks Mrs H if it's true, who promptly cries and leaves the room. Tact of a bull in a china shop, Jess. Mrs H doesn't like being reminded of the past as she's still upset over her husband's death and how she won't act anymore because he's not there. No, Liz does not offer to be a grief counsellor, but you can tell she's close. Jessica goes all virtuous and offers to keep coming back until the house is tidy. Quote: 'Mrs Harrington looked surprised. Elizabeth looked even more surprised.' Lolz!
Liz goes to see the kitten and of course then goes home and asks Alice if she can keep it. Hang on a cotton picking second. Isn't Jess allergic to cats? Or is she? I get lost with whether she is or not. Alice agrees with no hesitation (obviously) and it's all set that Liz will get the kitten the next day. Jess rushes in and says Mrs H is heartbroken as she's found her treasured scrapbook of her career is missing; the twins decide to turn detective and find it themselves since the SV police force are obviously too busy honing their skills for 4 years time when Crazy Margo arrives.
The twins spend Saturday morning hunting for the scrapbook - I guess the starving kitten in the field had to wait. They go to the police station but nobody wants to help (how surprising) so they hunt round charity shops and antique stores but to no avail. Liz goes to pick up the kitten and they all decide to suggest a name each - ready for the suggestions? You may need a bowl ready, to puke into. Ok. Patches. Cuddles. Miss Kitty. And the worst - Sweetie Pie. What self respecting cat would want to be called Sweetie Pie!! If anything, it sounds like Tweety Pie, and what an insult that would be.They take her to Casa Wakefield and she creates havoc, earning herself the name of Mischief.
Jessica decides that Mrs H needs cheering up and Steven suggests getting her a dog. His friend Joe Oppenhemier (seriously) has some German Shephard puppies going for free (yeah right, pedigree pups are expensive, believe me I know). Liz is less than enthusiastic but she lets Jess ramroad her into it. Jess picks out an over enthusiatic pup even though Liz wants a quieter one, and they take him to Mrs H's house. At the very least a female pup would have been better. He lunges into Mrs H's house and wees on the carpet. That's the end of the puppy idea. Liz takes him back while Jess straightens up. Mrs H has lost her reading glasses so Jessica agrees to read to her and comes across an advert for a free acting workshop. Everything's blooming free in Sweet Valley. Mrs H thinks Jess should go for it if she wants to be an actress but Jess is less than keen as it sounds like a lot of work and starts at half 9 Saturday mornings. Bloody hell, if I get up at 9 that's a lie in for me, any day of the week. So she begrudgingly signs up.
To her surprise, she really enjoys it and goes to Mrs H's house to tell her all about it. Mrs H gets all enthsiastic about it and reminisces, ending up with giving Jess a signed photo of herself in her younger days. Jess finally tells Lila and Ellen about knowing Dolores but they don't believe her (hmm, I wonder why, ahem, Quakefield Wakefield). However, the signed photo persuades them, and Jessica says if they come to the performance at the end of the acting workshop, they will meet her there.
Jessica works really hard at the acting class and ends up being cast an important role (as we all knew she would). However, her co-star is really shy so Mrs H practises with her. Jess is amazed at how well Mrs H can act. Really, do you think a world renowned actress couldn't act then, Jess. Jess tries to persuade her to go back into acting but Dolores is having none of it.
It turns out Dolores can't go to the performance on Saturday night because she won't go out at night but she'll go to the dress rehearsal on Saturday afternoon. However, Lila and Ellen have already made plans and won't change them, but Jess thinks this might be for the best as Mrs H doesn't look like a famous movie star anymore. Just when you think she's being nice, she turns round and bites you.
On Saturday, Jess is looking for a big gold bird kite that belonged to Steven that she's promised to take in for the play (the play is called The Kite). However, he's thrown it away so the twins decide to go to the market to buy another one. Jessica goes to the kite makers stand and Liz stops to look at some books. And what do you think she finds. The scrapbook, of course. They buy it and take it to the police station, getting the number of the van on the way. Go, Super Snoopers! Oh, sorry, wrong series....
Jessica goes to the dress rehearsal and meets up with Mrs H, who won't allow Jessica to tell everyone who she is. During the performance, Liz comes in with a covered basket; Mischief is in the there having been to the vets for her shots. Mischief likes Mrs H and falls asleep on her lap. Guess where this leading....
The boy who Jess is paired with, Martin, is really nervous and forget his lines, but overall the performance seems quite good. Jess is looking forward to the proper one in the evening. Liz asks Mrs H if she misses the stage, and she admits maybe it was a mistake giving it up after Richard died. That's the power of twin persuasion I suppose.
The twins go back to the police station and it turns out they cracked the case. The man selling the book was the burglar, and they found most of Mrs H's missing items. When they get home, Mrs H rings up and says she will be going to the evening performace after all. The twins decide to give her the scrapbook after, as a surprise. And then Liz comes up with an idea for another special gift....
At the performance, Dolores dresses back up in her finery and does her make up so she looks more like she did when she was famous. However, Jessica gets bad news that Martin, her shy co-star, has dropped out due to nerves. She has to go tell her family, but Dolores saves the day and acts out Martin's part (apparently the play is very famous and Dolores already knows the lines, very conveniently). It's a brilliant performance, as Jessica's performances always tend to be (even the Miss Teen Sweet Valley one ended well).
Later, at Casa W, they all eat ice cream and the twins present Mrs H will her scrapbook. She is of course very pleased and happy. She announces that she called her old agent and she's going back into acting. And he'd just take her, like that. Even though new stars have been dicovered, because of the Wakefield Twins influence, Dolores wil be a supastar again! Also, we find out what Elizabeth's mystery present is....it's Mischief, of course. She gives her to Mrs H, even though I'm sure Amy and Belinda would be mightily pissed of considering they found her, and everyone's all happy, sparkling teeth, and so on.
At school the next day, everyone congratulates Jess on her performance, but Caroline steals the show as it were and announces the arrival of the East German boy's gymnastics team, book 33: Elizabeth's New Hero.
I didn't realise until I was searching for a cover pic for this book that SVT 80# The Gossip War, also features Dolores Dufay and Mischief. Go, continuity!