Neil had a copy of the whole script in his hands and was surprised to find that he wasn't sure how he felt about the whole thing. Maybe he should have suggested a different play, one that wasn't tied back to the memories that A Midsummer Night's Dream held for him. Still, it was just a play and at least reading Puck's lines wouldn't be a problem.
Still, he scooted a little closer to Todd and rested his head on the smaller boy's shoulder while they waited.
Helen heads out to the lake, with her copy of the play in one hand and her notebook in the other. When she sees Neil and Todd, she practically runs over, energy level high. Her eyes are wide, a mix of excitedness and nervousness. "Good Afternoon!" she geets them.
"Yeah." Neil answered softly and nuzzled against Todd for a moment before he straightened up. "It'll be better once we start reading and I remember how much I loved it." It was sort of like, getting back up on the horse and Neil knew that if he didn't do this read now...chances were good he'd never pick the play up again and that would be a true weakness.
Turning at the sound of Helene's voice, the young actor's face broke out in his usual friendly smile and he scrabbled up to his feet.
Helen's eyes grow a bit more nervous, but she fights to maintain her composure. "Hm. Um. I'll read just about anything. I can certainly read the women's roles. Whatever." She smiles, brightly.
"Right." Neil gently confirmed for Todd and then beamed a grin towards Helene.
"If you're sure? Okay, then lets...get started."
Picking up his script he pulled a pen out of his pocket and made a couple of marks, showing Todd the list of names that had small roles so they would all know who was to read when and then, it was just a question of starting.
For the first couple of rounds, it was understood that the reading might be a little...stilted, even Neil's voice was a little studious and maybe a bit...reserved? As if he was...holding back.
I'm Terrified! But Helen smiles. "Alright." She calmly opens her script, and watches the first page, ready to read, and ready to pour her heart into what she said.
Todd picked up on this right away knowing how much Neil loved to perform. He eyed his boyfriend worriedly, and gently nudged him to encourage him. He flipped through the pages, reading the marked roles, and getting through the section about Hippolyta and Theseus, and the beginning of the lovers into the forest, as well as the workers acting troupe.
As they read along, outloud, it was easy to hear the beauty in the language. At least it was for Neil. He found himself, once again, being carried along in the ryhmn and meter of the words, unconsciously picking up the beats as so many scholars believed the words were supposed to be read. He threw emphisis into certain words, lifted the syllables of others and slowly...very slowly, the language began to take him over.
Soon, he was moving as he spoke, using his whole body as well as his voice to paint the words out between the three of them, leading Helene towards her reading and seeking to draw Todd out of his shell, much as he had the first time around, when he begged his then roommate, now lover, to read against him.
For a scenes, Neil once again felt himself soaring on the language but then, without his evening thinking about it, the cue came and he spun around, all high energy and fire to deliver the words that were burned into his heart....
When she started reading, her voice was a bit shakey, and she was fairly still and focused on the book. As the reading goes on, the language begins to conquer her, and she's following Neil's lead.
Her voice becomes louder, stronger, determined and her motion is fluid, well matched with her voice. She's reading the part, not just the lines. Her soul seems to have been freed, as it all gets poured into the words on the page, giving them life. She so energetic, as she tries to pass some of that energy to Todd.
She watches Neil as the words pass on the page. And then he freezes. And she tenses a bit. "Neil?"
Neil looked over at Todd, his dark eyes stricken as he stammered over words they both knew he could speak flawlessly.
Grabbing the back of Todd's shirt, the young actor tripped over the words like a bird with a broken wing trying desperately to take flight. Now it was his turn to speak softly and shyly and he hung on tightly to his lover as he stumbled through Puck's lines...his heart racing as he just...tried to get through it.
Still, he scooted a little closer to Todd and rested his head on the smaller boy's shoulder while they waited.
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"You're ok with this, right?" He whispered to him. He could understand why Neil would be apprehensive, the play held odd memories for him as well now.
When Helen came over, he smiled, "Hi again."
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Turning at the sound of Helene's voice, the young actor's face broke out in his usual friendly smile and he scrabbled up to his feet.
"Good afternoon, Helene!"
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He smiled to Helen, and then glanced over at his lover, expecting him to take the lead here with directing the reading.
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"Okay, Helene do you have any parts in particular you want to read?"
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"Uh, just the smaller male roles for me, right, Neil?"
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"If you're sure? Okay, then lets...get started."
Picking up his script he pulled a pen out of his pocket and made a couple of marks, showing Todd the list of names that had small roles so they would all know who was to read when and then, it was just a question of starting.
For the first couple of rounds, it was understood that the reading might be a little...stilted, even Neil's voice was a little studious and maybe a bit...reserved? As if he was...holding back.
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Soon, he was moving as he spoke, using his whole body as well as his voice to paint the words out between the three of them, leading Helene towards her reading and seeking to draw Todd out of his shell, much as he had the first time around, when he begged his then roommate, now lover, to read against him.
For a scenes, Neil once again felt himself soaring on the language but then, without his evening thinking about it, the cue came and he spun around, all high energy and fire to deliver the words that were burned into his heart....
And he froze.
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Her voice becomes louder, stronger, determined and her motion is fluid, well matched with her voice. She's reading the part, not just the lines. Her soul seems to have been freed, as it all gets poured into the words on the page, giving them life. She so energetic, as she tries to pass some of that energy to Todd.
She watches Neil as the words pass on the page. And then he freezes. And she tenses a bit. "Neil?"
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He went over, and touched Neil's shoulder reassuringly.
"Neil?" He wondered why he stopped, and oh... right.
He peered back at him, and silently willed comfort and support to him.
He leaned in, and whispered softly in his lover's ear, "It's ok, we're here now. Go ahead. Fly again."
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Grabbing the back of Todd's shirt, the young actor tripped over the words like a bird with a broken wing trying desperately to take flight. Now it was his turn to speak softly and shyly and he hung on tightly to his lover as he stumbled through Puck's lines...his heart racing as he just...tried to get through it.
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