My plan is to have more than one goal this month. Like Akane42me, I'll be working on a Man from UNCLE Down the Chimney story. I had been thinking I could post a sentence here and there without damanging the secrecy, but now I'm rethinking that. In any event, I thought to work on the DtC story and one or two other pieces from which excerpts can be posted. I have several WIPs from which to choose, I'm afraid.
So, today I worked on this. Parts were written well ago. It was substantially revised and extended today.
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The sea faded away. The towns and the fields drifted past. The train seemed to stop at every station from the Baltic to Tbilisi and yet arrived before the mechanism could reset. Illya’s gait rolled when he crossed the platform. He heard the waves when the wind blew through the trees leading up to the university. The shouts of reunited classmates were cries amidst the waves. His bed lay too still for him to sleep at night.
By the next week, he was a student again. At the beginning of that week, Illya’s advisor told him to join the new English language drama club being started by one of the foreign doctoral students. “Attending practice with the gymnastics team is, of course, good for your body, but you should exercise your creative side as well.” Assuming the professor was trying to keep Illya's every waking hour occupied, Illya considered explaining his intention to audition for the chamber music group since he hadn’t been practicing his oboe enough on his own, until the professor had added, with a certain look over the top of his glasses, “Acting skills are quite useful.” Illya murmured his assent and picked up the slip of paper the advisor pushed towards him. “Auditions tomorrow evening. The main auditorium, Music Department.”
Illya detoured past the library on the way to his dormitory. Near the entrance, there was a notice about the drama group. It provided a few more details about the audition than the paper his advisor had thrust at him. One could choose a scene or read a selection from Shakespeare provided by the director. The notice solicited not only those hoping to act, but those with experience or an interest in learning the technical aspects of drama production. Illya checked out a collection of Shakespeare’s plays with annotations on the text and some historical background. He preferred to prepare. He was torn between Iago and Richard III. He opted for the latter. It fit his mood.
He heard the waves when the wind blew through the trees leading up to the university.
I really like this line. And I'm so pleased that we're going to be treated to excerpts from the story where Illya first gets into acting. (Will there be Chekhov? I shall keep my fingers crossed!)
This is pre-UNCLE youth. One where I've played fast and loose with the geography of Tbilsi (the conservatory is quite far from the university) and the organisation of the Soviet system of higher education. My excuse is that this is very much in the style of the show!
Yay, more Man from UNCLE stuff! I learn more about these guys with every new pico session. By this rate, I'll become a fan, without ever having seen a single episode!
So, today I worked on this. Parts were written well ago. It was substantially revised and extended today.
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The sea faded away. The towns and the fields drifted past. The train seemed to stop at every station from the Baltic to Tbilisi and yet arrived before the mechanism could reset. Illya’s gait rolled when he crossed the platform. He heard the waves when the wind blew through the trees leading up to the university. The shouts of reunited classmates were cries amidst the waves. His bed lay too still for him to sleep at night.
By the next week, he was a student again. At the beginning of that week, Illya’s advisor told him to join the new English language drama club being started by one of the foreign doctoral students. “Attending practice with the gymnastics team is, of course, good for your body, but you should exercise your creative side as well.” Assuming the professor was trying to keep Illya's every waking hour occupied, Illya considered explaining his intention to audition for the chamber music group since he hadn’t been practicing his oboe enough on his own, until the professor had added, with a certain look over the top of his glasses, “Acting skills are quite useful.” Illya murmured his assent and picked up the slip of paper the advisor pushed towards him. “Auditions tomorrow evening. The main auditorium, Music Department.”
Illya detoured past the library on the way to his dormitory. Near the entrance, there was a notice about the drama group. It provided a few more details about the audition than the paper his advisor had thrust at him. One could choose a scene or read a selection from Shakespeare provided by the director. The notice solicited not only those hoping to act, but those with experience or an interest in learning the technical aspects of drama production. Illya checked out a collection of Shakespeare’s plays with annotations on the text and some historical background. He preferred to prepare. He was torn between Iago and Richard III. He opted for the latter. It fit his mood.
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I really like this line. And I'm so pleased that we're going to be treated to excerpts from the story where Illya first gets into acting. (Will there be Chekhov? I shall keep my fingers crossed!)
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Is this set in Illya's pre-UNCLE youth, or has he gone back under some pretext?
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