POPPY WAS BITTERLY disappointed at first but she gradually got used to the idea that she was not Cinderella; she decided to make a really good job of the part of Rose and get involved in the play as much as possible.
The first proper rehearsal on the following Friday started off well, with Miss Mallow feeling very excited and the children equally so. Poppy looked at her script as they all waited for their teacher to photocopy some extra sets for those children who had forgotten or mislaid theirs. She loved Miss Mallow’s retelling of the story – it made her favourite fairytale even better!
“Before we start running through Act One, Scene One, can I have some volunteers for some of these jobs, please?” said Miss Mallow, pointing to a list on the board.
Poppy offered to design the programmes, while Honey and Sweetpea said they would make the tickets and some of the boys agreed to take posters round all the local shops.
“I will be sitting in the wings to prompt anyone who forgets their lines,” explained Miss Mallow. “I think that is almost everything taken care of now. Take your positions on the stage area for the first scene in the kitchen.”
But as the children were making their way up, Mimosa piped up: “Please, Miss Mallow, I just want to tell Poppy something about the programme. I think my name should be on the front and in big letters because I am the main character. After all, there would be no story without the Wicked Stepmother and no one else really wanted to be her, so I have done the class a favour.”
Before Miss Mallow could say anything, Freddie joined in: “You’re not the main part. We are! Everyone knows the Ugly Sisters get the biggest laughs – when Cinderella is on up in the City at Christmas, the Ugly Sisters are always the main characters on the posters.”
“No way!” shouted Sweetpea, sticking up for her friend, Abi. “Cinderella is the star. If anyone should have her name in big letters, it’s Abigail Melody!”
“Yes, but I wanted to be Cinderella!” exclaimed Lola, who was playing the Cook. “Why should my name be in small letters just because Abi’s foot fitted in a little shoe!”
“Yeah!” agreed Billy. “I don’t think it was fair using the shoes. It should have been based on how good we were at the auditions, shouldn’t it?”
“I was off that day! I could have been Prince Charming!” chimed in Nathan.
And so the squabbling and moaning went on, until Miss Mallow could not stand it any longer.
“Quiet, everyone! I tried my best to be fair – I explained my reasons for doing the shoe test. I thought you all understood that. Each and every one of you is absolutely vital to this production, however big or small your part, whether you are acting or helping backstage. If anyone were to drop out now, then there would be a problem, wouldn’t there? Now, enough of this nonsense! Get on the stage and let’s run through the kitchen scene. After that I will tell you about the song and dance moves for this scene. We have a lot to learn and we certainly don’t have time to bicker!”
It was very rare for Miss Mallow to lose her temper, and although she hadn’t raised her voice, the children knew she was cross. They silently shuffled onto the stage, took their positions and waited for further instructions.
Miss Mallow’s special version of the story, with just six simple scenes, was designed to make it easy to move the scenery around without too many complicated changes. It seemed to Poppy that some people did not appreciate all the hard work that their teacher had done and she felt sorry for Miss Mallow. Even though Poppy was still secretly disappointed about not being Cinderella, she wanted the show to be a huge hit – but most of the class didn’t seem to care.
When no one knew their lines, even though they had now had the script for almost two weeks, Miss Mallow felt rather worried. The run-through of the first scene was very messy.
“Did anyone read through their lines during the week?” she asked.
Poppy, Abi and Honey raised their hands, but no one else did.
“Well, you had all better come back next Friday with a better attitude and with your lines word perfect – the show will not happen if you don’t put the work in! I can’t learn your lines for you!” said Miss Mallow, just as the parents arrived to collect their children.
As she tidied everything away after the children had gone, she felt very tired and low. She really wanted to impress Bryony Snow – it would be such a privilege to appear in Buttons and Bows magazine: all her friends read it. But the children were being so difficult and she wasn’t sure what she could do to make things better. Perhaps she wasn’t up to such a big project after all. Just then she remembered that she was going out for supper at the Hedgerows Hotel with her friend Saffron Sage and Poppy’s mum, Lavender Cotton, and she began to feel a bit better. They were meeting to discuss the costumes as Saffron and Lavender had both offered to help. She was sure they would have some good advice for her.
“Are you OK, Holly?” asked Saffron when she saw her friend.
“Oh, I’m fine, thanks. I’m just tired and my class were absolute horrors at the rehearsal this afternoon. But it’ll all be worth it in the end,” she replied, not sounding terribly convinced by her own words.
“Well, I think you’re doing a wonderful job,” said Lavender. “I know Poppy is determined to make it the best show ever, plus we’re here to help you!”
Holly Mallow smiled. She knew her friends would make her feel better. And when Saffron showed her some truly wonderful sketches for the costumes, she almost forgot how disastrous the rehearsal had been and how upset she was at her class’s lack of commitment.
To start off with there was a grey and brown rag dress for Cinderella, which managed to look quite stylish; then, for later, a fabulous pale pink ball gown, followed by the most dreamy white wedding dress imaginable.
“Oh, Saffron, these are gorgeous!” said Miss Mallow.
Then Lavender showed some magazine clippings and sketches of special hats and headpieces for each character.
“Wow! These are amazing! I don’t know where you get the time,” enthused the teacher.
“I’m so pleased that you like them,” said Lavender. “I’ve had such fun, especially with the Ugly Sisters’ hats!”
She and Saffron had reminded their friend what fun it would be to put on the show – and impress Bryony Snow. Miss Mallow was re-inspired. That’s what friends were for, after all.
“I’ve had a great evening!” she said. “I can’t wait for the performance now that you have made it come alive – just as long as everybody learns their lines!”
