Jane Actually

After all, the playwright was in the room as they rehearsed the read-through.
    Admittedly it was a bit of a cheat, rehearsing actors for what was supposed to be a cold read, but she understood what was riding on their performance. If they were successful, the producers might get a backer to stage a production.
    Well it’s not my worry. If the playwright isn’t going to fight for what he wrote …
    She went down the hallway, looking for a vending machine, but was interrupted by the gentle vibration of the phone in her purse. She fumbled for her phone, took it out and frowned at the unfamiliar caller ID.
    “Hello.”
    “Ms Cranford?”
    “Who is this?”
    “I’m Jessica Hanson, the casting director for
Sanditon
. It’s a movie based on Jane …”
    “I’m familiar with it,” Mary replied, sure her voice conveyed confusion and more than a little suspicion.
    “OK. I got to tell you, it was hard finding you. Actor’s Equity didn’t have a Mary Cranford on record.”
    “It’s a new stage name. I only just changed it.”
    “Well I finally found you, that’s what’s important.”
    Mary decided to avoid holding the conversation in the hallway and found a door leading outside. She’d thought the door led to the street, but instead found it opened onto an alley. It was late afternoon on the early spring day and the alley was already shrouded in darkness. She wished she’d brought her jacket.
    “How can I help you, Ms …”
    “Hanson. Look Ms Cranford, forgive me for asking, but who is it that you know?”
    “Excuse me?”
    “No, it’s none of my business. Well you probably know why I’m calling.”
    “No, I really don’t.”
    “You don’t? Well we’ve got a part for you. It’s just a walk on, or maybe it’s a cameo … that can’t be right … I’m not sure. Anyway, we’re shooting next week, so I hope you can make it. You are a SAG 1 member, aren’t you?”
    “Look, can I call you right back? Well in … in an hour? I’m actually in a read-through right now.”
    “Uh, sure, but it’s really urgent. Call me back in an hour.”
    Mary made sure she had the woman’s number before disconnecting. Once off the phone, she looked for someplace to sit and saw in the middle of the alley a white plastic lawn table and a few plastic chairs. She walked toward the table and deduced from the fag ends on the ground that she’d found the smoking area.
    She sat on one of the chairs after sweeping away a food wrapper and then called another number.
    “Mary! How delightful! We were just wondering how you’re getting on.”
    “Hi Jane. What, are you with Melody?”
    “Yes, she’s here. Do you want to call back to the office? Then I can put you on conference call.”
    Mary had to smile at her image of Jane sitting at an old-fashioned telephone switchboard.
    “No, it’s you I wanted to talk to.”
    “Have you seen the trailer yet?”
    Mary was confused by the
non sequitur
, then realized that Jane was talking about a movie trailer for
Sanditon
.
    “How can they have a trailer for a movie they haven’t even filmed yet?”
    “It’s apparently quite common. It’s called a teaser trailer and uses clips from earlier movies.”
    “Oh, no I haven’t. I’ll look for it. Actually, that’s the reason … I got a call from the casting director for
Sanditon
… they want me to do a walk on.”
    “What is that?”
    “And I thought you were an old movie hand. It’s just a small part in a movie without lines.”
    “Oh, I had hoped for something more … substantial.”
    “What? You knew about this?”
    “Of course. I asked Melody to arrange it.”
    That news pushed her back and made her realize the back of the brittle plastic chair had separated from its arms. She switched to a different chair.
    “Uh, I thought my contract didn’t allow me to …”
    “Do you want to appear in
Sanditon
or not?”
    “Well yes, of course,” Mary said.
    “It’s a welcome back present, a last fillip to your vacation … before you return to work.”
    “I still don’t know how it will work. If anyone recognizes …”
    “There is no danger. You are to play the fortune teller.”
    “Jane, there is no fortune teller in
Sanditon
.”
    “Apparently there is as of the last rewrite … something about ‘a device to propel the script forward.’ I have to warn you the role likely won’t survive and you may only appear as a DVD extra and Melody has made my objection known …”
    “Gee, great job selling it.