Deception

'There you are. What took you so long?' questioned Neil. His best
friend and co-actor Barry said,'Gosh Minnie, was it raining in your
area this morning?'. However the lady who was being showered with
questions, Minnie, seemed unruffled by the attention. Looking cool and
composed she replied 'I was having coffee with friends'. And that was
that. Such was her popularity in the drama company where she worked her
presence was all that mattered. She had to just look at any other
member of the company most of whom were male and flash her smile. Her
opposite number would thereafter melt into jelly. The company was just
two years old. Most plays that had been staged by it had three main
characters. The heroine was always played by Minnie. The male lead
would either be acted by Neil or Barry. The villain or anti-hero would
also be played by either of these two people. Neil, Barry and Minnie
had great chemistry on stage. When Neil played Othello, Iago was played
by Barry with Minnie making a magnificent Desdemona. Again Barry was a
great Professor Higgins to Minnie's Eliza with Neil pitching in as
Colonel Pickering. In this manner the company was slowly but surely
gaining name and fame.
As Minnie, Neil and Barry and the others took positions with script in
hand Andy entered the stage from the left wing. It was a Sunday evening
and the company was rehearsing for a new play. The play had been
written by Andy and he was directing it too. Andy was about the same
age as Neil and Barry but not as good looking. However a lot of people
felt that he was a better actor. It was also thought that plays with
two main male characters were being staged one after another to keep
Neil and Barry humoured. Often other members of the company had little
to do on stage. As rehearsals started Minnie commenced reading her
lines. 'But John, Joe is such a rogue. He keeps sending letters
addressed to Papa detailing my outings with you. And Papa is so old
fashioned you know'. The dialogue continued as Minnie's character
poured her heart out to 'John' played by Barry. Thereafter the scene
shifted to the residence of Mr Holt, the father of Dolly, played by
Minnie. Dolly was speaking to her aunt, Mrs Smith. Mrs Smith held Dolly
by the chin and remarked, 'But my child you are looking so pretty.
Surely you are fortunate to enjoy the affections of Mr John Ray. It
would be difficult to find an young man as promising as him'. As the
rehearsals concluded the last scene came up. In it's course the
characters played by Neil and Barry point pistols at each other and
shoot. The play ends as both men are killed. After this scene was
rehearsed Neil turned to Andy and said, 'We have to get blanks for this
scene.'. Andy retorted enthusiastically, ' I know a place where I can
get blanks!'. The rehearsals were over and everybody wanted to go home.
As Minnie approached the door of the auditorium Barry ran from the
stage area to catch up with her. As she stepped outside he handed her a
well-wrapped packet and said, 'Happy Valentine's day.'. She smiled and
took out another similar looking box from her bag and said, 'Sorry, you
are late. Neil gave me this while coming in.'. Barry's smiling face
became filled with worry lines.
Seven days later it was another Sunday. It was a packed house at Sonny
Hall where Andy's new play was opening. The play started exactly at
six. People were excited about yet another play from the Groovy Drama
Company. As the play advanced it became evident that it was a triangle
being acted out. There were manifold twists and turns. At exactly nine
pm Barry and Neil were facing each other on stage with pistols in hand.
After hurling challenges at each other they pointed the weapons and
fired. As the two men fell to the ground the curtain descended on the
stage. The audience broke into thunderous applause. However a doctor
attached to the hall had to be summoned and he pronounced both Neil and
Barry dead. Cause of death: bullet injury in the chest area.
Many things happened after this. A month after the double deaths Minnie
and Andy tied the knot. The day after the wedding Groovy Drama Company
started rehearsals for Hamlet with Andy and Minnie in the lead.