Alice-Miranda Takes the Stage by Jacqueline Harvey

Author:Jacqueline Harvey [Harvey, Jacqueline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-449-81074-3
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2013-05-14T04:00:00+00:00

That afternoon, Millie, Jacinta and Alice-Miranda milled about outside the assembly hall, waiting for their turn to audition. Millie and Alice-Miranda couldn’t help exchange knowing glances as they recalled their morning’s adventure. Fortunately, Jacinta was far too engrossed in reading over her lines to notice their strange looks. Ashima emerged from the building.

“How did you do?” Alice-Miranda asked.

“Okay, I think. You can go in now, Alice-Miranda. Miss Reedy asked for you. Good luck.”

“Thanks!” Alice-Miranda bounced into the hall.

“Hello there, young lady.” Miss Reedy smiled. “I see you’re auditioning for two parts this afternoon. May I introduce Mr. Lipp?” Miss Reedy nodded at the gentleman sitting beside her. They each had a pile of papers in front of them. Mr. Lipp was dressed in a very dapper mustard-colored suit with a multicolored tie. His handlebar mustache was neatly groomed; however, his eyebrows resembled two hairy caterpillars crawling across his brow.

“Hello, Mr. Lipp.” Alice-Miranda walked toward him and held out her hand across the table. “My name is Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones and I’m very pleased to meet you, sir.”

Mr. Lipp peered over the top of his spectacles and gently shook Alice-Miranda’s tiny hand. “Pleased to meet you too, young lady.”

“Now, where shall we start?” Miss Reedy glanced at the list in front of her.

“If I may, Miss Reedy, I’d like to read for Snow White first.” Alice-Miranda walked up the side steps and onto the stage.

“Very well,” Miss Reedy agreed. “Why don’t you commence from the part where the huntsman is taking Snow White into the forest with the intention of killing her. That should give you a bit of dramatic scope.”

Alice-Miranda stood in the middle of the stage and gathered her thoughts. She imagined that the assembly hall was now a dark forest and that the hunter was standing right in front of her.

“Please, sir, don’t kill me. If you let me go, I promise I’ll tell no one. I will find somewhere to live and I won’t ever return to the palace,” Alice-Miranda pleaded with her imaginary foe.

Miss Reedy read the part of the huntsman. “But I … I have a job to do. The Queen will—”

“Sir!” Alice-Miranda interrupted before letting out a heart-wrenching sob. “I beg you.” The tiny child fell to her knees.

“Then go. Go far away and never return. I will take the Queen the heart of a boar and make her believe that it was yours,” Miss Reedy read passionately.

Alice-Miranda looked up slowly. “Thank you, kind sir. Thank you with all my heart. Your generosity will never be forgotten.” And with that, Alice-Miranda fled into the wings.

Mr. Lipp brushed his eye and sniffed. Miss Reedy threw him a curious glance and he at once protested, “Dust, I think. Yes, very dusty in here.” He stuck his finger in his eye as if to remove the offending object.

Alice-Miranda returned to the stage, and both Mr. Lipp and Miss Reedy clapped vigorously.

“Well done, my dear, that was wonderful,” Miss Reedy enthused.

“Thank you.” Alice-Miranda smiled and gave a little bow. “May I read for the part of the narrator now?” she asked.

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