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A Victorian Music Hall Song Bird Tells It As It Could Have Been!© Katie Anne Gustafsson
Snow is falling down heavy outside the theatre, covering the East London streets and their dirty cobbles under a blanket of soft white flakes. Everything appears new again as it hides the evil black smoke of the City under its wings. With some reluctance I turn away from the window, and the magical sight outside. Snow always tempted me to go outside, just as it had during my Yorkshire childhood. But now I am a workingwoman, all grown up, with something of a reputation to protect - they'd probably lock me up like some half-wit if I was to run around in the snow here! I bet the other grand ladies in the Theatre never have thoughts about running through snow-covered streets shaking London's smog off their skin. It may be almost a new Century, and the Empire progressing at a rate of knots, but as far as I'm concerned, they wont have invented anything worthwhile until they can do something to get the black dust out of the air.
"Tough day Poll?" Bert, the props bloke asked as he came up beside me. "Aren't they all love?" I replied with a weary smile. "Still just one more song and then you're done for the night!" "Aye, that's right enough. And with that song, it wouldn't matter if I never opened me bloomin' mouth because as soon as the music starts, the folk out there sing loud enough to bring the theatre crashing down! Sometimes I think that the whole country was born singing about the "Old Bull and Bush!" Bert chuckled and disappeared behind the stage to put some props in place for tomorrow's show. I wonder whether I've enough energy to go out after we're finished tonight. Me friend Bess, who you can hear now, thrilling them with "Hold Yer Hand Out You Naughty Boy" wants me to go and meet her fancy man Nat, but I don't know that I want to go and play gooseberry. I just want to go home and sink into me bed. Maybe I'll just tell her I have a headache and then she wont get vexed with me. On the other hand, I feel like I'm letting the side down, everyone thinks I live such an exciting life here in the big City. It's a grand life, I don't say it's not - being able to doll yerself up and get out on the stage every night, singing songs that makes everyone smile, but afterwards, what is there for a good girl to do? It's not half as glamorous as me Da and Ma up North think. Our Shirl, me sister, thinks I'm out gallivanting every night with a different Champagne Charley, getting chocolates and pearls until they coming out me ears. She'd be surprised to see me tucked up in bed alone not an hour after the last curtain closes. They all think that the Ol' Girl herself comes down here just to hear me sing, if they only knew. The closest to Queen Victoria that the folks coming here get, is the pub across the road before the show starts. Quite a bit before if you ask me judging by the smell of stale ale that drifts up onto the stage. Mind you, I did hear tell once that her Royalness did attend some Music Hall show up the posh end of town, probably the Players, but she'd be watching Marie Lloyd and Florrie Ford, big names. Not little Miss Nobody from the Dales! Anyways it was probably just gossip. Theatres thrive on gossip! Some days I can't wait to get here and find out what they say I was doing the night before whilst I slept innocent like in me bed! Mind you, I did have a date with Jack Pleasants once, but he wasn't really my cup of tea! Bess fixed me up with him since his "I'm Shy MaryEllen I'm Shy" was my favourite song at the time. Only Jack wasn't as shy as he makes out in the song! Next I went out with a couple of the comedians, but their jokes weren't as funny off the stage. So for now, I'm just waiting for a big handsome lad to take me away from the stage and into a life of luxury. Go To Page: 1 2 |
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