treading the boards

Lucie chuckled. “I don’t blame her, I would be straight off that stage and leaping into someone’s arms if I saw a rat. I don’t care if I was mid song.” She confessed, shuddering at the thought. She’d seen enough rats scuttling about in the underground stations, she couldn’t imagine one being in the theatre in which she worked. Fingers crossed the Shaftesbury Theatre didn’t have one.

“I know you are,” Lucie grinned, “but so am I. This is why we always end up eating somewhere when we catch up.” She listened to Evie tell her about her new roommate. She sometimes wished she had an extra bedroom to rent out for help with the rent and some company. She enjoyed living alone but it did sometimes get a little lonely. “That’s awesome, I’ll definitely be popping round a lot more then when I get bored.” She took another bite of her food, which was still as amazing as the first bite she took. “Oh, did you see. We made the cut for the video taken during last weeks class!”

“Now I’m just imagining you laying in the lap of someone in the front row,” she laughed, “those tickets sell out fast but it’s not usually because they get a queen in their lap.” Evie had been freaked out by the rat but her head had been totally in the show, so aside from a little jump she had managed to stay relatively in character. “I love the arts to death but it’s not exactly the most upscale place,” she laughed.

“Well that is no bad thing,” she beamed, Evie loved eating out but couldn’t always justify it, when it was to meet up with a friend though, she had a very good excuse. Evie had been a bit brave to get a two bedroom apartment in an expensive area of town but she’d taken the risk, and now she was glad because living with her sister was going to be pretty amazing. “Come round whenever,” she explained. Her eyes widened at the next comment, “no I didn’t see it, that’s brilliant!”

“They really do,” Sean nodded in agreement, grinning at the young woman’s words. “Oh? Yeah, that’d be cool. If it’s not too much hassle though…” he agreed, hoping his daughter would like it. “My daughter will be thrilled. Probably put it on her wall or something,” he chuckled. 

“Honestly not a problem, I can grab another one tonight,” she explained. Evie reached into her backpack and pulled out the brochure, a new photo pack printed with all of the queens from the begining to now. It was glossy and pretty great, if Evie was to be trusted. “Well, if she wants the rest of the signatures just tell her to come by the theatre,” she grinned. Evie opened it to the Anne Boleyn page and lent it on her knee as she scribbled her signature on it. 

Vick stood there watching the girls go off to the room for a moment and smiled for a moment and laughed a little, as she then saw the wine be poured and she smiled, “My week has been busy but its been good. Coming home to my little one always makes my days and weeks better.” She smiled as she ran a hand through her hair and took a sip of her wine before taking a seat in the living room. “How’s your week been?” 

Evie led Vickie through and sat down on one couch, putting her foot underneath her as she listened to Vickie. “I bet,” she agreed. “Mine was pretty exciting, Lin Manuel Miranda came to the show on friday, which was unreal,” she admitted. “But now I have a week off with Laila which should give me some processing time.” 

Vick was happy for Kiera to have people to hang out with, she was young and knew it was important for her to socialise. She smiled as she watched Kiera smile over at Laila and she smiled nodding at Kiera to go with her. She  laughed, “It’s totally fine I understand that.” She smiled, Wine and Snacks sound like the perfect combination really.” She smiled following the women, “White works perfectly for me thank you.” 

The two girls headed off to play in Laila’s room, where the older girl had already picked which activities they would do. Evie nodded at the choice and began to pour Vickie a glass of wine, pouring herself one too. “So how has your week been?” she asked, before leading towards the living room, sitting herself down on one of the chairs. Evie took a sip of her wine before placing it on the coffee table and eating a crisp.

“They really are. Caught myself humming to one the other at work and couldn’t place it. Had to actually ask my daughter,” Sean told her, grinning widely and shaking his head. It’s what he got for letting his 15 year old control the speakers at home. “Oh, that’s not long at all,” he mused. Then an idea struck him. “Hey, would it be too weird if I asked for a picture or something for my daughter?” he asked suddenly, though he didn’t want to make the young woman uncomfortable. 

“They get you when you least expect it,” she laughed. Evie was about to bid the guy farewell when he asked about a photo, “no of course,” she smiled. “I actually have a copy of our new photo brochure, I could sign it?” Evie suggested. She didn’t always walk around with merch but she had taken one to give to Laila, she wasn’t seeing her for a few more days though so she could always pick another up tomorrow.

“Oh hush, let me be proud here for a moment. It’s not like I can see you shine on a stage all the time.” Katherine mused, adjusting her sister’s hair before being pulled in for a hug. She wasn’t one to easily let others hug her, but for family she always made an exception. “Hey, nothing of that! Being sweaty means you did hard work and you can be proud of yourself.” Was she being too much of a big sister? Maybe, but Evie would just have to suffer. She was super proud of what both Evie and Akida had accomplished in their lives. She was proud of all of her siblings, no matter where they were at in their life. “Do you want to have a shower first before grabbing a bite, or are we going to soak in the sun and sit on a terrace somewhere?” 

“That was just a rehearsal,” she stated, “I’m not even wearing my fancy outfit.” Evie smiled as Katherine fixed her hair before hugging her, Katherine wasn’t a hugger but Evie was, so she didn’t get a lot of choice in the matter really. “Thanks mum,” she said with a laugh, Katherine had always been a bit of a mothering type. “I’ll get changed, and freshen up, but then I’ll be fine,” she answered. Evie was thankful pretty much everyday for her family, she knew that she could’ve ended up an only child, or bounced around the system, but she’d found a home and a whole bunch of amazing siblings that came with it, her sisters were her world and she was so glad that a twist of fate brought them all together. “What are we eating?”

Lucie grinned at her friend. She couldn’t wait to start making memories on her run on & Juliet. As long as the curtain didn’t fall down, she mused. “ No way! You have a theatre rat? ” She giggled, amused by the idea. London’s theatres were so old, it didn’t surprise her but it was still wild.

She looked at the food, quickly tucking in. The second the first bite passed her lips, she let out a moan. It was truly amazing. “ Okay, you’re allowed to recommend all my food choices from now on. ” She spoke with her mouth still full of the amazing food. “ So tell me, what else is new with you? Apart from work stuff. ”

She nodded at the mention of the rat, “yeah Henry has ran on during a song once, we all tried to keep calm but Harriet fully freaked out,” she admitted, remembering Harriet in her full Holbein get up, just squealing. Now Henry was pretty much part of the Six family.

Evie laughed as Lucie moaned at the taste of the food, “calm down girlie,” she joked. Evie tucked into her own food though, glad it was as good as she remembered. “I am a total foodie,” she admitted. She shrugged lightly at the mention of anything else being new, “honestly not really anything,” she admitted, “Akida has moved in, it’s pretty nice to have a housemate,” she admitted, “and help on the rent is much needed.”

Where: The theatre Who: @evielui​ When: After rehearsal.

“Oh my, gooood” Katherine squealed as she made her way towards her sister, not wanting to interrupt her conversation just now. She didn’t know if it was a co-star or the director. She had seen the last bit of what they had been rehearsing and she couldn’t be more ecstatic of her sister doing so great in what she loved to do best. “You were so amazing! You’re like a whole different person on that stage!” 

Evie grinned when she saw Katherine coming towards her. They had been doing a last minute rehearsal for one of the swings who was going on for a new part, so she’d had to postpone her meeting with her sister. “Well that’s kind of the point,” Evie joked at the compliment, “but thank you,” she said pulling her sister in for a hug. She let go before grimacing, “sorry, I’m probably a sweaty mess.”

LOCATION: honestly, wherever, up to you! TIME: Saturday afternoon

“Okay, can I be real honest with you? I have no idea what you just said.” Akida cut the other off mid-sentence when the admission came out, but she paired it with a warm, sincere smile so the other person didn’t think she was ignoring them on purpose. “Now, try it again, but in a Daffy Duck voice.”

Evie was surprised to be cut off mid-sentence, but less so when her sister admited that she wasn’t really listening. Her eyes rolled at the mention of a daffy duck voice. “Daffy is not one of my specialist skills,” she admitted, “I have a wide range of talents but that duck is not one of them,” she joked. “What’s on your mind?” she asked, wondering what was distracting Akida.

“Well, that’s cool,” Sean said with a nod and a grin. “It’s definitely catchy music. My daughter blasts it all the time and it’ll just get stuck in my head,” Sean laughed, shaking his head. “Have you been in the show long?” He asked curiously. He wondered if Tisha had seen the woman perform yet. 

“Thanks,” she smiled, nodding along at the mention of the catchy music. “Oh those songs are big time ear worms,” she agreed. “Almost four months,” she explained, “I’m a relative newbie.” Evie still felt very new to the show, it was hard to remember that she had been there so long. 

“Well if you’re game, I totally am.” Somehow it seemed less scary with Evie there. Something about doing the training and sports to protect herself in the future was unnerving, but she felt stronger with the other there. It would all work out in the end, she was sure of it. “Yeah me neither. My dad is working late nights so I never see him until the morning if I’m lucky.” And that just alone depended on if he was awake already by the time she was headed to work or class. “Uber sounds good. Want to check out a Tesco or Sainsbury’s before we go? Stock up?” She definitely had the munchies after what they’d just been through. 

“I will find us a class,” she beamed, knowing that the personal trainer she recently started with ran classes that would suit them both pretty well. “You’re staying at mine then,” she declared. Evie loved her place but sometimes it was hard to live alone, which was why she had been so happy when Akida moved in, but her sister was away for the evening so she was glad to have Cerys to keep her company. There’s a little sainbury’s right near mine, we could get dropped off there and stock up?” she suggested, getting out her phone to book the uber.

Evie Baker's Most Playedr

♫ American Idiot OCR -- Last of the American Girls        ↪  ‘ she plays her vinyl records, singing songs on the eve of destruction ’

♫ Jess Glynne - Thursday        ↪  ‘ and there are many things that I could change so slightly, but why would I succumb to something so unlike me? ‘ 

♫ Everybody’s Talking about Jamie OCR - Wall in My Head      ↪  ‘ and this wall, is harder to beat, when its one you helped build ’

♫ Gabrielle - Dreams     ↪  ‘ I've seen you sometimes, on your own and in crowds. I knew I had to have you, my hopes didn't let me down ’

♫ Six OCR - Don’t Lose Your Head    ↪  ‘ three in the bed and the little one said, if you wanna be wed make up your mind ’

♫ Made in Dagenham OCR - Don’t Lose Your Head   ↪  ‘ if they get angry well I tell ya we'll get mean, we'll chain ourselves to our sewing machines ’

♫ Dear Evan Hansen - Waving Through the Window  ↪  ‘ i've learned to slam on the brake, before I even turn the key ’

♫ Hamilton OCR - Helpless ↪  ‘ laughin' at my sister as she's dazzling the room, then you walked in and my heart went boom ’

“ I suppose I should permanently reserve you a seat for your Mondays off then? ” Lucie grinned. The support Evie showed her was out of this world, even before she had landed this job. The girl always encouraged her and kept her going after a string of unsuccessful auditions when she almost wanted to give up.

Lucie laughed harder when she explained the situation. “ Oh my god, I wish I was there to see that. It’s not really something you expect to happen, is it? ” In the midst of her laughter, their food finally arrived and Lucie felt her stomach rumble just at the sight of it. “ This looks so good! ”

“Brilliant idea,” she grinned. Evie loved supporting her friends and seeing great shows, so Lucie being in &Juliet was truly a double win. A show she loved and a person she loved, a perfect double whammy. 

“No, not expected at all,” she laughed, “definitely a night to remember.” Evie had had quite a few memories on that show but that was certainly a big one, “we also have a rat that likes to make an appearance every so often, we’ve named him Henry.” Evie saw the food coming and she grinned at the waitress, “it is briliant,” she promised.

Sean chuckled, smiling back at her easily. As she spoke, he nodded, recognising the musical. “Oh, yeah. I’ve heard of it. Musicals aren’t really my thing but my daughter loves it. She’s seen it a few times actually,” Sean told the woman with a chuckle, shaking his head. “You part of the show?” He asked curiously then. Tisha probably wouldn’t believe he’d met one of the actresses from the show if he told her. 

She grinned when he said that he recognised the musical, but pouted a little as he said he wasn’t a fan of musicals. At the mention of his daughter though Evie’s smile came back. “I am,” she answered, “Anne Boleyn.” Evie grinned, “I’m so glad that your daughter is a fan, I was a huge fan before I got the part, such great music.”