I have to smile as I sit back in my seat. “Honestly, you are such a treasure. I can’t even.”
“Oh, stop,” she says, seeming embarrassed. “I sounded like a babbling freak just now. Zachary obliterated me. I was—”
“You were delightful,” Juliette interjects. Her words hang heavier, her decades of knowledge giving a certain weight to her opinion that you’re somehow forced to accept. Roshni’s cheeks streak red from the praise.
“Thank you, Juliette. That means a lot.”
Just then, Ellie claps her hands together, getting the room’s attention. “Alright everyone, let’s take a quick break and be back in fifteen.” A quiet buzz falls over the space, everyone figuring out what to do with their allotted time.
“I’m going to run out for coffee,” Roshni quickly says. “Can I get anyone anything?”
Juliette perks up. “I’ll take another Greek salad from the restaurant we tried yesterday, and an Earl Grey tea with milk from the café around the corner. And a granola bar, but only if they’re organic and sugar-free. If you can’t find one of those, then just two chocolate chip cookies.”
Roshni’s eyes go a little wide but she nods. “No problem. Winnie?”
“I’m good,” I say.
“Okay, be right back.” Roshni picks up her bag and heads for the exit.
Juliette opens her notebook in her lap but doesn’t write anything. “I’m glad Roshni came with us on this trip. I forgot how thrilling theater can be to a newcomer. I feel like I’m finally getting how Christmas is better when you see your child’s excitement.”
“That’s a nice way of looking at it,” I tell her.
“Well, you know me, I’m just the nicest,” she jokingly agrees. “By the way, I think it’s time for us to give up on your online dating pursuits. It’s clearly not working, so let’s just focus on the play since that’s what we’re here for.”
I sigh in relief and surprise at Juliette’s sudden declaration. Though I should have known that she’d lose interest in the project quickly enough without immediate success.
“Sounds good to me,” I say as I sit back. “The pop-up will keep us plenty busy. No need for me to belly flop into the British dating pool if it’s not even helping with anything.”
“Exactly. And I’ll read your play as soon as I can spare a few hours. Hopefully in the next day or so.”
I beam at Juliette’s promise, fully ready to thank her profusely when Ellie sits down beside us.
“How are we doing?” she asks. “What do you lot think of the scene?”
Juliette sits up straighter and takes a breath. “We’re doing well. And the scene seems to be going smoothly.”
Ellie studies her with a deciphering gaze. “You don’t like it.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. Which part isn’t working for you?” She’s asking in such a genuine way, entirely present and not at all condescending or defensive. Quite rare in our field. Juliette seems encouraged, shifting sideways to face her more directly.
“I’m just wondering if we should give George something else to do. This is a character who is larger than life and is constantly on the move. And as much as I’m opposed to immersive theater, I’m wondering if you could maybe be implementing a bit of that here for Josie to play around with.”
“I’m listening. What did you have in mind?”
Juliette closes her notebook with a pop. “I was thinking we should give George a hobby. Nothing verbal that requires explaining, but maybe he could be into photography. So instead of having him just walk through the apartment as he talks to Jocelyn, he could be taking photos of her during the scene. He could even photograph the audience throughout the play.”
Ellie slowly nods, her pace picking up as she considers the idea. “Yes. Photography. I can absolutely see that.”
“And maybe there can be some kind of payoff at the end or near the end, too. Like, Jocelyn discovers the photos George has taken and can then see that he clearly has feelings for her through the images he captured.”
“I love that,” Ellie says, moving forward in her seat, eager to spring into action. “Better yet, we can use a Polaroid camera and have him pin the photos up on a bulletin board throughout the show so there can be a visible progression of their relationship. And then at the end, the audience can come up and collect their own photo, if George took their picture during the performance. We’ll obviously have to tinker with the camera so there isn’t too much of a flash, but I really think this idea has a lot of potential. I’m so glad you were willing to share it with me.”
Juliette’s smile is shy but genuine as she busies herself with her notebook that’s still in her lap. “It’s fine. It was just a thought.”
“It was a wonderful thought. Also, what if we...” Ellie’s words trail off as her gaze lands on something behind us. Surprised excitement washes over her face. “Sorry, can you just excuse me for a sec?” She gets up, and Juliette and I low-key peek over our shoulders to see what or who caught her interest. We turn just as she reaches a pretty brunette in scrubs and a jean jacket. Ellie gives her a swift kiss before pulling her back towards us as we quickly stand up.
