own.
Ruby’s dancing was perfect, but she was struggling a bit with her lines. ‘I just can’t seem to remember what comes after “Of course I curtsied too,”’ she wailed. ‘I think I’ve got it firmly lodged in my brain, but then once I get up on the stage it’s gone. It’s like it’s just floated out of my head and the harder I try to grab on to it the quicker it disappears.’
Then Meg had a brainwave. ‘I know. Do what Posy does in the book,’ she said.
‘What do you mean?’ Ruby asked.
‘Don’t you remember?’ Meg said. ‘Pauline wants Posy to learn their birthday vow so she can say it on her own, and Posy decides to learn it with her feet. She makes up a little dance to represent the words, and that helps her to remember.’
Ruby looked doubtful. ‘I can try, I suppose. But I’m not sure my brain works that way.’
Laura was word-perfect, but she found the Russian accent difficult. Again Meg came to the rescue. She showed Laura videos of Russian accents on YouTube and said each line with her over and over again until it finally seemed to click with her.
Meg herself was doing brilliantly as Petrova. She seemeda total natural, and even without her costume she was transformed into the stubborn, awkward, feisty Petrova as soon as she stepped onto the stage. Watching her, I realised what a good actress she was – it didn’t even matter that she was fair-haired when Petrova was meant to be dark-haired – she was just so convincing in the role that that didn’t matter. But off the stage, Meg was often distracted, and she still hadn’t told her mum we were putting on a show.
My mum, on the other hand, was a little TOO enthusiastic, as became clear when she started casually inviting random people to come and watch the show.
‘I dropped back your library books earlier,’ she told me as she dished out lasagne for dinner. ‘Rebecca was there, so I invited her to your show.’
‘What?’ I said. ‘Why?’
Mum looked surprised. ‘I just thought she’d like to see it. You’ve all been working so hard, and the little bits I’ve seen have been wonderful.’
‘Thanks,’ I murmured, taking two of the plates to bring over to the table. Mum had clearly meant it well, so I didn’t want to complain, but the thought of Rebecca being at the show made me feel nervous.
Next day Mum mentioned that she’d seen Miss Doherty in Tesco, and had invited her too. Miss Doherty was Maisie’s teacher, and was a lovely, warm, kind lady who adored small children. I’d had her in junior infants too and shewas still my favourite teacher. I sighed to myself. At least she wouldn’t be critical – she was too nice.
Then it was, ‘Oh, your uncle John said he’d drop by with a birthday present for Maisie, so I told him to be sure to arrive in time for the show.’ And, ‘Dad told me to tell you he invited a few of the neighbours to the show before he left for China. You don’t mind, do you?’
Aaaaagh! This was getting out of hand. ‘Mum, no more,’ I said firmly. ‘This is Maisie’s birthday party, don’t forget! We’re getting ready to entertain a bunch of five- and six-year-olds, but that’s it.’
‘I don’t know what you’re so worried about,’ Mum said. ‘It’s only a few extra people. Once you’re up on that stage you won’t even know who’s in the audience. Now, can you hang out that load of washing for me?’
I picked up the laundry basket and stomped off towards the garden. Didn’t Mum realise how nervous I was? Then a thought struck me, and I dropped the basket on the lawn and went back into the kitchen. ‘Mum, what neighbours has Dad invited?’
‘Just the O’Donnells, and the Masons, and I think he might have mentioned it to the Gavins,’ Mum said. ‘Not the Dunnes, if that’s what you’re worried about. I know you and Tracey don’t exactly see eye to eye.’
‘Oh God, I wasn’t even thinking of them,’ I said. ‘Tracey will probably sit at her bedroom window
Ruby’s dancing was perfect, but she was struggling a bit with her lines. ‘I just can’t seem to remember what comes after “Of course I curtsied too,”’ she wailed. ‘I think I’ve got it firmly lodged in my brain, but then once I get up on the stage it’s gone. It’s like it’s just floated out of my head and the harder I try to grab on to it the quicker it disappears.’
Then Meg had a brainwave. ‘I know. Do what Posy does in the book,’ she said.
‘What do you mean?’ Ruby asked.
‘Don’t you remember?’ Meg said. ‘Pauline wants Posy to learn their birthday vow so she can say it on her own, and Posy decides to learn it with her feet. She makes up a little dance to represent the words, and that helps her to remember.’
Ruby looked doubtful. ‘I can try, I suppose. But I’m not sure my brain works that way.’
Laura was word-perfect, but she found the Russian accent difficult. Again Meg came to the rescue. She showed Laura videos of Russian accents on YouTube and said each line with her over and over again until it finally seemed to click with her.
Meg herself was doing brilliantly as Petrova. She seemeda total natural, and even without her costume she was transformed into the stubborn, awkward, feisty Petrova as soon as she stepped onto the stage. Watching her, I realised what a good actress she was – it didn’t even matter that she was fair-haired when Petrova was meant to be dark-haired – she was just so convincing in the role that that didn’t matter. But off the stage, Meg was often distracted, and she still hadn’t told her mum we were putting on a show.
My mum, on the other hand, was a little TOO enthusiastic, as became clear when she started casually inviting random people to come and watch the show.
‘I dropped back your library books earlier,’ she told me as she dished out lasagne for dinner. ‘Rebecca was there, so I invited her to your show.’
‘What?’ I said. ‘Why?’
Mum looked surprised. ‘I just thought she’d like to see it. You’ve all been working so hard, and the little bits I’ve seen have been wonderful.’
‘Thanks,’ I murmured, taking two of the plates to bring over to the table. Mum had clearly meant it well, so I didn’t want to complain, but the thought of Rebecca being at the show made me feel nervous.
Next day Mum mentioned that she’d seen Miss Doherty in Tesco, and had invited her too. Miss Doherty was Maisie’s teacher, and was a lovely, warm, kind lady who adored small children. I’d had her in junior infants too and shewas still my favourite teacher. I sighed to myself. At least she wouldn’t be critical – she was too nice.
Then it was, ‘Oh, your uncle John said he’d drop by with a birthday present for Maisie, so I told him to be sure to arrive in time for the show.’ And, ‘Dad told me to tell you he invited a few of the neighbours to the show before he left for China. You don’t mind, do you?’
Aaaaagh! This was getting out of hand. ‘Mum, no more,’ I said firmly. ‘This is Maisie’s birthday party, don’t forget! We’re getting ready to entertain a bunch of five- and six-year-olds, but that’s it.’
‘I don’t know what you’re so worried about,’ Mum said. ‘It’s only a few extra people. Once you’re up on that stage you won’t even know who’s in the audience. Now, can you hang out that load of washing for me?’
I picked up the laundry basket and stomped off towards the garden. Didn’t Mum realise how nervous I was? Then a thought struck me, and I dropped the basket on the lawn and went back into the kitchen. ‘Mum, what neighbours has Dad invited?’
‘Just the O’Donnells, and the Masons, and I think he might have mentioned it to the Gavins,’ Mum said. ‘Not the Dunnes, if that’s what you’re worried about. I know you and Tracey don’t exactly see eye to eye.’
‘Oh God, I wasn’t even thinking of them,’ I said. ‘Tracey will probably sit at her bedroom window
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