Dramatic Amateurs - Act 01

Dramatic Amateurs - Act I - The Play

Ella gets the big part she wanted...

We were in our favourite little café, and I could no longer contain myself. I was there with my best friend, Julia, we'd been right through school together and now at twenty-six were still as close as ever. We meet once a month without fail to update each other on our lives.

James and I have been married for six years whilst Julia tied-the knot with Steve two years later. She is into her sports and loved playing Tennis whereas for the past four years my passion has been amateur dramatics, I belong to a popular group in our small town.

I like acting and think I am rather good at it, so I take the whole thing very seriously. The group puts on four shows per year and its great fun; there are about thirty of us including James, my husband, who often writes and directs the plays.

"You'll never guess what!" I was almost bursting to tell Julia my news, "You know that play, the one James wrote two years ago? You remember, the romance with the 'steamy' love scenes in it?"

Julia just looked blank. "Well, no matter. I got the best part and I'm cast alongside Tony who has the leading male role." Her expression changed at the mention of his name. Tony is, I guess, in his early thirties, he's a slim, well-groomed, muscular man. Julia and I had been lusting after him for ages so it's not the first time his name had been mentioned at one of our little get-togethers.

Ever since I'd joined the group Tony caught my eye, he is popular with all the women in the group, my husband and I were still in our 'honeymoon' period at that time so I noticed him but that was it. His masculine good looks are complimented with an easy manner, quick wit, and a quiet confidence so there was usually at least one female member of our group by his side during any free time at rehearsals.

Before she could say anything, I continued, "I can't believe James let me have the role, I mean I get to be Tony's girlfriend. We kiss a few times!"

"Don't get too excited, remember it's only a play!" Julia grinned, "Mind you I'll understudy your part if you like!"

"But you're not in the group?" I added quickly.

"If I get to spend some time in a clinch with Tony I might join." Julia was teasing, she had no desire to get up on stage and we both knew it. "Anyway, as I said, it's not like you are kissing him for real, it's acting."

That might be true, and I'm not sure when it started but I got drawn in gradually. I'm a natural flirt so when I found myself in his company we'd touch and tease each other, I'd put my hand on his arm perhaps, he'd maybe drape his arm over my shoulder if we were standing in a group, nothing more than that, just fairly innocent friendly contact. We do find time to talk more just recently, in fact we always seem to seek each other out.

When that moved to me finding him desirable, I'm not sure, but I now found him almost irresistible, however, I got the sense that although he sought my company and we'd flirt that's all he wanted from me, he was holding back, like I was unapproachable.

"I know it's acting but believe me when I say it will be real kissing!" I replied snapping out of my reverie. "James has a new Assistant Director, her name's Faith, she young and her ideas are a touch progressive! She helped him polish the script, here you read it, well page four first, then skip to page ten."

As she read the script I returned to fantasising about kissing Tony, I found myself doing that rather a lot recently, the play would run for seven nights and two dress rehearsals plus the normal rehearsals. I quickly added it up and realised that I would be in his arms twenty or more times!

Julia finished reading and looked a little shocked. "Does James realise that you have Tony kissing you a lot," she asked, "and you have him clutching your sexy arse?"

"I know, he must do -- he wrote the play after all," I answered, "but, as he always says, 'it's essential for the storyline', mind you I don't know if he remembered that Tony gets to have his hands on my bum, and other places, quite so much, he'll just have to be okay with it won't he?"

"And of course, you are okay with it," Julia replied with a massive grin on her face.

"Absolutely, I might even get to see what 'it' feels like! If the gossip is correct I'll certainly be feeling it, I can't wait to get started," I returned her grin, then we both burst out laughing.

"Oh goodness, look at the time," Julia jumped up from her chair, "I need to get going. Get me a couple of tickets for when we next meet and you can tell me all about the rehearsals.

***

I made sure we were seated in a quiet corner of the café when we met the week before the play. After the usual pleasantries had been exchanged it was Julia that was bursting to speak, she could hardly get her words out in her eagerness, "Well, come on then, how are rehearsals going?"

In an attempt to tease her I tried to look nonchalant, "Oh, you know, we're getting there." I saw her eyes narrow but before she could speak, "It's not as easy as people think to kiss someone on stage."

"Come on, he's sex on legs," she started expectantly, "I've seen you kiss lots of boys in your time, you were always good at it!"

"Well, it's different on stage, especially in front of lots of people and particularly when one is your husband!"

"I told you that I'd understudy for you, I'll be your body double if you're struggling with the kissing and groping!" She had that mischievous look about her. "Come on, I know there's more, spill it."

"OK, when we are on our own the kissing is good, we've practiced a bit, but once people are watching the passion goes, he seems a bit tentative about the groping bit, but I am working on him," I purposely took my time with the next bit of news, "I'm going to persuade James that I need a bit of extra practice."

"What you and James?" Julia said incredulously.

"No, silly, me and Tony, hopefully after tonight's rehearsal then we'll have it right for the final dress rehearsal on Sunday," I gave her my best innocent expression, "I'm not sure how many attempts we'll need to polish our performance before Monday's opening night though." We laughed together and I promised to update her when we next met.

While I remembered I gave Julia her tickets for the Saturday performance, it would be our final show and usually the best. Once we had caught up with the rest of our news we went back to work.

***

The show was a major hit. Everyone said the chemistry between Tony and me was electric, it felt it to us too, and the scenes were so realistic. The play was such a success that James and Faith, his assistant, were asked to do a follow-up to the story with the same lead characters.

"My goodness that was HOT! You'd make a natural porn star," Julia whispered in my ear after Saturday's show. "You get all the luck, where is he, I want a taste!" Our husbands then joined us, so she toned it down, but continued teasing me, saying how nice those scenes were and how it looked realistic -- for acting anyway!

I'd lots to tell her, but the final night party was not the right time or place, she must have sensed something because she demanded we meet for coffee on Monday lunchtime.

***

"Well come on then, tell me, what did you two get up to?" Julia had that look, the one where she knew something, "it was written all over your face, don't forget I can always tell."

"What, oh, the play, did you enjoy it?" I tried to keep the smile off my face.

"Madam, you can't keep secrets from me, come on." Her eyes were sharp, watching my expression, "You loved every minute of it, I could see your toes curl from my seat in the balcony."

"Well, I told you rehearsals were a bit flat, and we needed to practice, and that I'd persuaded James to agree to Tony and I getting together for some extra time to rehearse." I could see she was enjoying this, "Well he'd invited a couple of the cast too, the ones who were struggling with their lines, so we started off in the lounge, James talked us through what he wanted to see, 'I want to see Passion, you are young lovers, so get to it' he'd explained."

"Well, we tried, honestly we did, it's not easy with the others there and James interrupting so much, after about half a dozen attempts it was clear that we were both holding back. When Faith, you know I mentioned her, the really quiet, shy girl that is helping James, the one who added the really sexy bits to the original script, well she decided to step in."

"What do you mean," I could tell Julia was intrigued.

"She grabbed Tony, showed him where to put his hands and kissed him so passionately that I'm sure steam came out of his ears." He was stunned, I think we all were, but he got the message. "Mind you as she was snogging the face off Tony I noticed that James went a touch pale. I guess he then realised what he had let me in for and was having second thoughts about me being groped so blatantly, we'd be doing it in public too.

But then he surprised me by saying that we need to work it out between us and sent Tony and me to our bedroom," I smiled as I paused for her to take this on-board, "yes, that's right the silly bugger sent us to my bedroom, alone!"

"What!" Julia gasped," you and Tony kissing and.....in the bedroom with your husband's permission, I don't believe it!

"Well as I said, we were not the only ones whose performance was a little lacking, so James and Faith had two more of the cast sitting around the dining room table ready to talk through their lines and other finer details -- we were distracting them!"

"My 'wooden' kisses soon warmed up when we were alone, I can tell you!"

Julia shifted in her seat, moving her head closer, "Stop teasing me, all the details, now!"

"As you can imagine things got a little heated once we were able to shed our inhibitions, with no one watching us, and with James' permission." I looked around to see if anyone else was listening, "As we kissed, I felt some movement in his trousers, something BIG was stirring."

I shifted in my seat as recounting that night was having an effect on me, I was a touch uncomfortable. "I melted into him, pressed the whole of my body into his, he had his arms wrapped around me as he kissed me, we'd certainly discovered the passion James wanted from us."

I looked around again, "If James hadn't been in the next room I think we'd have ended up in bed, that's how far we'd gone." Julia gasped. "His hands were all over me by our sixth attempt, I was hot and bothered as you can imagine, it reminded me of our college days -- you remember them!"

Julia was almost drooling now, "That good eh! Yes, I remember you were never short of a boyfriend, I could hardly keep up." We laughed together as we remembered those carefree days of our youth.

"Anyway, back to my story, we had just pulled apart from a very steamy French kiss when James walked in, he asked how we were getting on. I looked at Tony and gave him a look and was pleased to see he understood." I paused for effect and a mouthful of coffee, "We moved into one another a little awkwardly, our lips met, and we made out for a few seconds, we upped our performance from the last time he'd seen us but kept a bit in reserve."

"James told us that it was better, much improved on earlier, it was encouraging. They would be finished in the lounge in about fifteen minutes, so we were to have a bit more practice then go out and show them." Julia had her mouth wide open now.

"What he left the two of you alone again, my goodness you must be a good actress."

"Well, the door had hardly closed when one of Tony's hands pulled my head to his and the other lifted me by my backside to press into him again. All pretence of the play was gone for those fifteen minutes, our lips didn't part. I was really quite turned on, and judging by the bulge in his jeans we were both quite excited."

"Well, what happened next?" Julia's voice was rather husky now.

"We returned to the lounge and performed for Faith and James. We kissed awkwardly again, it felt like Tony was self-conscious. We were a bit better than before, there was more passion, but our audience agreed that we needed more practice!"

"You madam!" Julia declared, "so what, you had to practice again the next night?"

"You bet, we certainly got to know each other quite well, eventually we managed to give a performance that James approved of. That's what you saw on Saturday night."

"It certainly looked HOT from where I was, full of passion. My Steve certainly received the benefit when I got him home! I bet James isn't complaining either?"

I didn't answer that, but she was right, Tony certainly warmed me up nicely ready for my time alone with James. "The group liked the show so much that James is to write a follow-up, with me and Tony playing the lead roles again. He and Faith have already started writing it and it I suspect it builds on the budding romance between our characters in what will be a sequel."

"Oh, my goodness, does he know what he is doing to us? I mean you get the actual pleasure but I'm enjoying the telling rather more than I thought I would." She stood to go, "keep me informed......or else!"

***

As I expected it was decided that the next play would continue the love story and this time would include a love scene, a sexier love scene. When James told me, I tried not to appear too keen about the idea, without putting him off it of course!

I read the draft script once he was happy with it, "Wow!" I said, "The love scenes are more explicit in this play."

"I know Ella," he said, "but I think the play needs them."

"You have Tony undressing me!" I replied, "He removes my dress and carries me to the bed."

"I know," he replied, "We have to take their romance to the next level."

"You also have him feeling my bottom and breasts!" I exclaimed rather too excitedly.

"Yes, but you will have your underwear on," he replied, "Are you okay with that?"

"Well, I suppose I'll have to be, won't I?" trying not to sound too keen, "you know what you touching my bum and breasts does to me. Now you want the cast heartthrob to do it to me"

"Yes babe, but remember with Tony its only acting, I'm sure you'll cope." He smiled, "You've kissed him before, and from where I stood, you both got quite good at it." He went on to tell me that he'd already let Tony read the script, and he'd loved it (I wonder why?).

***

Rehearsals for James and Faith's new play were not due to start for three months, so the two of them spent time working on their script so didn't go to the weekly rehearsals. However, even though we were not appearing in the current production either Tony and I turned up every week to support those that were due to perform.

We'd both read the draft script so knew what was coming next. Whether it was that or what had gone on in the last play I don't know but I'd catch him looking at me with what I took to be hunger in his eyes, more than once he'd make a show of shifting himself inside his jeans. For my part I was just as blatant, I'd suggestively lick my lips when he looked at me, I'd walk with and extra wiggle of my hips when I thought he was looking my way.

After the first week he offered to pick me up in his car to save me using mine and we got in the habit of kissing each other goodbye when he dropped me off. For some reason it seemed to take a little longer each week! This was flirting on a slow burner, and I was warming up nicely.

James would often tease me in bed about the up-and-coming love scenes with Tony. He knew now that it excited me and, apparently, it did the same for him. We'd be laying in bed and he would say things to shock me, like, "Another guy is going to be touching these," this as he caressed my breasts. Once he even suggested he do a rewrite to include a nude scene!

I teased Julia with these little details at our monthly get-togethers, I have to admit that I may have exaggerated a bit, and with Julia's fertile imagination our conversations began to get very naughty indeed.

Julia was particularly interested when I told her that 'pillow-talk' with James had become very interesting and our sex life had increased by the time rehearsals started. I told her that James seemed as much into me displaying myself as I was looking forward to it, adding that he teased me and made suggestive remarks at every opportunity.

***

It seemed like no time at all before we began preparing for the new play, casting complete we were having the first read through. As usual we were having fun, teasing, and laughing as everyone tried to develop their character. I seemed to be the target for a lot of James' teasing remarks, so I decided to call his bluff. Towards the end I feigned disappointment and said, "Mmm, it's good but I thought you mentioned some nude scenes," then after a quick look at Tony added, "maybe you should add one."

I noticed James and Faith share a look and she wrote a note on her pad. The rest of the group joined me as I laughed, Tony, I noticed, had a hungry look while never taking his eyes off me.

Early rehearsals went well, and the play was coming along nicely. To start with we skipped around the final love scene, Tony and I did the kissing and groping bits, but the finale was left to be worked on later, there was no dialogue, so we just left it 'till last.

My coffee breaks with Julia got more regular so I could keep her up to date with my progress with the play. It was almost time to rehearse the love scenes and she insisted I met her the following week, saying, "If I know you, it's about to get interesting!"

Come on, let me in on what is going to happen, I need to know.

"Well, the central characters, who'd kissed at the end of the first play, are now getting serious. Tony's character and mine steal moments throughout the play to illustrate our romance, our kissing and groping gradually increases in intimacy until the final scene involves us cementing the relationship, as young lovers do, by going to bed with one another."

"Of course, in front of the whole cast, we couldn't get it to work too well to start with so I spoke to James to ask if Tony should come around one evening when we could practice the love scenes?"

Julia's mouth dropped open, "You didn't!"

"I did," Her eyes were wide open in shock as I continued, "I explained that we could get comfortable with each other in the privacy of home before we do it in front of people."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense, what did he say? No surely?"

Surprisingly not, he didn't hesitate and replied, "That's a great idea," Adding, "you're right, it worked well last time, set something up with Tony and let me know. So, I called Tony over to us and explained the idea, he thought it was a marvellous suggestion and we scheduled it for the following day, the whole cast was to have an additional rehearsal anyway, so he'd follow us home after that."

Julia was stunned to silence as I playfully added, "Oh, is that the time, we'd better get back to work I suppose." Her mouth was still hanging open as I left her in the coffee shop.

***

At our next lunchtime get-together, I told Julia that the extra rehearsal went smoothly, it wasn't a dress rehearsal, so I was in T-shirt and jeans and nothing came off. We were a little wooden, still not too comfortable letting go of our inhibitions in front of the assembled cast.

I told Julia that Tony mimicked pulling my zip down, adding "gosh it was amazing, he ran his thumb nail down my spine, from my neck to the top of my bum, you want to ty it, it sends shivers to all the right places. I kept wriggling and laughing so much it ruined the rehearsal." Julia laughed when I explained that despite our poor attempt James seemed relaxed, telling me, "Not to worry, you sorted it out last time I trust you to do it again."