Julia Chiltern looked at her earnest, well-meaning clumsy misfit of a son and wished she could feel more for him. It wasn't Ben's fault that she and her husband had been careless with their precautions one night, not his fault that she'd had to take time out from a job where even a week off meant someone else ready to step in at a moment's notice. Because of Julia's pregnancy with Ben, she'd lost an important promotion. He was a good kid really, but… couldn't he conquer his demons just for once and have the confidence to go a whole day without a spillage or dropping something? And why couldn't she have been more horrified about what happened to him in France? She was being prodded by her conscience and this made her sharper with Ben than she meant to be.
"Mum, if I get this part, I'll give every penny to you and Dad, honest."
He'd never been a greedy child. If he had, she could have found some justifiable reason for snapping at him. But Ben was grateful for whatever he got, good or bad. Her conscience jabbed at her again.
"You might not even get it, Ben, so don't daydream. Now do you need the toilet before we go?"
"Yes please."
"Hurry it up, then, you know I'm straight on to work after dropping you off."
"If one of us gets Baby Bear, we'll still love each other won't we?" Max asked anxiously.
"Don't be soppy" replied Zoe, and a little ray of hope shone for Jacob for a moment as he overheard.
Then he saw Max and Zoe hugging, and decided to keep his nose out in future. At least that was his intention.
They won't see I'm fat in a bear suit, thought Robyn, feeling better already.
Meee, thought Ethan, let it be me please!
Finally the waiting was over and they were sitting in the auditorium of the New Theatre while the director greeted them.
"Now I'll run down the storyline for you. We want to promote the idea in the story that animals perform better when treated with kindness. So, in a fictional town called Arcadia, in a fictional time, Goldilocks's mother, Madam Rosina, has fallen on hard times because her circus is losing money. She won't use any animals that aren't happy performing, so there are no elephants, lions or tigers, just a troupe of performing dogs. Grasping Grossini, her rival, uses animals that his henchmen have captured, lions, tigers, etc. The public don't realise the cruelty behind the acts so they pay to see the show with most animals."
The kids looked at each other in concern.
"Now don't worry, things get better. Goldilocks suggests she goes through the woods to the big castle to beg Count Nicolas, who's just returned to Arcadia, after being abroad, to give her a job there. She meets a handsome young man who is – you've guessed it, the Count in disguise, and they fall in love."
The director laughed at the faces some of the boys were pulling.
"Yeah, I know, soppy bits. He tells Goldilocks he'll ask the count about a job for her, and then hurries off in case anybody recognises him. Goldilocks loses her way and the spirit of the woods arranges for her to stop at a certain cottage… who do you think lives there?"
"The Three Bears!" yelled the kids happily. They liked a director who let kids shout out.
"And the story's as you know it for a while… but instead of running away, Goldilocks asks the bears forgiveness for being in their home. The two big bears are wary but Baby Bear runs to her and hugs her, shouting "I love her!" That should get a nice reaction. Mum and Dad bear have a plan after they hear our heroine's sad story. They'll come back with her and perform in Madam Rosina's circus. They'll show the audiences that kindness is the best way to make animals perform. What's more – now keep an open mind, this is fantasy for kids! – who wouldn't come to a show where the main attraction is a trio of all-singing, all-dancing visibly happy bears?"
The first act ends on a triumphant performance at Rosina's circus with Count Nicholas in the front row. He confesses his deception and Goldilocks forgives him.
The next act starts with everybody happy; a nice little romance for Goldie and the Count, Madam Rosina planning some luxury updates to the house, and the bears treated like royalty. When Grossini's forced to close down, he's not happy and fights very dirty. He sends his henchmen to kidnap Baby Bear and leaves a message. Unless Goldie marries him instead of Nicolas, and hands over all the rights to the circus, Baby Bear will be thrown to the lions and eaten alive."
A little tear of sympathy ran down Ethan's face.
"He reckons without Nicolas's courage, and the captured animals' long memories. Grossini's mansion is attacked, and he has a sword fight with Nicolas. Just as he's about to cut Nicolas's throat, the lions, tigers and elephant, who have had enough, sneak up behind him. They drag him off stage, with him screaming like a big coward.
Goldie and Nicolas have a huge wedding, and right at the end of the story, Grossini is seen cowering in a cage. Up come the animals who throw food and water at him through the bars. Baby Bear says to him cheerfully: 'This is your life from now on, mate. Now you know how captured animals feel.'"
Max had been having a little daydream about him being Nicolas and Zoe wearing a blonde wig and being Goldilocks. He wisely didn't share his fantasy with Zoe.
Ethan wanted to be Baby Bear more than ever. He knew he could do the bit where he was pleading on his knees not to be eaten alive. He bet Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman would cry if they were in the audience.
There was a break for drinks, then the auditions began.
All the kids came forward and had to act Baby Bear, and do a little dance from the show.
Lofty was terrified he'd fall over, but somehow made himself act and dance without a problem.
Robyn lost her fears as soon as she heard the catchy dance music, and was skipping, crawling and somersaulting across the huge stage quite happily.
Max performed the role with a cheekiness that showed through, and the director smiled.
Jacob concentrated on the athletic side of the dance, as did Cal. Ethan pushed the acting more.
After everybody had performed, the director told them to go into the Empress suite, where a buffet lunch had been laid on for them.
"Two hours for lunch, please. Meanwhile we'll make our choices and shortlist four of you. Those four will be called back for more auditions at a later date."
Ethan had Cal in stitches when he asked him why anybody would want to lie down on food before people ate it.
The kids had managed to eat a more of the lovely buffet than they'd expected to, and even had a little walk outside. Zax made Lofty walk between them and he was grateful for it even though it was just down the road and back.
Then it was time to find out…
"Thanks for your patience. The four children short-listed for Baby Bear are: Ethan Harvey, Ben Chiltern, Max Walker and Robyn Miller. But here's the good news: You were all excellent - the winners were just extra special - so we want the rest of you to play lion and tiger cubs."
Hugs all round.
Julia Chiltern had enjoyed a late liquid lunch and was still giggly when Ben came in later.
"Mum!" Ben told her, glowing, "I've been blacklisted!"
"Oh what have you done this time" she said, a little petulantly, and Ben replied:
"No, sorry, Mum, not blacklisted. Shortlisted!"
"Oh Ben", his mother sniggered, "You even trip over your words!"
She collapsed giggling on the sofa. Ben sighed and went to get himself a fruit drink.
