Chapter 111: The Theatre Part II
"The Babes in Toyland Operetta, Continued:" (*109)
On stage, the chorus began to melodiously sing "Mary, Mary!" while dancing throughout the garden.
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
You've told us sev'ral thousand times
Again we'd like to know.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
Pause in your morning walk
For naming your garden,
We will beg your pardon,
But we love to hear you talk!" (*109)
Suddenly the ever-trusting Mary was very unsure, feeling the darkness outside her garden slowly beginning to creep in.
Sadly, the rich miser, Uncle Barnaby, still locked away in his gloomy mansion, was as calculating as ever, determined to wed Contrary Mary who was totally devastated at the thought. But at the same time, she was made to believe that her true love Alan, the nephew of Uncle Barnaby, had tragically died at sea. So, she was deeply grieving.
In reality, Mary was heir to a massive fortune although she was completely unaware of that important fact. The cunning Barnaby, however, had known this for quite some time now, desiring nothing more than to capture her wealth for himself through their betrothal of marriage. But since the man was incapable of caring for anyone else but himself, there was no love whatsoever involved in his perilous plans!
So, Mary fled her beloved Garden, escaping with the ever faithful Tom-Tom, the Piper's son, rather than agree to the horrible reality of being forced to marry the evil Barnaby.
But in the meantime, Alan and Jane had been rescued at sea by gypsies, and later they returned as quickly as they could to Contrary Mary's garden. They wanted to let her know they were alive and needed to obtain safe housing from their malicious Uncle.
Sadly, they found no Mary tending her garden nor was she in the fields shepherding her sheep, when suddenly a second covert attempt was made on Alan's and Jane's lives.
Though once again, thankfully, they were protected and kept safe by the Moth Queen, a more than flamboyant character, full of color, who stood for good.
In the play "Toyland," Tom-Tom and the male chorus normally sang the song "Toyland," together, but because Estella as Contrary Mary sang it so beautifully in rehearsals, this operetta was doing a version where Tom-Tom first sung the song in tenor with the male chorus harmonizing, followed by Contrary Mary simply entering the stage without fanfare.
All quietened as she began singing in her rich soprano voice, dramatically acting out the song for emphasis, taking full control of the stage with the spotlight directly on her, as the men faded slowly into darkness:
"Toyland, toyland
Little girl and boy land
While you dwell within it
You are ever happy there
Childhood's joy land
Mystic merry toyland
Once you pass its borders
You can ne'er return again
When you've grown up, my dears
And are as old as I
You'll laugh and ponder on the years
That roll so swiftly by, my dears
That roll so swiftly by
Childhood's joy land
Mystic merry toyland
Once you pass its borders
You can ne'er return again." (*111)
The Stage first went dark, followed by the raised spotlight once again centered on the star.
The moment was intensely magical and earned Estella a vociferous standing ovation from the entire theater, right in the middle of the scene!
It was the first standing ovation of the night, led enthusiastically by the Bradfords and Grants and also Hendrix, as they stood in their box and cheered. Although the loudest cheer of all, clearly belonged to one Miss Allison Rose!
Finally, somewhere in Toyland, Contrary Mary and Tom-Tom met up with Alan and Jane, where they all happily came together, and then sought protection from the Master Toymaker, who ruled the entire Land they were in.
But unknown to them the Master Toymaker was actually an evil genius who behind the scenes had been plotting with the sinister Barnaby to create horrid murderous toys that were taught to maim and even kill.
Once the evil toys were created, Uncle Barnaby immediately and ironically ordered the demonic possessed dolls to murder the Master Toymaker, who was actually the mastermind of this whole debaucle.
However, Barnaby's whole purpose in doing so was to cause Alan to be held responsible for the Master Toymaker's death, requiring his life to pay for his crime.
Anything was on the table as far as Barnaby was concerned, as long as it allowed him to be free of Alan so that he obtained his fortune, as well as Contrary Mary's!
It was for the death of the Master Toymaker that Alan was sentenced to die by hanging in the gallows.
The evil Barnaby continued his maniacal plot by then blackmailing Contrary Mary into marrying him, while promising to secure Alan's pardon in exchange for her hand.
But as a man who was never true to his word, Barnaby intended to marry the sweet maiden, ready to take full control of her fortune while getting rid of her true love at the same time.
In order to save Alan, Contrary Mary was desperate to believe this evil man. And so she bravely agreed to marry him, believing the whole time, she was saving Alan, her one true love from certain death.
But upon their marriage, the evil Barnaby quickly denounced Alan all over again, leaving him to face his gruesome hanging without any outside hope of being set free prior to the ever-looming execution date.
However, the crazed Barnaby erroneously drank a goblet of wine filled with poison that he himself had concocted, fully intending for it to be consumed by his hated and imprisoned nephew, Alan.
Alan was aghast and relieved all at once!
At long last, the evil Barnaby was dead and his Contrary Mary was finally free!
Thank goodness the guards had observed that Alan had no part in Barnaby's untoward demise, for that would have added a second murder charge for him to face.
Mary became a widow, though non-grieving, at long last free of the evil, manipulative Barnaby, but she was still distraught that the love of her life, Alan was still imprisoned and would soon be executed.
Unwilling to ever give up, Tom-Tom studied the Laws of the Land and eventually found an old Toyland Law that permitted marriage between a widow and a condemned man on the condition that the condemned man supported his wife and honestly worked to do so.
The obscure and seldom-used law triumphantly saved Alan from the gallows just in the nick of time, as he and Contrary Mary, now the Widow Barnaby, but always Alan's first and only true love, finally and most jubilantly became the couple they were meant to be.
Alan and Contrary Mary then beautifully sang, a fun and light-hearted love song together entitled "Before and After."
But Hendrix recognized Alan as the cocky man who gleefully escorted his beautiful Estella into and out of the Theater each day, causing the normally self-assured Hendrix to be overcome with nervousness, not to mention jealousy, as he listened to the entire song, watching them dance so closely together, while pouring on the romance!
"Before they were married, they talked like this:
None other, my darling, shall steal my kiss.
Your ev'ry command, dear, I will obey
I'll always be faithful and never stray!
Ha, ha, ha, ha! Pardon the laughter!
That was before and this is after!
Ha, ha, ha, ha! Pardon the laughter!
That was before and this is after!
No wise man will disparage marriage,
But still it is exceedingly strange,
That when you marry, unless you're wary,
You both will find a dreadful change.
That when you marry, unless you're wary,
You both will find a dreadful change.
Before they were married, when out they went,
He wined her and dined her, great sums he spent.
But since they've been married, he's not so rash.
She only goes out now to dump the trash!
Ha, ha, ha, ha! Pardon the laughter!
Ha, ha, ha, ha! Pardon us too…" (*112)
The couple came together center stage from their individual merry dances, at last holding each other's hands, totally in love, ending the song in a most loving and very romantic kiss.
Hendrix blushed violently, while maneuvering most uncomfortably in his seat.
"Always 'Before,' my Darling," promised Nathan. "Never 'After.' And that's a promise our lifelong through."
With a look full of love, Millicent reached up and kissed her fiancé, promising the exact same thing to him.
"Always before, my Love. Never after!"
The operetta then came to a close with the final scene showing the starring couple being married, deliriously happy and in love, which Alan and Contrary Mary portrayed exquisitely, and most convincingly, leaving the entire audience on a very real high as love finally conquers all in the end…
To clarify, that is the entire audience was elated except Hendrix, who stood clapping as loudly as anyone, perhaps even louder, but was an absolute muddled mess inside, full of confusion, despair, frustration, and most assuredly more than just a little jealousy.
Yet no one, not even Hendrix, could deny that each and every single one in attendance tonight had truly been treated to a first-class musical extravaganza, on a parr with those of New York City, London, and Paris.
And there was no doubt whatsoever, that his Estella was the star of the stage!
As the audience slowly began to leave, Hendrix, with his mind in a whirl, walked back to where Nathan and Millicent were standing across from Richard, Margaret, and their parents.
"How can I begin to compare with that man, Sir?" he whispered to Nathan in an aside. "He's a star!"
"Hendrix, he doesn't have anything on you, and you know that was just acting, something Estella does quite well. Here, why don't you take our roses to congratulate her? Let's go backstage to deliver them now…"
Backstage was an exhilarating hubbub extraordinaire, a loud and noisy mishmash of celebratory activity, with all rejoicing after a most successful performance and all the actors proudly greeting their loved ones while receiving their 'Bravos!' and flowers from each and everyone around them!
The Grants and Bradfords engulfed Estella with their congratulatory hugs, kisses, and huge bouquet of red roses carried by Hendrix, who for some reason seemed to be lagging behind!
"You were the biggest star, Auntie Essie! You did so great!" bragged Allie, as she hugged her Auntie, still in costume. "My Auntie Rosie is going to be so impressed when she gets here from Hope Valley. She's an actress too. Well, she was when she lived in New York City!"
"I'll look forward to meeting her, Child!" assured Essie as she drew her Miss Alison Rose close and embraced her.
"A spectacular job, Essie," complimented Millicent as she hugged and kissed her, so very proud.
"We couldn't be prouder, Estella. A stellar performance," complimented Edward.
"Couldn't ask for better, Estella," congratulated Sophia, who knew the Theatre World well having performed on the London Stage prior to her marriage. "A superb job!"
Nathan gave Hendrix, who was apparently tongue-tied, a not-so gentle push, launching him forward to present Essie with her flowers, but the poor tongue-tied man couldn't say a word.
Not a single word!
"Congratulations, Essie, these are from all of us, with much, much love," explained Nathan, jumping in with a kiss and a hug.
"Well, are you going to allow me to take my Roses, Hendrix," asked a nonplussed Estella. "Or shall I just gaze at them from afar?"
"Hmm? Oh, of course, Miss…Miss Estella. Con…congratulations!"
Estella lifted her cheek, waiting for her congratulatory kiss, just as she had received from the others, but sadly, there was none.
Hendrix first looked down to the floor, but did eventually whisper to her.
"Not now, Miss Estella, not in front of the entire family!"
Which provoked Estella more than ever, into a fury to be exact, as she simply tossed the roses back to the elegant and staid Hendrix, and turned with an arrogant panache, commandingly and elegantly heading to her dressing room in the stateliest of manners as the grand dame star she was!
"What did I do?" asked the incredulous Hendrix, who could clearly feel the venom.
"I think it was what you didn't do, Old Boy," explained Edward in a whisper. "Go, follow her, Hendrix! And give her a congratulatory kiss!"
"Oh, I couldn't, Sir! I just couldn't..."
While Edward continued to council and encourage Hendrix, attempting to explain matters of the heart, Nathan had slipped down the hall, spotting and immediately following Essie's costar who had played the part of Alan.
But after secretly following him for a very short distance, the Chief Inspector soon completed his investigation, having his much needed and required answers for Hendrix.
The actor was clearly embracing and passionately kissing a beautiful young blonde who was also clearly carrying their child. Why she looked to be due any day!
The couple left no doubt, they were madly in love, thus completely eliminating Hendrix's assumed competitor for Miss Estella's hand, exactly as Nathan had believed would be proven to be the case all along.
Now, Nathan's only obstacle were the two people in love themselves!
Getting those two together was going to take nothing less than a small miracle, or perhaps a very large one!
'One piece down, and one or two pieces to go! Namely, one staid Butler named Hendrix and one flamboyant actress named Estella…'
Knowing now that Hendrix was in the clear, Nathan quickly made his way to Estella's dressing room and knocked.
"Go away, you old Goat!" called Estella.
"Essie, it's me. Nathan. Please let me in."
He waited, listening at the door, finally hearing her sniffle as she got up from her chair, then slowly walked to the door.
She barely opened the door, but the change in her appearance shocked Nathan.
What a pitiful site she was!
She had transitioned from the glamorous star of the night to literal shambles.
"I'm just so embarrassed!"
"Nothing to be embarrassed about, Essie. We're all family!"
She opened the door further, with tears streaming down her face.
"The old coot wouldn't know love if it smacked him straight in the face," she sobbed.
"Essie, Hendrix loves you. I'm sure of it. But he's confused!"
"Confused? What in the world is that old man confused about? I'm the one who's confused! And he's the one who has confused me!"
"Let's sit down," suggested Nathan calmly, his eyes scanning the room for a chair to move toward her dressing stool.
Having found a folding one leaning against the wall, he unfolded it and sat, taking Essie's hands in his.
Her stage make-up was dripping down her face from all her tears, and he felt so bad that on what should have been the most wonderful night of her life, Estella was distraught and beside herself.
At least she had covered her expensive costume with her dressing gown to prevent spillage.
"Estella, I need to ask you a question, a personal question, I'm afraid."
"Okay," she agreed tentatively. "But it better not be about that ridiculous man!"
"It isn't. It's about the actor who played Alan. Are you seeing him?"
Estella broke out laughing through her tears.
"He's finally married after all these years to a beautiful blonde, the woman of his dreams, and they're having a child together!"
"Yet I understand he escorted you to and from the Theatre every single time Hen…er your car arrived to deliver you and pick you up to take you home."
"That? Oh, I set that up in hopes it would make that ridiculous Butler of yours jealous! But oh, no! Not him! Not that British bloke of a man!"
Nathan knew that in reality Hendrix was indeed Millicent's Butler, and therefore soon to be his, but he had a very hard time thinking of the man who had helped raise him as anything else but part of the family. And he had an even harder time thinking of himself as having a Butler! Yet Estella and Hendrix were family.
And more than anything, this mess needed to be fixed once and for all!
"Are you sure?" asked Nathan ever so gently, still holding Estella's hands.
Then he repeated his question.
"Are you absolutely sure, Estella, that Hendrix is not terribly jealous?"
"Why that old goat barely noticed, with his stiff upper-crust attitude and all! Why did I have to go fall in love with a blasted Brit?"
"Oh, Essie, he's a man. He noticed alright!"
"What?"
"Am I allowed to say his name now?" asked Nathan tentatively.
One never wanted to cross Miss Estella, no matter how old you were!
"Oh, of course! No reason to beat around the bushes. And what a thorny plot of bushes they are! What in the world is going on, Son?"
"I'm afraid he thinks you are in love with your actor friend."
Essie didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
So, she did both, at the same time.
"Are you serious? Hendrix finally sees me?"
"Oh, Essie, he not only sees you, he loves you! But he's quite hurt and jealous by all this and doesn't know what to do."
"He's never said that to me. We were getting closer when you first visited us, and now, ever since Miss Millicent left for the Mountie Ball, we've just drifted apart all over again except for a hidden glance or two. Really far apart. Might as well be on opposite sides of the rugged Thames, I might add, without a rowboat and oars, in the dark!"
Leave it to the ever-pragmatic Estella to not forget the oars, nor the darkness!
"Essie, he's worried just like, well, whatever kept me from Millicent all these years. Just like Millicent and I have always been best friends, you two work together side by side each day, and he cherishes that. He cherishes you and doesn't want to lose you!"
"But I love him!"
Essie, distraught, fell into Nathan, who just embraced her and did his best to comfort her.
After a long while, he helped her wipe her tears, along with her drizzling make-up.
"You were the star of stars tonight, Essie! We're all so very proud of you, including Hendrix. And if you ask me, especially Hendrix!"
That comment brought a tentative smile, then he helped wash her face, with a damp cloth.
"There you go, that's much better! Now, I'm going to stand just outside your door while you finish fixing your face and get dressed."
"But I don't want to see him in front of everyone. I just can't!"
"Let me go get your roses and send the others home. I'll come back to get you in a few minutes!"
"Nathan, my dearest boy! Thank you. I love you so!"
"It's my pleasure! And Estella, I love you too. Much more than you'll ever know…"
*109. "Babes in Toyland Operetta, Book and Lyrics by Glen MacDonough, Music by Victor Herbert, 1903, 1905, Public Domain
*110. The Song "Mary, Mary," "Babes in Toyland Operetta, Book and Lyrics by Glen MacDonough, Music by Victor Herbert, 1903, 1905, Public Domain
*111. The Song "Toyland," "Babes in Toyland Operetta, Book and Lyrics by Glen MacDonough, Music by Victor Herbert, 1903, 1905, Public Domain
*112. The Song "Before and After," "Babes in Toyland Operetta, Book and Lyrics by Glen MacDonough, Music by Victor Herbert, 1903, 1905, Public Domain
