I just couldn’t walk past an idea of a Shakespearean AU ‘cause I’m writing a grad work with a fair share of Shakespeare in it so I’m kinda overstuffed with all the theories on whether Shakespeare existed or not and if not then who wrote the plays under this name. Though I didn’t quite keep up with the historical accuracy here and decided not to go along with the Middle English bits like “thou” or something :) _________________ Part 1.1
Arthur is always present when his play is on stage. He comes to the theatre in disguise which fools only those who don’t know him outside these twenty walls – that would be about one hundred per cent of the spectators so it’s working perfectly. He wears a big hat and a cheap worn coat and blends into the crowd in the pit and watches the words he put together on paper come to life.
It’s Hamlet tonight and Arthur watches his latest acquisition, young clumsy and quite stupidly reckless Merlin, capture the audience into the claws of his quiet grief. He’s Ophelia because he’s built like a twig and has such fair skin that Arthur’s cousin, the Lady Morgana who is the brightest star on the sky of the court, might envy him if she ever saw him. He’s Ophelia, and his madness unravels along with the plot with this rare kind of tender bitterness that makes the spectators swallow something hot and heavy in their throat and feel the chill running down their spine and watch mutely until he dies, caught in his large dress like in the nets of intrigues of Hamlet and Claudius and Polonius, helpless against what he doesn’t have any influence upon. The twig broken by the harsh wind of life, Arthur thinks and shakes his head to get rid of the somehow embarassing thought.
Merlin upstages everyone including Hamlet himself. Arthur would be displeased by that – the play is not about Ophelia, for God’s sake – were he not as much under Merlin’s spell as everyone else in the theatre.
The rest of the play and the tremendous applause do not fascinate Arthur like they never failed to before. He waits until the spectators start leaving and goes backstage unnoticed.
Merlin is alone in the room – he’s the first to have come here and struggle with the costume while the others are still too thrilled by the performance and are discussing it noisily. Arthur hears their voices muffled by the corridors while he watches flushed and rumpled Merlin attack his lacing and fail time after time. Merlin doesn’t see Arthur – he’s too busy attempting to free himself. Arthur thinks of offering to lend a hand but something stops him.
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branchandroot
Re: Merlin/Arthur theater AU - Arthur sees Merlin changing out of his women's costume
Date: 2012-05-04 06:08 pm (UTC)_________________
Part 1.1
Arthur is always present when his play is on stage. He comes to the theatre in disguise which fools only those who don’t know him outside these twenty walls – that would be about one hundred per cent of the spectators so it’s working perfectly. He wears a big hat and a cheap worn coat and blends into the crowd in the pit and watches the words he put together on paper come to life.
It’s Hamlet tonight and Arthur watches his latest acquisition, young clumsy and quite stupidly reckless Merlin, capture the audience into the claws of his quiet grief. He’s Ophelia because he’s built like a twig and has such fair skin that Arthur’s cousin, the Lady Morgana who is the brightest star on the sky of the court, might envy him if she ever saw him. He’s Ophelia, and his madness unravels along with the plot with this rare kind of tender bitterness that makes the spectators swallow something hot and heavy in their throat and feel the chill running down their spine and watch mutely until he dies, caught in his large dress like in the nets of intrigues of Hamlet and Claudius and Polonius, helpless against what he doesn’t have any influence upon. The twig broken by the harsh wind of life, Arthur thinks and shakes his head to get rid of the somehow embarassing thought.
Merlin upstages everyone including Hamlet himself. Arthur would be displeased by that – the play is not about Ophelia, for God’s sake – were he not as much under Merlin’s spell as everyone else in the theatre.
The rest of the play and the tremendous applause do not fascinate Arthur like they never failed to before. He waits until the spectators start leaving and goes backstage unnoticed.
Merlin is alone in the room – he’s the first to have come here and struggle with the costume while the others are still too thrilled by the performance and are discussing it noisily. Arthur hears their voices muffled by the corridors while he watches flushed and rumpled Merlin attack his lacing and fail time after time. Merlin doesn’t see Arthur – he’s too busy attempting to free himself. Arthur thinks of offering to lend a hand but something stops him.