Reluctant Princess

At this point in the original Prince Malcolm is supposed to enter dragging Baron Klaus. Cue for reconciliation with Dawn. Malcolm isn't as stupid as he seemed. Dawn and Malcolm get married for the finale.

But Ellen and I have been at the script again. I enter, still as Stage Manager but with the machine gun slung across my back, dragging Baron Klaus and his son 'Prince' Malcolm. Klaus and Malcolm, loaded with chains, are led off stage.

Princess Dawn declares she wants to marry someone who can actually do things and chooses me. Still in my stage manager's outfit, Princess Dawn and I get married.

We had to agree the changes with the Director Harry. He liked them and we could do it.

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The performance went well for Act One. Ellen was offstage in the wings at the end as the Princes rush off to be captured. She had wrapped her arms around me and was obviously upset. As the curtain came down for the interval I asked what was wrong.

"Jason's in the audience. He's in the third row," she whispered.

"Why not? He lives locally. He can't do anything to you. I'm here. I'll stay with you and take you home, Ellen."

"Thank you, Don," Ellen said.

I could feel that she was very tense. It was an ordeal for her even without knowing that Jason was watching.

"Remember," I said, "you're not Ellen in a ball gown as a victim. You're Princess Dawn in a ball gown. You're going to kick ass in Act Two. You could kick ass as Ellen in a ball gown too."

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The changes in Act Two worked well. Several of the audience had already seen an earlier showing and appreciated the changes. At the after-performance party Ellen and I were congratulated. Most of the praise was for Ellen. She had saved the day for the whole company, singing, dancing and fighting. She wasn't the same as Jane would have been. She was not told she was better, but different. Her performance had been more than expected from a last minute substitute.

We were still in costume as we left the theatre at the end of the evening. We'd be back tomorrow to strike the stage sets and generally clear up. It wasn't worth changing to walk the couple of hundred yards to where Ellen and I lived.

I was locking the stage door when I heard Ellen swear.

"Jason! What the fuck are you doing here?" She shouted.

I didn't hear his answer. I heard Ellen clearly.

"No! Get lost, Jason! I don't want to see you ever!"

I was running towards them. I was too late. Ellen, dressed as Princess Dawn, had hit Jason in the face with a straight right fist. I heard his nose break. He stumbled away into the darkness clutching his bleeding nose.

"I did it, Don. I did it! I hit him and hurt him. I should have done that years ago. Take me home."

I took Ellen to my house. She was happy. She had stood up to Jason and showed him what she thought of him. She had been wearing a pastel blue Princess gown yet had defied and punched him.

Ellen was back as the person I had known for most of our lives. But Hazel's casual words had had an impact. She had seen what we hadn't. Don and Ellen trusted each other implicitly. More than that. We loved each other.