Bryony Bell Tops the Bill Read Free Page B

of six children dressed as frogs in green lycra costumes, flippers, and wide-mouthed, large-eyed masks. At this point in the play they all had to nudge one another and laugh at Bryony, which they always did extremely enthusiastically — so much so that,more often than not, one of them fell off the log. Mrs Quigg had high hopes that as long as they didn’t overdo it, this part of the show would bring the house down.
    Suddenly something inside Bryony snapped. She pushed her mask to the back of her head, put her hands on her hips, marched to the front of the stage, and glared down at the music teacher.

    â€˜The Ugly Duckling isn’t the star part, Mrs Quigg,’ she said firmly. ‘The swan is the star part. Please, Mrs Quigg, can’t I please be the swan?’ And under her breath she muttered, ‘Ducks suck.’
    Mrs Quigg sighed. ‘Look, Bryony,’ she said, ‘I’ve told you a dozen times — Abid is the swan. Abid has a lovely big swan voice, Abid knows allthe words of
The Swan Song
and sings it so sweetly it brings tears to the eyes, and Abid never, ever misses his cues.’
    She sat down on the piano stool heavily. ‘Furthermore,’ she added wearily, ‘Abid is the only person big enough for the swan costume. Now let that be an end to it.’ And she played three ferocious chords, just to make the point.
    Bryony stood her ground, wondering whether to fall to her knees and plead for the part, which was the only tactic she had not yet used. Everyone knew that Mrs Quigg, unlike Mrs Ogilvie, was open to wheedling, but so far all Bryony’s attempts to wrest the swan part from Abid had failed. Finally, as Mrs Quigg continued to thump the piano keys ever more violently, Bryony admitted defeat.
    She moved slowly back into her position centre stage and glanced over into the wings where, in the gloom, the huge, white, feathery shape of Abid stood waiting for his entrance. To her horror, she noticed that he had his legs tightly crossed.
    â€˜Cue
The Frogs’ Chorus!’
Mrs Quigg yelled. ‘And pick Jeremy up this instant!’ She thumped the first bars and the six frogs began to croak in unison. Bryony edged closer to the side of the stage and hissed at Abid, ‘What’s the matter?’
    Abid sneezed twice, wheezed painfully, andmuttered miserably, ‘I need the toilet Bryony — and she’s sewn me in!’
    Bryony looked desperately around, but Mrs Ogilvie had temporarily vanished. Below the stage she could see Mrs Quigg’s grey curls, bouncing gaily in time to the music. The frogs were well into their stride, bobbing up and down as they croaked.
    â€˜Mrs Quigg!’ she called, flapping her stubby little brown wings.
    Mrs Quigg, however, was soaring on the wings of song and remained oblivious.
    â€˜Mrs Quigg!’ Bryony yelled again. ‘Nature calls! The swan can not make his entrance!’
    That was the last straw. With a hysterical roar the music teacher froze mid-chord. Then she slammed down the piano lid, and with a tearful toss of her head flounced out of the hall.
    â€˜YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO GO BEFORE YOU COME!’ she shrieked as she made her exit. ‘I can not work with all these interruptions. It’s simply ruining my creative flow!’
    And she disappeared, leaving the rehearsal in the stouter hands of Mrs Ogilvie who had appeared in the very nick of time.

Chapter: Four
    As soon as Mrs Quigg had gone, the atmosphere on stage eased as Mrs Ogilvie took charge.
    â€˜Take five!’ she told them, brandishing the pinking shears in the direction of Abid’s seams.
    Five minutes later, Bryony and a muchrelieved Abid were sitting together on the frogs’ log, waiting to be told what to do next. Abid’s abandoned downy-white costume lay at their feet.
    â€˜I can’t bear being the swan,’ Abid sighed, shaking his head in abject misery. ‘I’m scared I’ll forget the words of