<strong>Reginald Carter, The Sacrificial Playwright<br/>Tagged: No one<br/>Time/location: Reginald's Theatre, dusk, leading into night.</strong><br/><br/>The cast and crew bustled and moved in what, at first glance, would seem like a chaotic, fluttering fashion; however, the more astute observers would see a certain ebb and flow to it all.  The strange man with a basket on his head seemed to be sitting down, and just chilling out while the others worked; in truth, he was just going over his lines in his head again.<br/><br/>Their were a few men that were working to set up a painted mural along the back of the stage. This was not unheard of; he often sunk a tremendous amount of money into his plays, to make them as beautiful as he could. This first scene that was up gave the impression of  busy street, while off in the distance, a tranquil, tree-shrouded, small temple or shrine of some sort could be seen.<br/><br/>As more people began to fill up in the place, the rich, red curtains would quickly be drawn across the stage.  Not more then ten minutes later, that curtain would be raised, right on schedule, to unveil the first scene of the play. Their was no foreword from Sir Carter, or any big to-do about it; they just launched right into the play when the water-clock in the dressing room said it was time to.<br/><br/>***<br/><br/>Wall sconces lit the theatre adequately, though it was somewhat dark in the seated areas themselves. The stage, however, remains curiously brightly lit, from hanging candelabra above (these are not visible from anywhere but up on the stage).<br/><br/>The first part of the play seems to progress quite slowly. The titular basket-headed monk seemed to be a well meaning but bumbling buffoon that could never quite do anything right. The play really shows signs of being a situational comedy, really.<br/><br/>Something that may, perhaps, be of note, to some, is the fact that while other characters that show up in the play, even those characters who have one or two spoken lines might have a name, while the main character is almost always referred to as "That basket-headed monk!" in an exasperated tone of voice.<br/><br/>Their was one other, thus far nameless character, to show up during this first act. A woman (and a genuine one at that; Reginald did the unthinkable by hiring actresses), clearly of noble lineage (at-least in the play), with her beautifully make-up'd face, rich elegant clothes in shades of royal blue and purple.<br/><br/>"Excuse, me, miss..! I am seeking donations for my humble temple." The basket-headed monk would beseech this cold looking woman, with her upturned nose, and slightly spiteful, disdainful expression (most certainly meant to mock the churlish nobility of the city). However, the woman would advance without so much as breaking her pace or looking towards the beggar.<br/><br/>As the curtains began to fall back down, the scene would come to an end with the basket-headed monk making a loud sigh, which was just barely audible even in the back row, thanks to the acoustically designed theatre.<br/><br/>A man--definitely not Reginald-- would come out in front of the red curtains, on the stage, and perform an elaborate, flourishing bow to all. He wore an all white suit and pants, and a 'blank', featureless, white porcelain mask.<br/><br/>In a cool, crisp voice, he would speak. "On behalf of the entire cast and crew, I would like to thank you all for your attendance on this evening. We will now have a five minute intermission, while the second act is prepared for your enjoyment." This would be followed by another bow, of equal elegance to the first, before he would depart to back behind the stage.