Surviving as a Writer in the British Empire

Alexandrina(1)

It’s a theater… To be honest, I don’t have very good memories.

First of all, theatrical culture itself is non-mainstream in Korea, so I didn’t bother looking for it, and I was very disappointed because it was an amateur children’s musical when I went to see it, thinking it was a theatrical version of a cartoon movie I liked as a child.

Rather, in terms of familiarity, the movie is more familiar.

Anyway, why did I say this… it was because there was that huge theater right in front of me.

“Huh.”

[Savoy Theater].

I looked at a building that harmonized the styles of the Renaissance and Victorian eras in an archaic style, which is hard to see even in 21st century Korea. I was impressed again when I saw the banner that read, “Performance to commemorate the publication of Peter Perry’s the Cracked Clock and to raise a charity fund.”

“Rent a theater and hold a performance to raise money for charity… is that okay?”

“hahahaha, yes. Writer?”

At Mr. Bentley’s words, I nodded.

No matter what, in this era, plays are the best-selling media mix and exhibition performance that catches the eye.

It seems that the love for the play, which was not there, is growing rapidly.

Among them, what surprised me was that Mr. Bentley rented out a theater in the middle of the West End.

“Even though it’s only for one day… This isn’t an ordinary theater, is it?”

“hahahaha, it is as you said. It is also a theater that has changed its ticket sales performance several times.”

Savoy Theater.

As the name suggests, it is a building that was once used by the royal family from the royal family of Savoy and was decorated as a theater by purchasing the entire building. As one of the largest theaters of its time, its reputation was enormous.

“But how to do that…”

“Ah, that.”

Mr. Bentley looked around for a moment. Then he secretly whispered in my ear.

“The exclusive scriptwriters went on strike.”

“······ah.”

“Besides, I received scripts from other writers after that, but they all went bankrupt…”

In short, it means that you made a good purchase of the ruined famous house when it was at its lowest point.

um, yes That’s an ability too.

I nodded my head with a hollow smile.

“Well, as long as the funds are raised well.”

“hahahaha, that’s right. Writer.”

“By the way, Mr. Bentley, thinking about it, what kind of performance was today?”

“Oh, I didn’t explain.”

I saw Mr. Bentley pull something out of his bosom.

This one has a lot of fancy hair, a long string attached to the back, and two holes pierced in the middle…

mask?

“Writer. Then, thank you.”

“······What?”

“I believe in the author!”

“No, so! What are you doing!?”

Without hearing my cries, Mr. Bentley pushed me into the theater.

and.

***

[······And Peter looked around the forest once again.]

Take a moment here to catch your breath.

[The forest was no different than usual.]

The sound of the wind comes ominously from the gramophone. At the same time, the breathless exclamation of the audience passed by.

I slowly moved on to the next line.

[It was peaceful, it was beautiful… but Peter thought.]

The male actor opened his melancholy eyes and looked at the delicate pointillist painting of the dark forest.

The clear light in the blackout only illuminated the two of them.

I spit out the last line while watching it.

[This summer will be more brutal than last summer.]

At the same time, the curtain went down.

Applause began sparsely, and soon the entire stage was shaken.

clap clap clap-!!

Bravo-!

A thunderous applause soars.

Then the curtain rose again, and the actors came out and bowed their heads.

I took advantage of the applause pouring down on them and hid behind the silver screen.

She ran away from the stage filled with shouts and screams and whistles, took off her mask, and revealed her true identity.

“ha······.”

Ugh, nervous.

As expected, I think my tendency is I, not E. It’s because the stage is not a low-key structure.

Even when I was in college, I tried to go into classes without group presentations as much as possible no matter what.

Thinking so, I let out a tired sigh and walked off the stage completely.

Then, as if he had been waiting, Bentley, the president of the famous company, approached and handed over the water bottle himself.

“Thank you for your hard work, author!”

“Mr. Bentley, is this ‘a little trouble’?”

“Ha, but didn’t you succeed!?”

Yes, of course it worked. Because it exceeded 280% of the target amount in one shot.

I sighed deeply and drank the chilled tea Bentley handed me. The sour and bitter flavor wet my mouth.

Keugh. Sida, Sher.

What I’m doing right now is none other than a ‘recital’.

reading session. Simply put, it is a book reading event.

In fact, it was an event often held by writers in the world of pure literature, especially Western European literature, rather than web novels.

It is when the author reads the book he wrote himself and shares his impressions while writing the book with the readers.

For those who don’t know, it’s surprisingly one of the venerable promotional methods for books.

In fact, one of the main sources of income for writers in this era was recitals, and in the case of Charles Dickens, he died from overwork while passionately touring all over England like a national concert and giving public readings.

It is also often done in modern pure literature. Inviting novels based on movies or famous foreign writers.

However, as always in pure literature, the awareness is very weak. Even reading aloud ‘time’ to corona sweeping the whole world?

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is going!! Then he would come to break his head, asking how dare you interfere with the ceremony of the coffin.

Anyway, it was an event that was far from me as a web novel writer, and it was not much different in this era.

First of all, I am a marketing mystic.

That’s why he was avoiding the recital, but Mr. Bentley seemed to regret it no matter how much he thought about it.

─Writer, only once! You only need to do it once! If you think of the author’s popularity, you can easily raise money to build another school!

That is why this time, in addition to raising funds, a special recital was planned.

Of course, like a kind of performance, so that my identity is not revealed.

The spotlight also illuminates the actors who act according to the reading, so it feels like an expressive art… I really wonder if it can be like this.

Like it or not, said Mr. Bentley with a satisfied nod.

“As expected, I felt it from the first time I met the writer… You seem to have a talent for this as well. He is a better bard than anyone else in that his diction is clear and not exaggerated, and his calm tone somehow makes you focus.”

“······That kind of lip service is fine.”

By the first time I’m talking about, I’m guessing you’re talking about when you tell Madge and Monty a story.

Of course, I don’t have a lot of experience reading to kids like that. However, it is certain that he will be inferior compared to professional lawyers or voice actors.

Nevertheless, when I see that they forcefully lift me up, it seems that there is some remorse of conscience that got me involved.

Or maybe… this isn’t going to be revenge for the last time the publishing house almost burned down?

“No, really. Did you really think that the author’s voice would suit the author’s writing the most? look over there The audience is cheering, right?”

Mr. Bentley hurriedly excused himself as if he felt that way in my pouting eyes.

Well, whatever the intention is, what would it be? It’s already over.

“All right. I guess so. One more cup of tea, please. My throat is burning a bit.”

“All right! Please wait a moment!!”

At that, Bentley hurriedly left.

I clicked my tongue and went out to find a suitable place to sit.

Ugh, my mouth is really dry, dry.

I die of overwork because I do this every time.

‘By the way, where was this break room?’

I looked around, looking for a place to rest until the Bentley returned.

At that moment, my eyes turned black.

“this.”

“Oh, sorry. I couldn’t check ahead.”

Suddenly, I couldn’t avoid the giant that blocked my way and crashed into it. I hurriedly backed away, lowered my head, and apologized hastily.

I haven’t heard anywhere that I have a small physique, but it’s a much bigger and stocky body.

I looked at the person standing in front of me with a strange mind without knowing it.

With a navy blue jacket, an anchor-shaped ornament wrapped in a golden laurel crown under the crown. It was the look of a British-style naval officer.

And beside him was a short, stocky lady in an inconspicuous pink street dress, who seemed to be his mother.

Are you the people who came to this reading?

“Oh, it’s okay. Never mind.”

While I was thinking that, the officer smiled and replied politely, to the extent that I couldn’t be more kind.

What is it, why are you so polite?

Did you say that being too kind makes you feel uncomfortable? I was in just such a situation right now.

While I was bewildered, the lady next to me approached me.

Then.

“youth.”

From noble mtl dot com

“yes?”

“Jim… no, I’m looking for something, can you give me some directions?”

“Uh, well.”

what? why are you holding my arm I was in a bad mood and tried to free my grandmother’s arm.

But… it’s strange. Apparently, it was just caught by the grandmother, but it doesn’t move as if it was stuck in a rock gap.

“I don’t know much about this area…”

“Are you going to guide me? Yes, thank you.”

uh, what? What is this old lady, why is she so strong?

In an instant, I was dragged out by my grandmother.

“No, hey!”

I pleaded with her, but the lady pretended not to hear and pulled my arm hard.

She is a strangely strong grandmother.

Of course, it seems like it could be done if you push it with all your might, but for some reason, I felt a strange charisma that made people unable to resist in that open attitude.

While I was being dragged along like that, the old lady dragged me out of the building.

At the same time, the courtesy officer suddenly pushed me from behind, and while I was thinking, narrow is narrow, wide is wide… What is this, a box?

No, it looks like it’s not just a box, with cushioned seats and fancy windows.

Look at the shape… a carriage?

As if I wasn’t mistaken, the old lady who followed me into the wagon sat down on a soft seat and said,

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Madam.”

The neighing of horses and the sound of horseshoes kicking on the road awakened my spirit.

Stunned, I shouted at the old woman.

“No, Grandma. What the hell is this…!”

“Alexandrina.”

At that moment, that bountiful face looked like that of a giant for some reason.

“Call me that.”