Chapter 9
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: First Rehearsal
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Ung?
Who are you?
This was a face I hadnt seen during my first visit, grinning right at me.
This guys no pushover.
Youre Siu, right? Our names are kinda similar. Im Seonwoo, Kim Seonwoo. Im playing Yeonseop in People in the Attic House this time. Lets do our best together?
Ung? So youre the protagonist?
Haha, yep. Im the lead.
Uuuung.
Just as I thought.
You can tell a good actor just from how they talk normally.
Id sensed from the voice calling me earlier that this wasnt some ordinary guy, and sure enough, hes the lead.
I scanned this sharp-looking guy named Kim Seonwoo from head to toe.
He looks young, but hes the star of this show?
Ill have to keep an eye on him.
As I thoroughly checked out his long limbs and small face, loud applause erupted from the far end of the room.
Alright, shall we start practice for today? First, though, lets introduce the new face whos joined our troupe.
Siu, come on over.
Pop-pop.
My sneakers, the new ones Mommy bought so I wouldnt slip, made weird noises.
But whenever I wore them out, people would glance over, and it didnt feel half bad.
Thats why Id been wearing them a lot lately.
Who does this kid take after to love attention so much? Must be the bloodline.
Thats what Uncle had said while holding my hand and walking with me.
Aw, so cute.
Siu, you got the casting confirmed after all?
Look at this.
As I walked by, sure enough, everyones eyes followed me.
I puffed out my chest and stood tall next to Kang Yonghwi, full of ambition.
Hewwo.
I gave a navel-bow greeting, and cries of so cute poured into my ears like a waterfall.
Hm, this greeting really works.
I finished with a satisfied smile.
Starting today, Han Siu will be joining People in the Attic House in the role of Youngsu. Applause!
At Kang Yonghwis booming voice, everyone gave hearty claps.
Tankoo. Tankoo.
I responded with another navel-bow.
Kang Yonghwi grinned and said,
Then, instead of a welcome party, how about we kick off todays practice with Sius scene? What do you all think?
Sounds good!
Totally agree!
At everyones enthusiastic support, I smirked, lifting one corner of my mouth.
Practice for the stage Id be gracing after so long.
My heart pounded so hard my little body vibrated.
Fwoom.
The lights Id marveled at earlier shone down in the center of the practice room.
With all other lights off, the dark room had actors not in this scene huddled together on one side.
The rest of us in the scene, including me, waited in the opposite corner.
Soon, practice began.
Whats that? Whats that? You think you can crawl in here?
You got a steel plate for a face or something? You trying to get us all killed? Were all stuck in these shacks anyway, obvious as day. What, you think youll make a few more bucks stepping up like that?
Oh ho.
Before the acting started, Id wondered what those wooden cubes being moved around were for, but they were props.
Two actors lounging on a cluster of three or four cubes pointed off somewhere.
My cue to enter.
I burst from the waiting area, arms spread wide, and planted myself in front of them.
Dont badmouth my Daddy!
Ahem.
At my shrill cry, the two whod been trash-talking Youngsus dad turned their heads sideways.
Not bad.
Id noticed it last practice tootheir punchy lines had a steady, natural tone. The actors in this troupe werent half bad.
I got even more pumped and shouted louder.
My Daddys not a bad guy! Dont do that! You bad uncles.
Youngsu, youre too young to understand.
Hey, whatre you saying to the kid? Cut it out! Youngsu, you go home too. Go cling to your daddy. Make sure he doesnt do anything stupid. Got it?
Someone grabbed at empty air like they were yanking a collar, shaking fiercely.
It wasnt just stopping himit felt laced with resentment.
No kid would miss that nuance.
Before I knew it, my eyes were burning red.
Jeez. Whyre we the bad guys getting chewed out here.
You shut it too. What does the kid know? Huh? Its that crazy bastard who doesnt even realize his screw-ups are rubbing off on his own kid.
Finally unable to hold back, I let out a piercing wail of rage and injustice.
Tears brimming with grievance and fury welled up in my eyes, refusing to fall.
My Daddys not bad anymore! Stop it!
Oh man, Youngsu!
The actor playing my dad, Choi Isub, rushed out from the side and grabbed me.
Then we hurriedly retreated, dodging the two mens fierce glares.
Great! Good emotion.
At Kang Yonghwis signal, the practice room lights blazed back on.
I wriggled free from the actors arms and rubbed my eyes hard.
Sniff.
Dang it, no snot.
Wow, hes really five? How does a kid that age immerse like that so fast?
Amazing even on a rewatch. Whered this kid even come from?
The actors buzzed about my performance.
Siu, good job. Thats exactly it.
Kang Yonghwi came over and flashed me double thumbs up.
What?
I awkwardly raised two thumbs, fists clenched, and asked about his weird gesture.
Thumbs up? Whats that?
You dont know? Means youre the best.
The best?
Top-notch. Perfect.
Perfect?
Why not just say that from the start.
Got it.
In this culture, they call perfect the best.
The best.
Whew, this is theater life for you.
I stuck out my thumbs at Kang Yonghwi.
With no theater owner around, this guy was the top dog.
No harm in buttering him up early.
Me?
Youre the best, Director Kang!
Haha, thanks.
Ow!
Whats he doing!
I glared at Kang Yonghwi with steely eyes as he ruffled my hair wildly.
But he just kept cooing about how cute I was, messed it up even more, then finally went back to his spot.
Alright, lets do feedback?
Oh, review time.
I plopped down next to Uncle and stared at Kang Yonghwis mouth.
First off, how was our new faces acting, everyone?
Best! came shouts from all around.
Yeah, it was top-notch. But good as it all was... the lighting felt a bit off.
Lighting!
Sure enough, moving around with that bright light glaring stronger than expected had thrown me.
Unlike flickering torchlight, the intensity was totally different.
When Youngsu first steps forward, its better to stop around here. Because past that point, the light wont hit you right. But Siu, you took three more steps.
Uuuung. If I stop here, Im too far from those guys.
I pointed at the cubes where the actors Id done the scene with had been sitting.
Right, exactly. In real life, yeah, some distance. But on stage, you gotta think lights. Thats why as director, Ill set your blocking.
Blocking had been crucial in my past life too.
In that last run, since Kang Yonghwi hadnt given detailed blocking, Id just moved freely.
Probably chose that to quickly teach a kid like me about light-based blocking.
Sometimes the lights might put you in spots even less natural than reality. Anyway... get what Im saying so far, Siu?
Ung! I get it!
Good. In this scene, since its Youngsus first stand-up for his dad, the lighting...
I focused every nerve on Kang Yonghwis ongoing feedback.
Lighting definitely played a similar role to torches.
The difference: unlike torches fixed in place, lights could be positioned freely wherever the director or actors wanted.
Lights are the best.
Huh?
While Kang Yonghwi moved on to the next actors feedback.
Uncle leaned in at my sudden mutter.
Lights are the best.
Haha, you like em, huh?
But Uncle seemed oddly drained today.
Whats up? Squinting, I could see his whole body rigid from tension.
His face pale whitehe looked ready to keel over, let alone act.
Next! Lets do the attic folks conversation scene.
At Kang Yonghwis call, those actors hurried forward.
Practice rolled on.
Uncles turn was coming up soon in the order.
Hmm.
Stiff as a board like that, not sure he can pull it off.
Alright. Short break?
While I smacked my lips in disappointment, Uncle bolted up and headed out of the practice room.
That guy really had to go bad.
Cut, good. Lets stop here.
Phew.
Uncle, having finished all his lines, let out a huge sigh of relief.
I shook my head at the sight.
Hed just stood there after his lines, yet he was that stiff.
First, Jihyun? Good. But good... not just haughty. Haughty and rude.
Should I try more sarcastic?
Yeah, like that. Youre not playing some refined lady right now. Just go cool and sassy.
Got it.
Voice could be a bit more solid too... Blockings a little awkward.
Need to sync more with Dongwook.
Kang Yonghwi nodded at the actors words.
Matching up this well with a total newbie like Uncle was all that actors skill.
Kang Yonghwi clearly knew it too, moving on without comment.
Keep the distance better. Next, Ji Dongwook.
Yes, sir!
Uncle, whod even hit the bathroom from nerves before his scene, snapped to military attention.
You know?
Yes...
At Kang Yonghwis curt question, Uncle drooped his head.
No long talk. Dongwook, youre not practiced enough yet. Loosen up first, then feedback. Got it?
Yes, sir!
Go on.
Impressive.
Not UncleKang Yonghwi.
Id thought he had good eyes spotting my crying as real acting, not tantrum.
Today proved his directing chops too.
He nailed each actors mindset from one run and corrected them.
No one grumbled under his charismatic guidance.
Real leadership.
Maybe thats why Uncle, not even getting full feedback, slumped beside me with a dark cloud over his face.
Unca.
Yeah, Siu.
Whoa, hes gonna burrow into the ground.
Seeing him flop like a jellyfish, I knew I had to step in.
If he went home like this, Mommyd worry sick.
Im gonna fix it.
No choice.
I stood, patted my butt.
Unca, youre stiff from tension.
Huh? Oh, yeah.
No time to mope, I said.
But its not hard. Watch.
I stood with feet shoulder-width, ramrod straight.
Basic stance like this. Power in legs! Like this! Got it?
Actors need solid lower body when performing.
It centers you, gives the audience stability.
No stability on stage, and every bit of acting feels shaky.
Lower body balance is the root of everything for an actor.
Unca. Lower body weak!
Gah. S-Siu. Peoplell misunderstand.
Misunderstand? Dunno. Got it?
Nail lower body power, plan center shifts, and the rests easy.
Decide upper body use, done.
Clear moves ease tension, empower lines.
Ah, got it. Power in the legs, right?
Uuuung!
Finally getting it.
I nodded, pleased.
Uncle looked dubious but pondered quietly.
Phew.
I sighed, sitting back down.
Hm?
Thats when I locked eyes with Kim Seonwoo, staring right at me.
...How long had he been watching?
Hm.
I sat straight, arms crossed, not looking away.
He didnt either.
His practiced start soon.
Alright, lets see what this troupes lead can do.