Chapter 159: 159
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Roosevelt Center of Arts, New York City
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap* "~Yayyy~" Ongki clapped sarcastically.
"That was boring. Thank goodness it's over." He sighed in relief.
A play of 'Mantua'; an opera written by an Italian composer/playwright in the 1800s, just finished. Ongki and Jouny are in the front row seats of the audience.
"'Uhhhh'? Get over it, honey. It's front row free ticket. Just think of it as burning $300 of Tayaw's money. You don't get to do that every day." Jouny said, amused by her husband's reaction.
"Hmm. Well. The highlight song was at least beautiful. I guess it's worth it just to listen to it live. Anyway. Why did Tayaw send you here? An opera? Really?" Ongki asked.
"Well. He just might have found the first actor for his next film." Jouny said in concealed excitement.
"Oh? Which one?" Ongki got curious.
"The lead - " Jouny was about to continue when they overheard something.
"Ugh. Luca was such a bad actor. Why of all dates did he have to lead tonight?" A man said to his wife, intentionally loudly, as if wanting people to hear his criticism.
"Hey. At least he's the best singer out of all the lead actors." The wife said in embarrassment as she glanced at Jouny and Ongki.
"Hey, hey. Honey, who's Tayaw's actor? It can't be that Luca, right? The stiff lead actor?" Ongki connected the dots.
"Yeahp. It's Luca. And 'stiff' is a bit too much." Jouny defended the lead actor.
"But why Luca? Look, I don't speak English much but I kind of understood what that fancy schmancy man said. Luca is a bad actor. Is Tayaw making a musical movie?" Ongki asked.
"Nope. But I get now why Tayaw wants him. Let's go backstage." Jouny replied as she got up from her seat and made her way towards the backdoor next to the stage.
"Really? How so?" Ongki asked as he picked up Jouny's handbag and followed.
"Tayaw didn't just treat us to a front row seat for nothing. He wanted me to have a really close look. You've seen Luca's acting right?" Jouny asked as they walked.
"Yeah? He looked as stiff as a board compared to the other actors." Ongki expressed his observation.
"But. Is he really?" Jouny asked again.
"Uhh.. I don't know? That's what I saw, am I wrong? Just tell me. Jeez." Ongki almost scoffed.
The two shortly entered the backdoor. They saw that it led to a busy corridor and they saw the actors from the opera already stripping from their costumes. Ongki took a peek at one of the rooms and saw an actress wiping her make-up off in front of a mirror.
"Anyway. His acting… It's perfect for Tayaw's style of film." Jouny revealed, distracting Ongki from peeking.
"You missed it. I filtered out the other actors and just focused on him. Like really focused, ENTIRELY. The way he carries himself, his face, the way he stood. He looked exactly like a nobility, just like his character Duke Ossani." Jouny explained.
This got Ongki thinking and reviewed whatever he could remember from the play as they walked.
"HEY!" Ongki was interrupted from his thoughts by Jouny calling out to him.
"Where are you going?" Jouny raised her brows at Ongki. Ongki realized that Jouny stopped in front of a door.
"Oh. Sorry. Yeah, I was just thinking about what you said. I still don't see it, but whatever you say." Ongki said and walked back to her.
"Heh. Trust me." Jouny replied smugly.
"Anyway. Luca's room?" Ongki asked rhetorically as he saw 'Luca Norcia' pasted on the door.
"Yeah."
*Knock* *Knock* Jouny knocked on the door.
*Click* *Clack* The door opened up to them and a fairly good-looking man, of Italian descent in his early 30s, peeked from inside the room.
"Can I help you?" the man said to the couple, appearing cautious.
It took Ongki and Jouny a few seconds to realize that the man is Luca Norcia, the same person they have watched for an hour and a half on stage. They almost did not recognize Luca as he is now wearing casual clothes instead of his fancy costume. His make-up he wore that made him look much older than his age, is now erased. Luca's downcast look and drooped shoulders, being a stark contrast to his character's confident posture on stage, also added to Jouny and Ongki's lack of recognition of Luca.
"Yes, you can help us, Mr. Norcia. Let us in and we can talk?" After getting over her confusion, Jouny smilingly asked, her harmless and maidenly impression made Luca's caution disappear.
"Come in." Luca after considering for a bit, finally let them in.
As Ongki and Jouny entered the dressing room, Ongki could not help but be underwhelmed.
"Wow. Your change room. It is uh…"
"Ordinary?" Luca completed what was supposed to be Ongki's remark in comprehensible English.
"Heh. Yes." Ongki chuckled.
"Uhuh. All changing rooms are like this." Luca chuckled as well.
"Nice show, by the way. Your voice alone was worth the price of the front row admission." Jouny reached out her hand.
"Glad you enjoyed it." Luca shook Jouny's hand, then Ongki's.
"Please, sit anywhere." Luca said to the couple as he sat back down on his chair by his dressing table. The way he plumped down looked as if he merged with the chair. This made Ongki almost shake his head at how weak Luca looked.
As Luca poured himself a glass of amber colored liquor, he felt the gaze of Ongki and Jouny on him.
"Ah. I'd offer some but I only have one glass. Anyway, I don't know how you got in backstage but, what do you guys need?" Luca contrary to his slack posture, got to the point immediately.
"What do you feel about working in film?" Jouny got directly to the point as well. Luca though, looked at her as if she just told a bad joke.
"… Heh. You serious?" Luca shook his head as he sipped from his glass.
"Yes, I am." Jouny seriously answered which made Luca wear a contemplative expression. As Luca processed, Jounly meanwhile is trying to practice in her head the pitch that she got from Tayaw.
"I didn't get your name." Luca said.
"Jouny Yalen. This is my husband Ongki." Jouny introduced. "Nice to meet you two. Are you a casting agent? Mrs…" Luca failed to pick up Jouny's Teungebian surname.
"Jouny is fine." Jouny said in understanding.
"Alright, Jouny. Are you a casting agent?" Luca asked.
"I'm a screenwriter, first and foremost. I've taken a break from writing and took a casting gig for a friend." Jouny answered.
"I see." Luca nodded. "Well. I guess you've not heard of my reputation?" Luca asked.
"What? You being a bad actor?" Jouny smiled at the opinion of others towards Luca.
"Yep. Great singer, terrible actor. They said that I only have a job because I can sing. I have to say, I agree." Luca chuckled. Jouny found Luca's inferiority-complex-fueled assessment of himself strange while Ongki frowned at Luca drinking his liquor like water.
"Why do you think they're right?" Jouny asked.
"Well? Many of the best actors didn't say it, but they implied, the sly f*cks. But what can I do? What can I say to them? No matter what I do, I can't look as good as them on stage. I tried to be as 'theatric' as them, but I only end up looking stupid." Luca explained, the influence of alcohol made him overshare.
Jouny nodded in understanding despite her disagreement of Luca's explanation. To her, Luca already has enough presence despite only displaying subtle and almost unseen details of his role as Duke Ossani.
"Well, I disagree." Jouny said. Her words getting Luca's attention.
"If I may ask, what is your approach in playing Duke Ossani?" Jouny asked.
Jouny's question lit something in Luca. Ongki also saw that Luca's disinterested mood transform to that of minor enthusiasm.
"Uhh. Well. I looked up his real historical counterpart. I studied his territory and I tried to imagine how I can govern in his place. I also looked up old footage of real British and Japanese nobility to study how they carried themselves in public. That's the summary of it, I guess." Luca explained, his voice sounding brighter than before.
However, it did not take long before Luca's enthusiasm died down. "But in the end. It doesn't help with my performance on stage. The audience? My co-actors? They don't care. They only care about what they see on stage, which is how it is supposed to be." Luca said as he drained his glass, the liquor added to his bitterness.
In contrast to Luca's downcast look, Jouny found it harder and harder to suppress her smile. 'Tayaw, you lucky son of a gun.' Jouny thought and chuckled as she shook her head.
"I'm sorry?" Luca was almost offended, misinterpreting Jouny's smirk and chuckle.
"You see Luca, I think you're wrong." Jouny said.
"Excuse me, but what do you know?" Luca said, his voice rising slightly. Ongki might not know English well, but signs of drunken agitation are universal.
"Mr. Norcia, calm down. My wife, she explains." Ongki said. Luca was distracted from his offense by Ongki's somewhat endearingly bad grammar, so he waited for Jouny to explain.
"Thank you, honey. Anyway. You know what I saw on stage? I saw the experience and wisdom of someone that should belong to the 50-something year-old Duke Borgia. I don't know if the other lead actor can do the same, but your portrayal of someone beyond your age is something I'm seeing for the first time, and it's incredible." Jouny began. Luca also listened in interest.
"And, I didn't see an actor who plays a duke." Jouny continued. Luca's face however twitched at this. 'Heh. Now I get why Tayaw speaks in bait and switch.' Jouny was amused at Luca's expression.
"What I saw was a duke who can sing. What I saw on that stage was a real noble surrounded by fakes." Jouny said.
"Wha-." Luca processed Jouny's words for a moment and was stunned.
"Th-thank you?" Luca finally got his word out, his voice cracking, his nose and cheeks turned red at the rare compliment towards his acting skills. Jouny and Ongki, looking at Luca's state, just let Luca be with his emotions for a moment. Jouny meanwhile tried to recall what Tayaw said to her about Luca.
A few breaths later. "Anyway…" Jouny pulled out Luca from his internal thoughts.
"I think I know why people can't appreciate your acting." This got Luca's attention once more.
"There's theater elegance, and real-life elegance. True, your co-actors look very graceful and elegant but if you put them next to real nobility, I think they would look shallow." Jouny regurgitated Tayaw's words.
Jouny does not know what real nobility looks like, but she's taking Tayaw's words as scripture. Learning about Luca's acting process also reinforced Tayaw's assessment as being true in her mind.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Roosevelt Center of Arts, New York City
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap* "~Yayyy~" Ongki clapped sarcastically.
"That was boring. Thank goodness it's over." He sighed in relief.
A play of 'Mantua'; an opera written by an Italian composer/playwright in the 1800s, just finished. Ongki and Jouny are in the front row seats of the audience.
"'Uhhhh'? Get over it, honey. It's front row free ticket. Just think of it as burning $300 of Tayaw's money. You don't get to do that every day." Jouny said, amused by her husband's reaction.
"Hmm. Well. The highlight song was at least beautiful. I guess it's worth it just to listen to it live. Anyway. Why did Tayaw send you here? An opera? Really?" Ongki asked.
"Well. He just might have found the first actor for his next film." Jouny said in concealed excitement.
"Oh? Which one?" Ongki got curious.
"The lead - " Jouny was about to continue when they overheard something.
"Ugh. Luca was such a bad actor. Why of all dates did he have to lead tonight?" A man said to his wife, intentionally loudly, as if wanting people to hear his criticism.
"Hey. At least he's the best singer out of all the lead actors." The wife said in embarrassment as she glanced at Jouny and Ongki.
"Hey, hey. Honey, who's Tayaw's actor? It can't be that Luca, right? The stiff lead actor?" Ongki connected the dots.
"Yeahp. It's Luca. And 'stiff' is a bit too much." Jouny defended the lead actor.
"But why Luca? Look, I don't speak English much but I kind of understood what that fancy schmancy man said. Luca is a bad actor. Is Tayaw making a musical movie?" Ongki asked.
"Nope. But I get now why Tayaw wants him. Let's go backstage." Jouny replied as she got up from her seat and made her way towards the backdoor next to the stage.
"Really? How so?" Ongki asked as he picked up Jouny's handbag and followed.
"Tayaw didn't just treat us to a front row seat for nothing. He wanted me to have a really close look. You've seen Luca's acting right?" Jouny asked as they walked.
"Yeah? He looked as stiff as a board compared to the other actors." Ongki expressed his observation.
"But. Is he really?" Jouny asked again.
"Uhh.. I don't know? That's what I saw, am I wrong? Just tell me. Jeez." Ongki almost scoffed.
The two shortly entered the backdoor. They saw that it led to a busy corridor and they saw the actors from the opera already stripping from their costumes. Ongki took a peek at one of the rooms and saw an actress wiping her make-up off in front of a mirror.
"Anyway. His acting… It's perfect for Tayaw's style of film." Jouny revealed, distracting Ongki from peeking.
"You missed it. I filtered out the other actors and just focused on him. Like really focused, ENTIRELY. The way he carries himself, his face, the way he stood. He looked exactly like a nobility, just like his character Duke Ossani." Jouny explained.
This got Ongki thinking and reviewed whatever he could remember from the play as they walked.
"HEY!" Ongki was interrupted from his thoughts by Jouny calling out to him.
"Where are you going?" Jouny raised her brows at Ongki. Ongki realized that Jouny stopped in front of a door.
"Oh. Sorry. Yeah, I was just thinking about what you said. I still don't see it, but whatever you say." Ongki said and walked back to her.
"Heh. Trust me." Jouny replied smugly.
"Anyway. Luca's room?" Ongki asked rhetorically as he saw 'Luca Norcia' pasted on the door.
"Yeah."
*Knock* *Knock* Jouny knocked on the door.
*Click* *Clack* The door opened up to them and a fairly good-looking man, of Italian descent in his early 30s, peeked from inside the room.
"Can I help you?" the man said to the couple, appearing cautious.
It took Ongki and Jouny a few seconds to realize that the man is Luca Norcia, the same person they have watched for an hour and a half on stage. They almost did not recognize Luca as he is now wearing casual clothes instead of his fancy costume. His make-up he wore that made him look much older than his age, is now erased. Luca's downcast look and drooped shoulders, being a stark contrast to his character's confident posture on stage, also added to Jouny and Ongki's lack of recognition of Luca.
"Yes, you can help us, Mr. Norcia. Let us in and we can talk?" After getting over her confusion, Jouny smilingly asked, her harmless and maidenly impression made Luca's caution disappear.
"Come in." Luca after considering for a bit, finally let them in.
As Ongki and Jouny entered the dressing room, Ongki could not help but be underwhelmed.
"Wow. Your change room. It is uh…"
"Ordinary?" Luca completed what was supposed to be Ongki's remark in comprehensible English.
"Heh. Yes." Ongki chuckled.
"Uhuh. All changing rooms are like this." Luca chuckled as well.
"Nice show, by the way. Your voice alone was worth the price of the front row admission." Jouny reached out her hand.
"Glad you enjoyed it." Luca shook Jouny's hand, then Ongki's.
"Please, sit anywhere." Luca said to the couple as he sat back down on his chair by his dressing table. The way he plumped down looked as if he merged with the chair. This made Ongki almost shake his head at how weak Luca looked.
As Luca poured himself a glass of amber colored liquor, he felt the gaze of Ongki and Jouny on him.
"Ah. I'd offer some but I only have one glass. Anyway, I don't know how you got in backstage but, what do you guys need?" Luca contrary to his slack posture, got to the point immediately.
"What do you feel about working in film?" Jouny got directly to the point as well. Luca though, looked at her as if she just told a bad joke.
"… Heh. You serious?" Luca shook his head as he sipped from his glass.
"Yes, I am." Jouny seriously answered which made Luca wear a contemplative expression. As Luca processed, Jounly meanwhile is trying to practice in her head the pitch that she got from Tayaw.
"I didn't get your name." Luca said.
"Jouny Yalen. This is my husband Ongki." Jouny introduced. "Nice to meet you two. Are you a casting agent? Mrs…" Luca failed to pick up Jouny's Teungebian surname.
"Jouny is fine." Jouny said in understanding.
"Alright, Jouny. Are you a casting agent?" Luca asked.
"I'm a screenwriter, first and foremost. I've taken a break from writing and took a casting gig for a friend." Jouny answered.
"I see." Luca nodded. "Well. I guess you've not heard of my reputation?" Luca asked.
"What? You being a bad actor?" Jouny smiled at the opinion of others towards Luca.
"Yep. Great singer, terrible actor. They said that I only have a job because I can sing. I have to say, I agree." Luca chuckled. Jouny found Luca's inferiority-complex-fueled assessment of himself strange while Ongki frowned at Luca drinking his liquor like water.
"Why do you think they're right?" Jouny asked.
"Well? Many of the best actors didn't say it, but they implied, the sly f*cks. But what can I do? What can I say to them? No matter what I do, I can't look as good as them on stage. I tried to be as 'theatric' as them, but I only end up looking stupid." Luca explained, the influence of alcohol made him overshare.
Jouny nodded in understanding despite her disagreement of Luca's explanation. To her, Luca already has enough presence despite only displaying subtle and almost unseen details of his role as Duke Ossani.
"Well, I disagree." Jouny said. Her words getting Luca's attention.
"If I may ask, what is your approach in playing Duke Ossani?" Jouny asked.
Jouny's question lit something in Luca. Ongki also saw that Luca's disinterested mood transform to that of minor enthusiasm.
"Uhh. Well. I looked up his real historical counterpart. I studied his territory and I tried to imagine how I can govern in his place. I also looked up old footage of real British and Japanese nobility to study how they carried themselves in public. That's the summary of it, I guess." Luca explained, his voice sounding brighter than before.
However, it did not take long before Luca's enthusiasm died down. "But in the end. It doesn't help with my performance on stage. The audience? My co-actors? They don't care. They only care about what they see on stage, which is how it is supposed to be." Luca said as he drained his glass, the liquor added to his bitterness.
In contrast to Luca's downcast look, Jouny found it harder and harder to suppress her smile. 'Tayaw, you lucky son of a gun.' Jouny thought and chuckled as she shook her head.
"I'm sorry?" Luca was almost offended, misinterpreting Jouny's smirk and chuckle.
"You see Luca, I think you're wrong." Jouny said.
"Excuse me, but what do you know?" Luca said, his voice rising slightly. Ongki might not know English well, but signs of drunken agitation are universal.
"Mr. Norcia, calm down. My wife, she explains." Ongki said. Luca was distracted from his offense by Ongki's somewhat endearingly bad grammar, so he waited for Jouny to explain.
"Thank you, honey. Anyway. You know what I saw on stage? I saw the experience and wisdom of someone that should belong to the 50-something year-old Duke Borgia. I don't know if the other lead actor can do the same, but your portrayal of someone beyond your age is something I'm seeing for the first time, and it's incredible." Jouny began. Luca also listened in interest.
"And, I didn't see an actor who plays a duke." Jouny continued. Luca's face however twitched at this. 'Heh. Now I get why Tayaw speaks in bait and switch.' Jouny was amused at Luca's expression.
"What I saw was a duke who can sing. What I saw on that stage was a real noble surrounded by fakes." Jouny said.
"Wha-." Luca processed Jouny's words for a moment and was stunned.
"Th-thank you?" Luca finally got his word out, his voice cracking, his nose and cheeks turned red at the rare compliment towards his acting skills. Jouny and Ongki, looking at Luca's state, just let Luca be with his emotions for a moment. Jouny meanwhile tried to recall what Tayaw said to her about Luca.
A few breaths later. "Anyway…" Jouny pulled out Luca from his internal thoughts.
"I think I know why people can't appreciate your acting." This got Luca's attention once more.
"There's theater elegance, and real-life elegance. True, your co-actors look very graceful and elegant but if you put them next to real nobility, I think they would look shallow." Jouny regurgitated Tayaw's words.
Jouny does not know what real nobility looks like, but she's taking Tayaw's words as scripture. Learning about Luca's acting process also reinforced Tayaw's assessment as being true in her mind.
Roosevelt Center of Arts, New York City *Clap* *Clap* *Clap* "~Yayyy~" Ongki clapped sarcastically. "That was boring. Thank goodness it's over." He sighed in relief. A play of 'Mantua'; an opera written by an Italian composer/playwright in the 1800s, just finished. Ongki and Jouny are in the front row seats of the audience. "'Uhhhh'? Get over it, honey. It's front row free ticket. Just think of it as burning $300 of Tayaw's money. You don't get to do that every day." Jouny said, amused by her husband's reaction. "Hmm. Well. The highlight song was at least beautiful. I guess it's worth it just to listen to it live. Anyway. Why did Tayaw send you here? An opera? Really?" Ongki asked. "Well. He just might have found the first actor for his next film." Jouny said in concealed excitement. "Oh? Which one?" Ongki got curious. "The lead - " Jouny was about to continue when they overheard something. "Ugh. Luca was such a bad actor. Why of all dates did he have to lead tonight?" A man said to his wife, intentionally loudly, as if wanting people to hear his criticism. "Hey. At least he's the best singer out of all the lead actors." The wife said in embarrassment as she glanced at Jouny and Ongki. "Hey, hey. Honey, who's Tayaw's actor? It can't be that Luca, right? The stiff lead actor?" Ongki connected the dots. "Yeahp. It's Luca. And 'stiff' is a bit too much." Jouny defended the lead actor. "But why Luca? Look, I don't speak English much but I kind of understood what that fancy schmancy man said. Luca is a bad actor. Is Tayaw making a musical movie?" Ongki asked. "Nope. But I get now why Tayaw wants him. Let's go backstage." Jouny replied as she got up from her seat and made her way towards the backdoor next to the stage. "Really? How so?" Ongki asked as he picked up Jouny's handbag and followed. "Tayaw didn't just treat us to a front row seat for nothing. He wanted me to have a really close look. You've seen Luca's acting right?" Jouny asked as they walked. "Yeah? He looked as stiff as a board compared to the other actors." Ongki expressed his observation. "But. Is he really?" Jouny asked again. "Uhh.. I don't know? That's what I saw, am I wrong? Just tell me. Jeez." Ongki almost scoffed. The two shortly entered the backdoor. They saw that it led to a busy corridor and they saw the actors from the opera already stripping from their costumes. Ongki took a peek at one of the rooms and saw an actress wiping her make-up off in front of a mirror. "Anyway. His acting It's perfect for Tayaw's style of film." Jouny revealed, distracting Ongki from peeking. "You missed it. I filtered out the other actors and just focused on him. Like really focused, ENTIRELY. The way he carries himself, his face, the way he stood. He looked exactly like a nobility, just like his character Duke Ossani." Jouny explained. This got Ongki thinking and reviewed whatever he could remember from the play as they walked. "HEY!" Ongki was interrupted from his thoughts by Jouny calling out to him. "Where are you going?" Jouny raised her brows at Ongki. Ongki realized that Jouny stopped in front of a door. "Oh. Sorry. Yeah, I was just thinking about what you said. I still don't see it, but whatever you say." Ongki said and walked back to her. "Heh. Trust me." Jouny replied smugly. "Anyway. Luca's room?" Ongki asked rhetorically as he saw 'Luca Norcia' pasted on the door. "Yeah." *Knock* *Knock* Jouny knocked on the door. *Click* *Clack* The door opened up to them and a fairly good-looking man, of Italian descent in his early 30s, peeked from inside the room. "Can I help you?" the man said to the couple, appearing cautious. It took Ongki and Jouny a few seconds to realize that the man is Luca Norcia, the same person they have watched for an hour and a half on stage. They almost did not recognize Luca as he is now wearing casual clothes instead of his fancy costume. His make-up he wore that made him look much older than his age, is now erased. Luca's downcast look and drooped shoulders, being a stark contrast to his character's confident posture on stage, also added to Jouny and Ongki's lack of recognition of Luca. "Yes, you can help us, Mr. Norcia. Let us in and we can talk?" After getting over her confusion, Jouny smilingly asked, her harmless and maidenly impression made Luca's caution disappear. "Come in." Luca after considering for a bit, finally let them in. As Ongki and Jouny entered the dressing room, Ongki could not help but be underwhelmed. "Wow. Your change room. It is uh" "Ordinary?" Luca completed what was supposed to be Ongki's remark in comprehensible English. "Heh. Yes." Ongki chuckled. "Uhuh. All changing rooms are like this." Luca chuckled as well. "Nice show, by the way. Your voice alone was worth the price of the front row admission." Jouny reached out her hand. "Glad you enjoyed it." Luca shook Jouny's hand, then Ongki's. "Please, sit anywhere." Luca said to the couple as he sat back down on his chair by his dressing table. The way he plumped down looked as if he merged with the chair. This made Ongki almost shake his head at how weak Luca looked. As Luca poured himself a glass of amber colored liquor, he felt the gaze of Ongki and Jouny on him. "Ah. I'd offer some but I only have one glass. Anyway, I don't know how you got in backstage but, what do you guys need?" Luca contrary to his slack posture, got to the point immediately. "What do you feel about working in film?" Jouny got directly to the point as well. Luca though, looked at her as if she just told a bad joke. " Heh. You serious?" Luca shook his head as he sipped from his glass. "Yes, I am." Jouny seriously answered which made Luca wear a contemplative expression. As Luca processed, Jounly meanwhile is trying to practice in her head the pitch that she got from Tayaw. "I didn't get your name." Luca said. "Jouny Yalen. This is my husband Ongki." Jouny introduced. "Nice to meet you two. Are you a casting agent? Mrs" Luca failed to pick up Jouny's Teungebian surname. "Jouny is fine." Jouny said in understanding. "Alright, Jouny. Are you a casting agent?" Luca asked. "I'm a screenwriter, first and foremost. I've taken a break from writing and took a casting gig for a friend." Jouny answered. "I see." Luca nodded. "Well. I guess you've not heard of my reputation?" Luca asked. "What? You being a bad actor?" Jouny smiled at the opinion of others towards Luca. "Yep. Great singer, terrible actor. They said that I only have a job because I can sing. I have to say, I agree." Luca chuckled. Jouny found Luca's inferiority-complex-fueled assessment of himself strange while Ongki frowned at Luca drinking his liquor like water. "Why do you think they're right?" Jouny asked. "Well? Many of the best actors didn't say it, but they implied, the sly f*cks. But what can I do? What can I say to them? No matter what I do, I can't look as good as them on stage. I tried to be as 'theatric' as them, but I only end up looking stupid." Luca explained, the influence of alcohol made him overshare. Jouny nodded in understanding despite her disagreement of Luca's explanation. To her, Luca already has enough presence despite only displaying subtle and almost unseen details of his role as Duke Ossani. "Well, I disagree." Jouny said. Her words getting Luca's attention. "If I may ask, what is your approach in playing Duke Ossani?" Jouny asked. Jouny's question lit something in Luca. Ongki also saw that Luca's disinterested mood transform to that of minor enthusiasm. "Uhh. Well. I looked up his real historical counterpart. I studied his territory and I tried to imagine how I can govern in his place. I also looked up old footage of real British and Japanese nobility to study how they carried themselves in public. That's the summary of it, I guess." Luca explained, his voice sounding brighter than before. However, it did not take long before Luca's enthusiasm died down. "But in the end. It doesn't help with my performance on stage. The audience? My co-actors? They don't care. They only care about what they see on stage, which is how it is supposed to be." Luca said as he drained his glass, the liquor added to his bitterness. In contrast to Luca's downcast look, Jouny found it harder and harder to suppress her smile. 'Tayaw, you lucky son of a gun.' Jouny thought and chuckled as she shook her head. "I'm sorry?" Luca was almost offended, misinterpreting Jouny's smirk and chuckle. "You see Luca, I think you're wrong." Jouny said. "Excuse me, but what do you know?" Luca said, his voice rising slightly. Ongki might not know English well, but signs of drunken agitation are universal. "Mr. Norcia, calm down. My wife, she explains." Ongki said. Luca was distracted from his offense by Ongki's somewhat endearingly bad grammar, so he waited for Jouny to explain. "Thank you, honey. Anyway. You know what I saw on stage? I saw the experience and wisdom of someone that should belong to the 50-something year-old Duke Borgia. I don't know if the other lead actor can do the same, but your portrayal of someone beyond your age is something I'm seeing for the first time, and it's incredible." Jouny began. Luca also listened in interest. "And, I didn't see an actor who plays a duke." Jouny continued. Luca's face however twitched at this. 'Heh. Now I get why Tayaw speaks in bait and switch.' Jouny was amused at Luca's expression. "What I saw was a duke who can sing. What I saw on that stage was a real noble surrounded by fakes." Jouny said. "Wha-." Luca processed Jouny's words for a moment and was stunned. "Th-thank you?" Luca finally got his word out, his voice cracking, his nose and cheeks turned red at the rare compliment towards his acting skills. Jouny and Ongki, looking at Luca's state, just let Luca be with his emotions for a moment. Jouny meanwhile tried to recall what Tayaw said to her about Luca. A few breaths later. "Anyway" Jouny pulled out Luca from his internal thoughts. "I think I know why people can't appreciate your acting." This got Luca's attention once more. "There's theater elegance, and real-life elegance. True, your co-actors look very graceful and elegant but if you put them next to real nobility, I think they would look shallow." Jouny regurgitated Tayaw's words. Jouny does not know what real nobility looks like, but she's taking Tayaw's words as scripture. Learning about Luca's acting process also reinforced Tayaw's assessment as being true in her mind.
