An audience with her Majesty

Backstage is always the most mysterious place in a performance, just like the dressing room in a football match. It hides the secrets of the show, making people unable to resist the urge to peek. It's not only because it is the base for the splendid performances on stage, but also because you can see the true faces of the performers offstage. Moreover, it is the origin of countless gossip and secrets.

Hugo and Michael first walked out of the theater and then entered the backstage through a side employee passage. The dim and dilapidated corridor was filled with various props and tattered costumes. The thick dust and sporadic cobwebs vividly displayed the history of this place. It wasn't as glamorous as imagined, but it directly showcased the theater's history to anyone who arrived here.

Hugo saw two sets of 12th-century court costumes wrapped in heavy plastic covers. He couldn't see clearly why these two sets of costumes were left here, whether they were for recent performances or for commemorative purposes. Hugo could only vaguely guess whether these costumes were for "Hamlet" or "Macbeth", with their splendid golden threads and military designs easily capturing his attention.

After walking halfway down the corridor, a door appeared on the right-hand side. Behind the door was a spacious open area, and at the end of the open area was a flight of stairs leading to the stage. This was the narrow definition of the backstage, where the actors would wait before going on stage. Hugo could only glance briefly, but he could still feel the lingering liveliness and busyness backstage. Then he continued walking forward, turning into a small passage on the left-hand side, where he could see several separate small rooms. Hugo knew that these were the exclusive dressing rooms.

Generally, Broadway actors can be in the double digits, including both lead and supporting roles. Only a few top-tier actors have their own exclusive dressing rooms. This is partly because they have more costumes and facilities, and partly because the chaos backstage during preparation could potentially delay the preparation of the lead actors. Combined with the desire to showcase the actors' prestige and highlight class differences, such distinctions exist. As for other actors, they would change their costumes in the dressing room and prepare for their performances at the shared makeup stations backstage.

The first makeup room near the corridor entrance had a tall bodyguard standing at the door. Obviously, this was Katharine Hepburn's location. The bodyguard noticed Michael Jackson approaching and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his face. Michael asked in a low voice, "Is Katharine available now?"

The bodyguard nodded and smiled, saying, "She knew you were coming. She must be very happy." But then his gaze fell on Hugo and Joseph behind, and the bodyguard frowned, "Who are they?" It was obvious that Hugo and Joseph were not bodyguards since they weren't wearing black suits, so the bodyguard naturally felt the need to fulfill his responsibilities.

Michael turned his head and looked at Hugo, noticing that Hugo didn't have an impatient expression. Instead, he stood calmly beside him, without appearing anxious just because others didn't recognize him, nor overly eager because Katharine was just a wall away. This composed attitude was obviously not easy to maintain. On the contrary, it was Joseph, who stood beside Hugo, although his face showed no particular expression, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Katharine's dressing room, revealing the uneasiness and eagerness of a devoted fan, which amused Michael.

"They are... friends I just met," Michael replied. In fact, he didn't know how to define Hugo. Although he had no intention of acknowledging them as friends, if they weren't friends, Michael wouldn't have brought Hugo to visit Katharine. So, in that sense, perhaps Hugo could indeed be considered his friend.

The bodyguard standing at the door shook his head and looked at Michael with a troubled expression, but his eyes showed a firm refusal. "Michael, you know they can't come in."

"Um..." Michael paused for a moment. He knew that Katharine didn't actually like younger actors who claimed to admire her coming to visit, only to use her fame and reputation to climb up in their careers. Such things had become rare in the past two years, but they used to happen countless times just five years ago.

Michael turned his head and glanced at Hugo. Although the bodyguard intentionally lowered his voice, Hugo was only a step away and could hear very clearly. So Hugo didn't pretend not to hear and extended his left hand in a welcoming gesture, shaking his head with a smile. He said, "It's okay."

Hugo knew that he was a guest, coming to visit the host. It would be impolite to enter without the host's permission. So he didn't mind at all.

Looking at the smile on Hugo's face, Michael thought for a moment but didn't explain much. He turned back and nodded at the bodyguard, then opened the door and walked in. The bodyguard closed the door and continued to guard the entrance, looking at Hugo, Joseph, and the others with a serious gaze, treating them as strangers just like the four bodyguards accompanying Hugo and Michael.

Hugo and Joseph exchanged glances and both wore bitter smiles. They had thought that after the eight consecutive victories of "A Few Good Men", Hugo's face would have a certain level of recognition. But now it seemed that in the vast Hollywood, Hugo was still just a newcomer who had recently emerged. It was worth noting that even A-list actors didn't necessarily have widespread fame, and Hugo couldn't be considered an A-list actor, especially compared to superstars like Michael Jackson and Katharine Hepburn.

Joseph's mood had calmed down at this moment. Whether or not he could personally see Katharine, being able to watch her performance live today and have a close exchange with Michael was already something to be grateful for. One shouldn't be too greedy in life, and he had no need to make higher demands.

They stood at the door for about three minutes, everyone looking at each other in silence. The bodyguards were obviously accustomed to such situations, but Hugo and Joseph were forced to "stand in punishment" and practice silence, which was quite strange. Suddenly, the room door opened again, and Michael's figure appeared. He smiled lightly and said, "Hugo? Katharine wants you to come in."

Then Katharine's majestic voice came from inside the room, "George, let him in."

Upon hearing this voice, the bodyguard standing at the door no longer had a stern face but instead looked at Hugo, indicating that he could go in. Hugo was a bit surprised. He could guess how much Joseph loved Katharine, but now only he was allowed to enter. He turned around and glanced at Joseph, but Joseph didn't think much about it and directly gestured with his eyes for Hugo to go in quickly. From Joseph's excited and anticipatory gaze, it was evident that he was thrilled even if Hugo went in alone.

Hugo didn't hesitate any longer and walked into the room. He was greeted by Michael's gentle smile. Hugo lowered his voice and said, "Thank you." Michael closed the door behind him.

Before Hugo had a chance to examine the dressing room, a voice came from inside. "You should be thanking me, shouldn't you?"

Following the voice, he saw Katharine sitting in a chair. She had changed into casual clothes and removed her makeup, but her hair was meticulously styled. Her commanding presence had not diminished much. Hugo nodded with a smile and said, "It's an honor to meet you. Being able to see you is my privilege." Unexplainably, Hugo felt as if he were in the presence of a queen. Considering Katharine was often referred to as "Her Majesty", Hugo's feeling was not entirely wrong. His face involuntarily formed a wide smile.

This time, Hugo could finally have a good look at Katharine. She wasn't what people would consider a typical Hollywood beauty. Her face was rather thin, with sunken cheeks, high cheekbones, freckles all over, a strong chin, and a slender figure. It was difficult to find a distinct feminine charm in her, and the passage of time had left distinct marks on her face. However, it had also smoothed out the rough edges, leaving an air of grace and elegance. Only her sharp and fierce eyes still carried a hint of rebelliousness.

Seeing Hugo's radiant smile, Katharine's lips also curved upward involuntarily. Smiles were contagious, and Hugo's warm and sunny smile was especially infectious. "Michael said you're an actor?" Katharine asked.

Michael sat down next to Katharine, his face visibly more relaxed and comfortable than when he had been talking to Hugo earlier. "Still an actor disliked by journalists," he replied.

"In that case, you must be quite talented," Katharine raised an eyebrow and said, "Those crows always like to nitpick actors who don't meet their standards. But everyone knows how subjective and profit-oriented their judgments are."

Hearing Katharine's words, Hugo burst into laughter, which caught her off guard. "What's so funny? Did I say something amusing?" she asked.

Hugo quickly shook his head and explained, "No, no. It's just that a friend of mine also refers to journalists as crows, so..."

"Caw, caw, caw..." Katharine imitated the sound of a crow, causing Hugo's laughter to break free from its restraints. It resonated loudly in the dressing room, making Katharine and Michael unable to suppress their own laughter.

"So, what do you think of my performance today?" Katharine asked directly after the laughter subsided. Hugo was momentarily stunned, but Katharine raised an eyebrow and continued, "What's the matter? Are you afraid now? Michael told me that you expressed quite a few opinions earlier, and that's why I wanted to meet you. Don't tell me you're scared now?"

Hugo wasn't scared; he was just surprised by Katharine's directness. Although he had heard about her straightforward and rebellious nature, it was different to experience it firsthand. Only when facing Katharine could one feel her powerful aura and intimidating presence. Instead of offering an explanation, Hugo smiled and said, "I do have some doubts and opinions. I'm curious about the sudden change in your acting style during the opening scene of the second act. It doesn't seem to match the character's personality and doesn't align well with the progression of the plot..."