The Balcony Ghost Club

Story arc and endingMabel Hutt’s reply gets a laugh from Frank, who recognises the voice of the bus conductor who used to bring half the stalls to the pier. He returns wanting a conversation with his late wife. Brenda explains that the resident ghosts are Mabel, fiddler Jack Dore and seamstress Winnie Kerr. Frank sits out the tribute Alec has planned and helps Mabel trim a joke in the empty house instead. At the matinee Brenda leaves a gap exactly as rehearsed. Mabel lands her line, Frank laughs and tears his spare ticket for a neighbour who has been waiting to be asked.

Emotional payoffFrank can attend his old theatre with a new companion. Brenda begins to enjoy being the person holding the audience’s attention.

Story focusGrief to Hope

Length30,000 words planned

Story arc and endingMabel knows precisely when a familiar line will land. Tessie has a new ending that turns the queen into the youngest princess’s unlikely ally. Their rehearsals grow into a contest over who can hold a pause longest, and Tessie finishes a show on her own after Mabel sits one out. Brenda pairs them for a weekday matinee where the children talk back. Tessie lets a child’s question interrupt her grand speech. Mabel answers with a wicked little song that gives the princess the last word. The two women repeat the new ending by agreement, share the billing and bow to one another across the footlights.

Emotional payoffA longtime spectator discovers the pleasure of setting up somebody else’s laugh. A new actor earns the right to change an old part.

Story focusFish Out of Water

Length55,000 words planned

Story arc and endingJack can supply rhythm for a single pause, and Nell can answer with her feet. Together they begin a dance for the ushers and cleaners who work through every show. The daytime company offers them the main Saturday slot, but accepting would shut out most of the people who built it. Nell proposes two short performances that pass a step from one audience to the next. Jack’s beat fades when the first dancers finish, so the afternoon visitors teach the pattern to the pier staff by tapping it along the boards. At closing the second audience brings it back. Nell calls the dance and leaves the final beat for Jack. A monthly late show goes on the calendar.

Emotional payoffNell finds a way back to dancing on the hours she actually lives. Jack hears an entire pier pick up where his playing once stopped.

Story focusSecond Chance

Length55,000 words planned

Story arc and endingBrenda starts collecting backstage stories and turns them into speeches for the stars. At the read-through the crew can barely recognise themselves. Winnie once stitched a replacement moon before the interval ended. She wants to tell that story from her own seat, in her own words. Brenda bins the speeches, sets the old moon on a stand and asks the crew to build an act around the things they can do in the dark. Each maker leaves an opening for Winnie, Jack or Mabel. At the public show Brenda steps into the light to thread the last needle. The actors pull the curtain for the crew and all three ghosts take their bows from the balcony. The next season starts with an open rehearsal for anybody with a story and a spare evening.

Emotional payoffBrenda takes her first bow with her work still in her hands. The ghosts have made something new enough to deserve an encore.

Story focusUnderdog

Length55,000 words planned