Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 5: Amazing Skills

Renly slowly stood up, as if every movement had consumed all the energy in his body. He straightened his body against the weight as heavy as a huge boulder, but before his footsteps could stabilize, he took two large steps forward. The overwhelming momentum made every spectator hold their breath.

"I implore you! If you harbor animosity towards me, while your blood-stained hands are still emitting heat, then execute me now!" Renly extended his hands, as if grasping the hands of his enemies in the void. The taut muscles of his arms made one feel as though his entire body was like a taut bowstring. A burst of incredible radiance erupted from the depths of his eyes, "Even if I were to live to be a thousand years old, I couldn't find an opportunity for death as good as today's; let me lie beside Caesar, is there a better place to die than this? Let me die at the hands of you contemporary heroes, is there a better way to die than this?"

Earnest and sincere, heroic and brave, straightforward and resolute.

Those simple words collided like sparks in the chest and mind, like surging waves, one after another, impacting the softest part of the heart, moving it deeply.

Renly suddenly withdrew his hands, his desolate expression like the elegant and noble moonlight, sparsely scattered, "My friends—alas! How should I put it?" He took steps towards the other side, his heavy footsteps dragging on the ground as if they were shackled by a thousand-pound weight, "My reputation is now at stake. If you don't think I'm a coward, you'll think I'm a flatterer!"

Raising his head, he looked at the deep and vast blackness above him, the tight curve of his jaw revealing a hint of conflicting entanglement, "Ah, Caesar! I once loved you, that is an absolute fact; if your spirit is watching us now, seeing your Antony groveling before your corpse, making friends with your enemies with blood-stained hands, wouldn't that make you sadder than death?"

The resolute determination amidst profound sorrow burst forth in his strong and forceful tone, allowing every listener to deeply feel that earnestness. "If I had as many eyes as your wounds, I should weep them dry, just as blood pours from your wounds, but I am ungrateful, and I have become friends with your enemies."

In those deep and vast eyes, melancholy sorrow and fervent pleading shone brightly. The tilted projection on the ground seemed like a giant collapsing, a moment of vulnerability, a moment of softness, a moment of shame, yet it made the image of the entire figure become fuller.

Then, Renly withdrew his movements, paused in place for about two seconds, and all emotions slowly subsided, as if the powerful aura dissipated like swirling smoke, the impact on the senses even beginning to affect vision, hearing, and smell. The entire theater fell silent, with not a sound to be heard, so much so that when Renly walked back to the center of the stage, only his footsteps could be heard, as if each step weighed heavily on the hearts of every audience member.

Renly stopped and turned to face the audience, calmly accepting the scrutiny and judgment from below the stage.

But below the stage, no one could react in time. It felt as if they had just experienced a violent storm, and they were like a canoe in the raging waves, unable to resist, only able to follow the waves as they continued to toss and turn. Now that the storm had ended, they remained stunned, needing time for their battered spirits to recover and settle.

As an actor himself, Tom undoubtedly felt the most deeply moved. In Renly, he saw the talent for performance, the energy bursting forth from every gesture, every smile, every movement filled with flavor, the overwhelming impact possessing great infectious power, effortlessly immersing the audience into the world he had constructed.

This level of skill was truly awe-inspiring!

Although Renly performed Shakespeare, perhaps the content British actors were most skilled at, and although the performance just now might have been polished countless times to present the perfect moment, and although the performance just now was filled with theatrical style, which might not align with television dramas...

But, but! The rich connotation and unique charm of Shakespeare's words, the vivid imagery and profound connotation of Shakespeare's dramas, burst forth vividly in that short performance, absolutely stunning the audience. Just based on this, Renly deserved praise and applause.

Especially after the deviation from the track with the impromptu comedy earlier, the contrast became even stronger.

Tom turned his head to look at the other colleagues beside him, each person's expression so similar—amazement, astonishment, admiration. Even the usually cunning Steven wore a playful expression at this moment, clearly showing great interest in Renly, which was truly rare.

Clearing his throat, Tom was the first to break the deadlock, "That performance just now was..."

His understanding of Shakespeare's dramas was limited, and the performance just now was not from a well-known play. From this, one could also see Renly's courage and confidence.

"Julius Caesar," Renly replied with a smile, "a tragedy Shakespeare wrote before 'As You Like It.' What I just performed was a segment from Mark Antony." Historically, Mark was one of Caesar's most important military commanders and administrators, and his most well-known deed was undoubtedly his legendary love affair with Cleopatra.

"Interesting choice," Tom's eyes lit up, "but why did you choose this segment?" As he spoke, Tom noticed Steven adjusting his posture slightly, propping up his chin and adopting a listening posture, which made Tom smile.

"Because it's what I'm best at?" Renly's response elicited light laughter from everyone present, confidence tinged with a hint of humor before he continued to explain, "I've always thought Mark Antony is an interesting character. Setting aside his personal life, Shakespeare gave Mark a soul in 'Julius Caesar.' In history, people's impression of him has always been stuck on being a fool obsessed with the Egyptian queen, which delayed the grand cause, or simply a muscular simpleton, but here, Mark is a measured orator, a cunning politician, and a decisive military commander."

A simple explanation, and suddenly everyone understood. Renly's performance just now, which seemed to lack context, immediately became enriched—Mark was facing the enemies who killed Caesar, and he had to avoid his own death without appearing too cowardly or flattering, an art of negotiation. In their minds, they couldn't help but recall every detail of the performance just now, and the astonishment brought by the second contemplation once again enlarged their pupils.

"Aren't you worried that none of us have seen this play, so we wouldn't understand your performance?" Someone spoke up from the side, not Tom, and all eyes turned to look, surprisingly it was Steven.

Not only the other auditioning actors, but even the crew members also glanced over. Throughout the entire audition process, the attention Renly received from the two big shots far exceeded expectations, which was truly rare.

"Haha," Renly chuckled lightly, not concealing his joy and excitement, but not overly flaunting it either, "Performance is performance, the play is just a medium. I need to showcase the performance, don't I? Besides, I don't think 'The Pacific' will require Shakespearean drama."

The latter half of the sentence was obviously a retort to Tom's earlier joke. Steven turned to look at Tom with a mischievous smile, and Tom himself chuckled, "I thought you couldn't wait to seize this opportunity." If it weren't for that joke, they wouldn't have had the chance to see Renly's brilliant performance. It was clear that Renly excelled in Shakespearean plays.

"We'll have to wait until the results are out to know, won't we?" Despite the simplicity of his words, there was a hint of cunningness in them, and laughter once again filled the audience's seats.

Steven cleared his throat, pretending to be serious, "I can assure you, the decision-makers aren't standing on the stage." The staff burst into laughter, but the actors on the stage were full of bitterness, becoming even more nervous.

Renly knew it was time for him to exit. He nodded politely in greeting and then turned back to the group. Facing him, he could see Rami's face, stiff with nervousness, but Rami still raised his right hand, quietly giving Renly a thumbs-up.

Renly couldn't help but smile and nod in response, silently cheering Rami on.

Taking a deep breath, after experiencing Renly's outstanding audition just now, the pressure on Rami's shoulders undoubtedly increased once again. However, he didn't feel defeated or jealous, on the contrary, he felt inspired, more determined, squeezed his fists, and then Rami took steps forward. He and Renly passed each other, one returning to the group, the other walking towards the forefront.

Standing in the midst of the group, Renly gently exhaled a breath. Although he appeared calm and composed, the truth was that his inner tension was no less than anyone else's. There was even a thin layer of sweat on his palms. This was just his first formal audition, and he was a complete newcomer.

If the phone call before the audition had no effect on him at all, it would be impossible. Now, every opportunity was particularly precious to him. He wasn't sure if his performance just now was enough, but he was certain that the performance was so wonderful, so exhilarating, so magical, that it strengthened his dream of becoming an actor as never before, deep in his heart.