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About the Author

In 2018 Lianne Dillsworth graduated from Royal Holloway’s MA in Creative Writing with distinction and last year, she won a place on the London Library Emerging Writers Programme. Most recently she was awarded a bursary place for underrepresented writers on the Jericho Writers Self-Editing course. She also holds an MA in Victorian Studies and her love for the period shines through her writing.

Lianne currently lives in London, where she works for the government on growing diversity within the Civil Service. Theatre of Marvels is her debut novel.

Dedication

For my grandad, Ambrose W. Dillsworth, who always told the bestest stories.

And for Nana and for Mama. I love you very much and all I ever want to do is make you proud.

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I

The African in the Audience

Go to the theatre much? No, nor me. At least not before I became an actress. I know what you’re thinking. Actress, eh? But you can keep your dirty-minded thoughts to yourself. I trod the boards and no more. Doesn’t mean I don’t have a story or two to tell, mind. Would you be kind enough to indulge me if I talked about the old days? Hard as it was back then, I can’t say that if I had my time again I’d change it.

That feeling you get before the show starts. Whether you’ve been up Drury Lane once, twice or ten times, I reckon you’ll know it. It comes up on you as the lights go down. The fizzing in your belly conjured by cheap gin and jellied eels at a farthing a pot. Keep your eyes hard fixed on the curtain in front of you. Those red velvet folds, with their heavy gold trim. You’re so eager at the thought of the performance to come, you tell yourself you saw it move. But if you really want first peek it’s best to look to the left of the stage. Time it right and you might just see the actors looking out at you.