THE SHOW MUST GO ON

The lights go up, the cast take their bow.

Silence greets them from the empty auditorium.

They keep going because there is nothing else to be done.

Night after night, show after show, repeat and repeat. Bereft of enthusiasm they go through the motions, a ghost-like shadow of their former ardour.

Delirium set in weeks ago, around the time of the first death. The understudies have all now been promoted.

No one says anything to Reilly, but they all cast spiteful looks at his back. He was the one who coughed first.

The lockdown is indeterminate, the show must go on.

Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

My first two novels are now widely available from several online stores. Just click on the appropriate link to have a browse and find out more:

A JUSTIFIED STATE – THE STATE TRILOGY BOOK ONE

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PAPERBACK:
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STATE OF DENIAL – THE STATE TRILOGY BOOK TWO

PAPERBACK:
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85 responses to “THE SHOW MUST GO ON”

neilmacdon

26/02/2020

Clever story, Iain. A Marie Celeste, fully crewed, but with nobody to find them

LikeLiked by 2 people

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thank you Neil
  
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ceayr

26/02/2020

Topical and tragic.
And the worst may be yet to come.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  It seems to be heading that way. Fingers crossed there is some relief.
  
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Susan A Eames

26/02/2020

Oh, liked this! Very topical. Great take on the photo prompt, Iain.

Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thank you Susan
  
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Tannille

26/02/2020

At least they have something to do. Wait until cabin fever sets in…

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Trying not to imagine being stuck in my work for a month…
  
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  1. Tannille
    
    27/02/2020
    
    All sharp objects would need to be hidden…
    
    LikeLiked by 2 people
Colline

26/02/2020

A scary scenario.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Hopefully one that won’t happen to us all.
  
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quiall

26/02/2020

Let’s hope it is not prophetic!

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Indeed! Thank you.
  
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rochellewisoff

26/02/2020

Dear Iain,

That took a frightening twist at the end. Well written misdirect and scary, given the possible pandemic sweeping the globe.

Shalom,

Rochelle

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  I’m just imaging being locked in my work building for a month…!
  
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J Hardy Carroll

26/02/2020

Topical, but hopefully not prophetic! Good story.

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thank you. I think the show may well stop in a few places before this is over.
  
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Sadje

26/02/2020

Great story woven around the photo.

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thank you 🙂
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply
Mike

26/02/2020

Out for coffee this morning I observed when any body coughed, those around them looked worried.

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Yep, the paranoia is setting in. Soon follows the panic.
  
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pennygadd51

26/02/2020

Brilliant story, Iain. I liked the spiteful looks directed at Reilly. And the idea that actors would perform every day with or without an audience seems spot on. You’ve written this with great fluency; super.

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thank you Penny, great comment to receive 🙂
  
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Dale

26/02/2020

It must so be the case in theatres…

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Liz Young

26/02/2020

I didn’t see that coming.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thanks Liz
  
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trentpmcd

26/02/2020

I think that is happening somewhere today, perhaps in Iran…

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Yep, I imagine the show will be stopped in quite a few places before this iver.
  
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Anita

26/02/2020

Show has to go on.
Coronavirus has the world worried.
Coughing is viewed with suspicion.
But, this is serious. Many are getting affected day by day…
Where is our world heading?

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply
1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  It isn’t going to go away anytime soon and will get worse before it gets better.
  
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Keith’s Ramblings

26/02/2020

Even worse than that which might occur by uttering the name of The Scottish Play. Soon the only event safe to attend will be a masked ball!

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  I’m waiting to be told I can stay in my house and not come out until the summer is here!
  
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robbiesinspiration

26/02/2020

Oh my, this is the third story I have read for this prompt where some of the cast dies, the world is obsessed with coronavirus.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  It’s hard to avoid with the headlines. Still not reached Scotland, but it seems it is only a matter of time.
  
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pensitivity101

26/02/2020

Another good tale Iain.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thank you Di
  
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  Reply
notestowomen

26/02/2020

There was a possibility that the Olympics would have been postponed but apparently, a spokesman for the Japanese government said the International Olympic Committee and local organizers are going ahead as planned despite the threat. Today I heard on the News that a 60 something year old woman here in Toronto has the virus. She recently returned from Iran. There are cases in Italy as well. WHO says that Covid-19 is not yet a pandemic. Very effective topical take on the prompt, Iain.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thank you. I think it is very fluid and decisions will change on a day by day basis. I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets worse that the Olympics are cancelled.
  
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  1. notestowomen
    
    27/02/2020
    
    If the Olympics are cancelled, I feel sorry for all those athletes who worked so hard to get to that point but it’s best to be safe rather than sorry.
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
Na’ama Yehuda

26/02/2020

Oy vey …. this does take “the show must go on” to its very extreme, doesn’t it? Yikes!

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Thank you 🙂
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply
msjadeli

26/02/2020

Feels like purgatory. Aha! Now I see where those who fail the audition go 😉

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Oh yeah, a theatre for rejected actors!
  
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magickmermaid

26/02/2020

A super story after hearing the news about the corona virus this morning. Hopefully this will not be the case 🙂

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  26/02/2020
  
  Let’s hope they can keep it under some sort of control, I think it will go on for quite some time now.
  
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  Reply
plaridel

27/02/2020

it looks like fear of the virus is affecting everything. hopefully, it’ll be resolved soon.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  27/02/2020
  
  I wouldn’t get your hopes up, looks like it will get a lot worse before it gets better.
  
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JoHawkTheWriter

27/02/2020

One more reason I want to become a recluse. Great take on the prompt.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  27/02/2020
  
  It’s the safest option.
  
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draliman

27/02/2020

Now that’s professionalism. Poor Reilly. It does seem like everyone’s watching everyone else closely these days for any sign of a cough or a sneeze.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  27/02/2020
  
  We’re all going to get more and more paranoid for a few months…
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply
Innerdialects

27/02/2020

Ah that deadly boredom cough in any theatre….love the ambience of your writing

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  27/02/2020
  
  Thank you so much 🙂
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply
  1. Innerdialects
    
    29/02/2020
    
    🌻
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
Laurie Bell

27/02/2020

Oh brilliant and utterly terrifying

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  27/02/2020
  
  Thanks Laurie
  
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Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

27/02/2020

Groundhog day in the time of the corona…

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  27/02/2020
  
  Much like the news headlines each day.
  
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granonine

28/02/2020

Iain, this is a great combination of real life events and the prompt. Good writing.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  28/02/2020
  
  Thank you Linda
  
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Russell

28/02/2020

No wonder they can’t get an audience. They should perform in those little blue masks, maybe. Great take this week!

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  28/02/2020
  
  Ha, that’s true. We might all be wearing them soon!
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply
  1. Russell
    
    29/02/2020
    
    True, but I sure hope not.
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person
susanmehr

28/02/2020

Scary and so true. It’s sad that this might actually happen. Let’s hope not. Great story.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  28/02/2020
  
  I think the theatres may have to close if it spreads much further.
  
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The Writer’s Village

28/02/2020

Ugh.
Coronavirus be damned.
Won’t stop us or the show!!!!!

Good story.

Randy

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  28/02/2020
  
  I’m sure we will all carry on somehow. Thanks Randy
  
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James McEwan

28/02/2020

Just one little cough and a hurricane arrives – how shocking.

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  28/02/2020
  
  Feels like that at the moment, every cough is suspicious now!
  
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Alicia Jamtaas

28/02/2020

Oh! This is grand. An interesting way to avoid the tedium of being in confinement. And poor Reilly. It wasn’t his fault that he coughed first. But, that is the way of the world.

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  28/02/2020
  
  Everyone is suspect now, but at least they have each other for the duration!
  
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David Stewart

29/02/2020

You gave this a great sense of spiraling madness, I really like it. I’m wondering if this was inspired by recent quarantines.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  04/03/2020
  
  Thanks David, much appreciated
  
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anthonynorth

29/02/2020

I like it – topical indeed.
My first time here – and rather late.

LikeLiked by 1 person

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subroto

01/03/2020

Scary and topical. On a lighter note Google has reported an increase in online searches for “corona beer virus” and “beer coronavirus” .

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  04/03/2020
  
  The brewers must be making money out of it 🙂
  
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Nobbinmaug

01/03/2020

It could be worse. I thought they were just really bad actors.

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  04/03/2020
  
  They are getting better with all the practice time they now have.
  
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Dawn M. Miller

02/03/2020

Very timely!
I love the line: ” He was the one who coughed first.”

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  04/03/2020
  
  Thanks Dawn
  
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  Reply
michaelwynnauthor

03/03/2020

Very on trend and up to the moment, Iain. We’ve just been discussing such possible scenarios at work. Well done

LikeLiked by 1 person

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  04/03/2020
  
  Yes, my work is similar, not sure what will happen if we have to stop altogether!
  
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joyroses13

05/03/2020

Oh you are good!
I think I will need to sign up for your posts again, for they aren’t coming to my email.

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1. Iain Kelly
  
  05/03/2020
  
  Thanks, hope you manage to get signed up. I’m pretty sure I haven’t changed anything at my end!
  
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  1. joyroses13
    
    05/03/2020
    
    I think its just a glitch. Having the same problem with another blogger. I will figure it out. 🙂
    
    LikeLiked by 1 person