Upstage, downstage, cross

the long version

"This novel takes place in England in the early 20th century. It features numerous on- and off-stage adventures of an acting aspirant's youth and theatrical encounters with a magician, stowing away on a shipload of touring actors, attending acting school, serving as an apprentice with the Birmingham and Liverpool Repertory Companies, and touring with a "fit-up" company. It is an extraordinary evolutionary education in theatre from the very basic stage movements to the plots of scores of contemporary productions, the characterizations of stage performers, chores of backstage crew, and problems and issues faced by Thespians of the time."--Back cover.