The Whispering Muse

Rumours of a curse run through the Mercury Theatre in London's West End. Backstage talk holds that the lead actress, Lilith, has struck a bargain with Melpomene, the tragic muse of Greek myth, in return for becoming the finest actress ever to stand on a stage.

The theatre owner's wife is jealous and distrustful of Lilith. She orders the dresser Jenny to watch her and report back. Jenny needs money to support her family, so she accepts.

What she finds is a woman who is both astonishing and provocative. On stage, Lilith seems taken over by every character she plays. Off stage, she appears as sorrowful as the Muse said to inspire her. Jenny pities her and becomes her friend.

Then odd events start to unsettle the theatre, and Jenny begins to wonder whether the gossip is true. She fears that when the Muse arrives to collect what she is owed, the price will be more than anyone can pay.