Friday, July 20, 2007 . 12:36 AM

It's a basic fact that backstage hands are unappreciated. People only want to see the star of the show, the highlight of the play, but not the dirty, gritty, unimportant backstage hands.

Without the backstage hands, the show cannot go on. Yet they are always taken for granted as most of the recognition and attention goes to the main attraction. So why do they still carry on when they know that their efforts are not appreciated? It's their definition of duty, an undying sense of responsibility, that they know they have a part to play and that they must play that part to the best of their ability; to fulfil their sense of honour and dignity, that they know that they had tried their best and done themselves proud, no matter who gets the credit. It allows them to look at themselves in the mirror and go, "I have not let myself down today".

But sometimes the backstage hand gets tired of getting no recognition. Sometimes he feels that he has been unjustifiably ignored. And sometimes, maybe he does not want to be a backstage hand anymore. Should he feel sorry for himself? Does he deserve to feel sorry for himself? After all, it was he who chose to lead this life of obscurity, to put himself in this predicament in the first place. Believe me, he has tried ways and means to shake off the tag of being the "man behind the scenes". But just as troglodytes are unable to emerge into the sunlight, the backstage hand is apprehensive of stepping into the spot light. Sometimes he feels jealous, perhaps even bitter at how the stars manage to handle it so well. But what makes him the most bitter is that the stars chuck him aside once they have gained their popularity, leaving them in the lurch and back to square one.

The backstage hand dreams of getting the recognition he deserves one day, that he can step up and be popular, and rise up to stardom. He thought that he could do that; start life anew, recreate himself in a fresh environment. But several ghosts of the past still come back to haunt him, forcing him to remain inconspicuous.

All the backstage hand wants is to feel appreciated, to feel wanted. Although he has tried to look for it himself, he does not want to be too daring and become a prima donna like his peers before him, for that would be betraying all that he stands for. Thus he is doomed to a life of being the invisible man, the utility man. For he is a mere backstage hand, and not the star of the show.

"You'll Never Walk Alone"

Archangel