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Post by wrigglerosie on Jun 24, 2009 21:52:28 GMT
I have videos up!!
The thursday one is a bit squished, like widescreen - its given me so many problems converting it so all of it would go on - but its watchable and hearable and its James!!
The other 2 are from Saturday
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Post by DeeDee on Jun 25, 2009 8:05:28 GMT
Has he been working out or did he always have arms like hams!? looks like hes been working out Ditto doesn't he look thanks for the vid Rosie you can tell he was hyper after the play (so were the fans ;D ;D )and so pleased everyone was there
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Post by wrigglerosie on Jun 28, 2009 23:41:39 GMT
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING JAMES HUGGED….
Wednesday 17th June
The last minute, unexpected trip to Los Angeles to see James perform in The Importance of being Ernest was a most wonderful experience. I have always loved the play, having seen it several times and that James would be playing one of the leads made it even better. From the moment I saw it online on the Friday lunchtime less than 3 weeks before it happened, it took me all of 3 minutes to decide I would go and within half an hour I had worked out what dates I could do, what needed to be re-arranged and had booked my play tickets and flights! I didn’t tell many people what I was doing – they all think Im nuts anyway, and this would just be further proof!!
So it was an early start on the Wednesday – driving from home to Ashford, dropping my car off by Jenny’s parents house and then catching a bus to Heathrow. To complicate things I was flying out on a Virgin flight and coming back Continental! Virgin are good – loads of space and I had a window seat to myself. So the flight passed as they do (I read an entire book again with loads of time to spare!) and we got to LA on time at 2.30pm. Having only hand baggage meant that once I was through Immigration (they are definitely saying – “oh it’s you again” – this being my 4th time to the US this year!) I was one of the first out. No sign of Jean or Charity though. I just had this feeling that the fact that I was on a Virgin flight was going to confuse things – so I just sat down to wait and people watch. I decided if they hadn’t found me by 5pm I was taking a taxi straight to the theatre!
After about three quarters of an hour, a familiar voice from behind me said “Rosie?” and it was Deni – not who I was expecting to see!! As I had thought, they had been at the Continental terminal waiting for me when they had discovered the problem. Jean and Charity went to get the hire car and Deni came to find me. So we waited outside and before long, they arrived with the car and we were able to get on our way.
Except not very fast. It was LA rush hour and we were on The Road To Hell – otherwise known as the 405. I don’t know why they call it rush hour – there wasn’t any rushing involved – creeping more like. We were all hoping we would get time to relax and I wanted to maybe have a sleep as by the time the performance started I would have been awake for 24 hour (I failed miserably to sleep on the plane) and I really didn’t want to snore in James’s opening night! But it was not to be. It took us until about 6pm to travel to the hotel. Luckily it was right by the road so it was an easy find. We had a short time before we had to be gone back up the road to the Skirball Centre so we did the fastest eat ever at Denny’s, a equally fast change and we were back on the Road to Hell again – at least this way the traffic wasn’t so bad and we made it to the Skirball with time to spare.
It’s a lovely modern building in the hills – lots of rooms and exhibitions and gardens – very nice! We found the theatre easily enough and it wasn’t that big – it didn’t really matter where you were sitting, you were going to get a good view. We were all sat together on the right hand side - Jean was in Row G, Charity and I were sitting together behind her in Row H and Deni was in Row I behind us – pretty clever since we all bought our tickets separately! There were several other people there we knew – Stephen, Becky and Angela to name three. And it wasn’t full – there were quite a few seats free dotted about. The stage was bare apart from 5 microphones and the chairs at the back – which meant all the actors would be onstage the whole time. Over to the right was the Foley sound effects table.
Charity and I were getting very giggly and squee-y – I wasn’t a bit tired, in fact I was positively buzzing - so everything seemed very hilarious and we kept poking each other and going “Squee!” like school kids because we were going to see James!
And then it started, including an introduction to LA Theatre Works and what they do, and then the director said about how important Oscar Wilde was to the history of comedy, and then he introduced the actors as they walked out. James was third from the end - loping out with that distinct James walk to his seat. He was wearing the black polo neck jumper that he wore at Elf Fair (that’s what it’s called in the UK – in the US, you call it a turtle neck sweater!) black dress trousers and black dress shoes (and yes, they were laced up!) He sat in his chair almost primly, legs crossed at the knee hands in his lap – not a bit like the sprawly James we know and love (some of the others sprawled in their seats, but not James – think he was keeping in character and sitting like a gentleman should! Not even later into the run, he was always correct!) And you could see how happy he was to be back on stage. It was just obvious from his whole demeanour - there was a slight tension to him – like he really wanted to let go and squee himself!!
I had forgotten just how funny the play is. Not a line is wasted; every one has wit or a cutting edge – and its so cleverly written and so biting at times – fantastically sharp no-holds-barred look at the society of the time. And the cast were excellent. I think 4 of them were English, but everyone’s accent was good – just sometimes slipped a little when they fumbled a line. Originally I had hoped James would be playing Algernon as he gets all the funny lines, but when I had talked to James about it at Fangoria he said he had been offered both parts and he chose Jack. And on seeing him, he was absolutely right. Matthew Wolf who was playing Algie was great –and perfect as the cheeky, devil-may-care, always out for fun Algernon – whilst James was no less funny as Jack, had that sort of older, more responsible air about him.
Despite them reading from the scripts and not being in costume, it was easy to imagine it all. James was channelling his inner William as his accent had definite overtones (and the couple of times his accent did slip on a fumbled line, it went into Spike!!) Lady Bracknell was played by Charles Busch (complete in fetching fur hat to help get him into character I presume!) and though he was good it was perhaps a bit too Pantomime Dame for me. It was funny how on some nights a line would pass by without a laugh and on others it would get one. Like I said, so many lines are funny, perhaps its not surprising that some slipped by – and I think that some were so English that no one got them (Bayswater probably isn’t that funny elsewhere!)
We had noticed that the seats hadn’t all been filled and there were some empty ones near the front. So in the interval, Charity and I asked the lovely man who was in charge of the ticket sales, Michael (who looked exactly like Elton John!) if we could move into the forward seats – he said yes as its better to fill the front by the audience microphone.(Our laughter will be on the recording!! Hope I didn’t snort!) So Jean, Charity and I moved down and got into the second row centre, and then I noticed there was one seat in the front row, so I jumped into that.
The actors all came out for the second half and I had a lovely view now of James when he was sitting down. He was really enjoying himself – smiling a lot at the funny bits and it looked like he was trying not to giggle at some points. I know I should have been watching the actors who were performing, but I can’t keep my eyes off James! Quite early on in the second act, I was watching him as he was sitting and he looked straight at me, gave me a little smile and just raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement. I raised mine back in reply. I was stunned – that he acknowledged me from the stage! I got some serious warm fuzzies at that point – squee!
The two girls playing Cecily and Gwendolen were both fabulous, Gwendolen definitely her mothers daughter and Cecily all sweet and girly – the scene in the second act where they first meet was just brilliant – so funny. One of Gwendolen’s replies started with total silence – the look on her face produced the biggest laugh of the night – hope that come across in the recording! And the diary line was funnier every time I heard it. Oscar Wilde – as Deni pointed out – writes the most wonderful female characters, unlike a lot of playwrights (and film script writers!) they are as strong as any of the men, if not more so!
James had a lot to do in the second act – he was on the right hand 2 microphones mostly which were on our side. And he was so into it – there were tears in his eyes at the “Mother!” bit and he did a lovely abrupt change from tearful reunion to serious practicality and back again. When there were several actors at the mics but not all speaking, they tended to look at the actor who was – but not James. He always looked out into the audience but into the distance with a whole range of emotions going across his face. When he was being polite angry with Lady Bracknell, the hand that wasn’t holding the script was clenching and unclenching in suppressed fury. And there were the smirks and frowns and even head tilts. And his eyes!! What is it about that mans eyes?? They were sparkling up there, totally lit up. I thought it must be the lighting and I looked at the other actor’s eyes, but no ones sparkled like James’s. Was it because he looked forward all the time so caught the lights, or was it the sparkle from within as he was so delighted to be back in his natural envoiroment? I know which I think…!!
It was a great performance all round – all of them did a wonderful job. We wanted to see James after if we could, so were trying to find the stage door, but they said that the actors would come out through the foyer bit anyway. There wasn’t that many of us waiting – only about 12 people – we saw some of the others coming out and spoke to them, but then the front of house lady said that James had already gone – he did apologise but they had been there all day rehearsing and he was very tired – he would come out tomorrow. So that was a little bit disappointing – especially for Deni as this was the only performance she was going to be at – but not too bad. I did get to talk to the director Michael Hackett – he was most impressed that I had come from England for the play and immediately asked me if everyone’s English accents were ok!! He said James was excellent in the part and a real professional.
We were able to get back to the hotel easily (it was about a five minute drive when there was no traffic) and finally to bed – I hadn’t been a bit tired throughout the whole performance, but now I was on about 27 hours without sleep and it was time to crash…
Thursday 17th June
All 3 of us had James dreams over night – Can’t remember that much of mine now, but I know it was in the theatre and I was acting too and at one point we had to do improvisation and I grabbed James’s arm and said “Come on, you can do improv” and dragged him onstage with me. Jean will have to tell about hers – it’s not my place..!!
A leisurely breakfast today before we had to take Deni to her train. We had a quick scout round the Sepulveda Dam Recreation area that was just over the 405, looking for the places where the photo shoot for Like a Waterfall cover was taken, but couldn’t find anything that looked right. Down and down and down a looooooong road where every block just looks the same to the Amtrak station, then a dead end road and a very creepy alley – just like the movies - Good thing it was daylight! The Amtrak station was very small but the train when it came was HUGE! Double-decker and just monster sized, complete with ringing bell and the odd long hoot just like American trains should! Maybe cos the platform isn’t really raised at all makes it look even bigger, but it was impressive all the same. We saw Deni safely on and then, avoiding the alley- went back via Subway to do some more serious checking out of the recreation area.
We had a couple of false starts and then we drove into the next bit of the park and I spotted some very familiar rocks! And a familiar structure too – yup – this was the place. So we did our best to recreate the like a Waterfall CD cover from memory, though the light was wrong being the afternoon and we didn’t have a guitar! It was good fun though – then we did the leaning on the tree poses and a bit of laying out on rocks. And we walked a bit farther into the park – both Jean and Charity were taking pictures of the local wildlife – both the 4 and 2-legged variety! We found another place which was definitely like one of the poses – James crouched down by the grass at a stream and several bridges which we couldn’t decide which ones had been used – so we photographed them anyway! It was pretty warm but very nice and just a great fun thing to do. We couldn’t find where the shot of James lying down was taken but realised later it was probably within the water treatment plant and Japanese gardens which were closed by the time we found them. We did manage to recreate the picture of James sprawled against the wall – but nobody had their tummy showing!
A more leisurely dinner and change and then off to the Skirball again. I approached Michael the ticket man and asked about being able to move forward and he said that although it showed sold out right now, he would let us know if any became available. This time funnily enough, we were all sitting on the left hand side of the theatre – again – all very close but on different rows. Just as the theatre doors were closing, Michael was looking around until he saw me (my red hair was very useful this weekend!) and then indicated there were 4 seats free in row C, so Charity, Jean and I quickly climbed out of our seats (Charity then clicked her fingers at Nancy who was a bit further over and said “Nancy! You’re with us” And pointed down the theatre!) We had 4 wonderful seats right in the centre and a couple of empty seats in front so it was perfect. And not long after the actors had all come out, James caught my eye again and smiled and raised his eyebrows at all of us which was lovely. – really didn’t expect him to acknowledge us from the stage.
It was an even better performance than the night before. To a certain extent, James hadn’t seemed totally sure of himself and it was like he was holding back a bit the previous night, but today he was letting go more and it was great. All of them seemed to raise their game and it ws just as funny the second time. The 4 people alongside Charity didn’t seem to be laughing at all and some seemed to be asleep! They left after the first half – very strange people!
We all gathered in the foyer again and it was definite that James was going to come out and see us. The other actors came out first – we collared Matthew for autographs and then when they asked us to move back a bit to give James space, he got left in the middle, so Charity said “ Come and stand with us”. So he did and joked that maybe he should ask James for an autograph, then wanted to borrow one of my I Love James badges from my camera strap. He was signing someone’s programme when James did emerge – I was videoing it – and he pushed through the crowd, waving the programme shouting “James! James!” and James just cracked up – “Awesome!” was the verdict. I think it did help break the ice a bit. There wasn’t a huge number of people there, but it was all very friendly, no pushing and no rushing forwards, regulars and old hands letting the newbies go first. James was signing programmes on his knee as he was standing to begin with until we managed to coax him over to a table to make it easier. (he was wearing jeans, trainers and a blue t shirt with mosquitoes on it saying Finnish Air Force – said he was given it by a fan) I didn’t really listen to what he was saying to ghostgirl but having watched the video, it was an amusing story of a email he sent to a friend that was all in Oscar Wilde style “I am glad to hear you are back to normal, but in my opinion, normal is highly overrated!”
As he was signing he looked up at us and said “you guys were a fabulous, fabulous house – just the best audience” and I said – “we weren’t creeping up on you today like yesterday – halfway through and we’ve sneaked down the front” and he was laughing his head off.
He signed my programme as he was saying they had only had 2 ½ days rehearsal. Then I got my hug and it was lovely – James hugs are the best of all. I said “I came 7000 miles just to see you in this” and he was all “oh man – of course you did! Everyone was saying “There’s a person from England to see you!” and then he did this wonderful very quick sit upright with his chin jutted out and a very superior look and said “Very famous!”
Then he continued on about having so much trouble with the character – he just couldn’t get it right until the last morning and he said the director was probably thinking “uh-oh” and he was saying he really didn’t get it right until the first performance – of course we were all telling him he was excellent – cos he was. James is so self-critical – he said that Oscar Wilde was so difficult, having to be crisp and concise with the words before you can go for character – and added that he was just going home and going straight back to the script and saying his lines over and over again.
Then – having given Charity a hug, he said “I love to see your faces out there – you guys kind of goosed up the audience, cos you were listening straight away and everyone else kind of followed.” – so he does notice us!!
Then we were taking photos – well – I was chief photographer and took pictures of most people with James and then Jean took a couple of me on my camera. I got another hug after, lovely big squeeze! –and he said he was really glad to see me. He talked with a few more people and then he was gone.
We then homed in on Matthew and had pictures with him as well! And had another chat with Michael the director in the parking garage who was a total delight – he was so impressed that James had fans that would travel so far to see him and sang James’s praises yet again. Very interesting man.
We invited Stephen back to have dessert with us as it wasn’t too far out of his way – I got to ride with him and show him the way. (The Brit gets sent to give directions in LA??) and we had a good old discussion of the play and had a look through the photos and video I had taken whilst scoffing ice cream and other desserts – very nice!
Friday 19th June
We spent most of the day in Santa Monica. The weather wasn’t very charming – it was grey and hazy though warm at Santa Monica - much sunnier back at the hotel. We had brunch on the promenade and went to the beach and out on the pier – it was a bit like an English seaside – especially with the grey skies – but cleaner! We admired the wonderful modern houses all painted different colours along the beach and then went back to the promenade to do some shopping! I got to visit Victoria’s Secret for the first time and bought tops in Forever 21 – it was good fun. Being aware of the time and wary of the traffic on the 405 again meant we tried to go back via Sepulveda Boulevard but that was worse, so we risked the Road to Hell and it was fine. We had comfortable time to eat and change and get back for the third performance.
On arrival we saw Patti and Stephen who said they had been there when James arrived (at 5pm) and he had sat down to talk with them. I was so jealous! Patti had given him a copy of high Plains Invaders as he hadn’t seen it yet and he wanted to go and watch it immediately! He had also told them to say he wasn’t coming out afterwards as he had something to do the following morning. So I felt a bit deflated at that, but decided to make the most of enjoying James on stage again. We were all back on the right hand side again, Charity and I in rows G and H and Jean down in Row B with Brenda. Charity went down and joined them as there was another free seat, but I didn’t dare move from mine until it got to the doors closing and then I hopped out, and shot down the stairs as there was one seat right in the front again! And this time it was on the side where James would be for most of Act 2.
When the director did his introduction tonight, we got a shout out! He said there were people who had travelled from as far away as London, England (well, close enough!) and North Carolina. I resisted the urge to stand up and whoop…
Friday night’s performance was probably the best. James was really getting into the part now and letting rip and the girls were just fabulous. Three times there was a round of applause for a line – one of them being for James towards the end. Yay! And it was still just as funny even though I knew a lot of the lines now, it was still making me giggle – and I kept hearing bits I hadn’t really noticed before which was interesting! I still found my eyes watching James when he was just sitting – if he is there, it takes a heck of a lot to distract me from him. I just want to look and look and take him all in. His eyes were as sparkly as before – it was definitely him and not just the lighting – he was so enjoying himself!
After the last bow at the end of the evening and before the actors left the stage, James looked across to where we were sitting and gave us the most beautiful smile you have ever seen – a truly gorgeous, totally content smile – and just bowed his head slightly to us in acknowledgement. That was really special!
No James afterwards (though Patti managed to meet him in the parking garage as he was leaving!) so we just went back to the hotel and dessert in Denny’s again – with Brenda this time as she was staying in the same hotel through until Sunday.
Saturday 20th June
Saturday’s performance was a matinee at 2.30pm which rather broke the day up. Also we had to get Charity to the airport for 11am as she had to go home today and we were a bit worried as to how the traffic would be. So it was Denny’s for breakfast again and Jean got her first go at driving in LA (We all shared paying for the car but I didn’t drive - I thought LA probably wasn’t the best place to learn to drive on the “wrong” side of the road…!) It actually rained a bit on the way – it was very overcast and thundery looking though it never came to much – it was charming again later! We made the airport in time and dropped Charity off, and then made our way back to the Skirball as we had booked tickets to go and see the wonderful Noah’s Ark they had there before the performance. And of course we hoped we would be there when James arrived…
When we got to the centre, Patti and Silent J had just arrived and so we joined them in the foyer – they said they were pretty sure James hadn’t arrived yet. He seemed to get there about 3 hours before, so it would be around half past 11, though of course he had had to do whatever it was that morning.
So we sat and talked and kept on glancing across the courtyard – and then various other actors arrived including Matthew, then the 2 girls and time was going on and I think everyone had arrived except James. Patti was laughing at me cos my leg was twitching and jumping up and down in anticipation!
Then Jean said – “there he is!” and I leaned back so I could see round the pillar in time to see James on the far side of the courtyard - but then he shot off to the left, out of sight. When he didn’t reappear, we looked at one another and said “He’s gone in a different way hasn’t he?”
But no – I think he had just stopped to talk to someone, because about a minute later, there he was striding across the courtyard to come in the doors right by us. He was wearing jeans, trainers and a dark blue Ghost of the Robot t-shirt and had his back pack and various clothes in dry-cleaning bags.
The doors were all glass and the centre two were open. We were sitting at a round table just a little bit back from the doors and I was on the outside away from the wall, sideways on. When James was about 10 feet from the doors, his face lit up with recognition and he smiled at me and called “Hi Rosie!”
You could have knocked me down with a feather!! James knows my name!! James knows my name!! He called me by it without being reminded by Steve or having just written it on an autograph, or even me having reminded him on the previous days. He just came out with it, from out of nowhere. I was just totally gobsmacked – and that wasn’t all, as he came in through the doors and straight to our table, plonked his bag at my feet, put his clothes over the next chair and then bent down to hug me saying “Hi Rosie, its so great to see you!” before he said anything to any of the others!!
James knows my name! Names are such a defining thing to us all – they are our label, they are who we are. Someone using your name is always a little special – you can always hear your name in a conversation even if it isn’t actually about you, always pick it out in a crowd of noise – you jump slightly, as to react to your name is almost a given. It’s an automatic response. Your name stands out to you in whatever context. And when it is used totally unexpected like that, being called by your name by someone who you wouldn’t expect to know it, has no need to know it, - it is very special.
And oh my God, I’ve just realised! Isn’t it amazing that this should happen at The importance of Being Ernest? A play in which someone’s name is so very important - it is all about identity and what a name says about a person - so much so that they pretend to be called a different name to try and get what they want. Maybe the significance of names was on James’s mind because of the play, maybe my red hair does make me easier to pick out and remember - but whatever, I am still just completely amazed and so very, very happy that James knows my name!!
Anyway….!
James then looked at Patti and said “that is one cheesy movie!” – yup, he had watched High Plains Invaders the night before! Then he spotted Jean across the table and in his hurry to get across the chairs to hug her, the clothes went flying! Big hugs and Jean said “oo – you smell nice!” (he did – I noticed it as he was hugging me) and he cocked his head to one side, exposing his neck for Jean to sniff (she did!) and then with a lovely smug grin on his face said “it’s my anti-perspirant!”
Then he had to rescue the clothes off the floor – he said they were his costume as he was having a change – it was a suit jacket and white shirt as far as we could tell - and then we started talking about HPI – he said there was only two film actors in it, him and the guy who was the scientist –all the others acting was apparently SO over the top, they had to get them to all tone it down!
There was a young guy there who was waiting to get an autograph from James for his mum, so they talked for a bit as the guy wanted to be an actor. Then James spotted Silent J sitting all quiet and zoomed in on her for a hug saying “ Hi darlin’” And then Patti showed James the t-shirt she had been wearing earlier in the year with all the stuff about the Bush administration on it as he hadn’t had time to read the back and he loved it. She said he could have it if he wanted even though it was an XL and he said “yes!” immediately
Then James apologised, saying he really had to hurry, and then asked us where we were sitting whilst he gathered up his belongings – mostly further back we said, not very good seats, but he told us that it was good to see it from a different view – gives you a different perspective on the show,. I asked if he would be coming out after and he said yes, he would. And then we all said “see you later” and I remembered not to say “good luck” but couldn’t bring myself to say “break a leg”
So that was lovely! I was totally on a high – still going “OMG – he knows my name! James knows my name!!” and I had to tell someone so I texted my friend Jenny at home whilst Jean and I went round to the Noah’s Ark (which was absolutely lovely – loads of fun for kids – all the animals made out of recycled materials and so very cleverly done. Some to play with, some up the walls and hanging over your head. Lots of handles to turn and buttons to push and puzzles to do and climbing and exploring. Hours and hours of fun for kids – and big kids too as Jean and I tried out most things!)
On our way out to get our change of clothes from the car we met first Jessie (who had flown in fro just one performance and then was flying home again!) and then Becky who wasn’t supposed to be there but admitted she couldn’t keep away!
Having done a hasty change into our better clothes I the bathroom, we were ready for the performance – it seemed a lot more crowded in the foyer – maybe because it was daytime and the centre was open, as the theatre was no more full than any other day. I was in Row L on the right hand side – the second to back row – Jean was one row in front but in the centre. I didn’t hold out much hope for an improved seat today, but then right at the start time, I saw Michael looking around the theatre searching for someone and I so hoped it was me! Eventually he turned my way and I waved and he smiled in recognition and gestured me down. (Red hair is so useful!) He asked where my friends were and I said “one’s gone home, but the others are here” I caught Jean’s eye, she asked how many and I showed 3 – no 4 –fingers for 4 free seats, so Jean attracted Jessie’s attention and we ended up in the third row centre again! So out of 4 performances I was never sitting in my purchased seat (except the first half of the first performance!) I tried to get Patti to have the spare seat by me, but she didn’t come over until the second half – likewise, Becky grabbed the spare seat in front of us.
James was dressed in his suit jacket, but was wearing the black striped shirt that has seen many an outing under it – don’t know what happened to the white one. It made him look even more perfect for the part – on his first foray to the microphone the hand that wasn’t holding his script was stuffed in his trouser pocket all casual-like!
I did manage to get pictures in this performance – in spite of wanting to get the suit, it was all the different expressions crossing James’s face that made it so worth while – he went through them all!
This was the last performance I was seeing – I so wished I could have stayed for the last one too, but I just couldn’t work the flights – so I was enjoying every minute of it. I knew a lot of the lines by now and found myself saying them along with the actors – and still laughing my head off at my favourite lines.
There was one tricky moment in the second act when James was up with Matthew - there was a sudden silence and James was looking through his script, checking pages, and then after pause, he stepped across to join Matthew on his mic and started reading from his script. All the way through, James seemed to be keeping various scenes scripts separated – he was always clipping them together under his chair – and it looked like he hadn’t brought all of them with him from his seat. They picked it up beautifully and carried on and even though ‘Algie’ was eating a evil yellow fruit for the sound effects (it was supposed to be muffins!) they shared the script to the end of the scene. It was actually nice as they both seemed to act more in a physical way when they were sharing a script.
And so it came to the end – James had the last line, I forgot to mention that before – and they did their bows and went off and it was all over (for me anyway)I have always thought ‘Ernest’ to be a wonderful play – so complete and just about perfect. Seeing James act in it made it perfect for me.
We gathered out in the foyer again – there still wasn’t as many people waiting to see James as I thought there would be. I managed to say thank you to Michael the wonderful ticket man for getting us such good seats every night – he was a total darling and was happy that he could help out.
And then James came out again. I wasn’t going to ask for another autograph this time – I was content to take videos and pictures. James sat at the same table again so I had a great view of him signing. Got him talking to Becky – saying how we couldn’t see his heart banging away when he realised he didn’t have the script pages and then a second later realising that there was another script over there. And I really wish I had left the video running, but someone asked if someone would take her picture with James – so I said yes, since I had been doing everyone’s, but it turned out she wanted it on her camera. So I just left my camera on the table facing James as I took the pictures – James sat down again and before I could pick the camera up again, he looked up at me and said “ Rosie, the cast all love you!” (He used my name - again!! Squee!)
I was quite taken aback and think I said something like “wow, they do? How come?” And he went on “We can see your happy face, you are always smiling and laughing and they are all saying “She’s saying the lines along with us!” – they think you’re great!”
Well colour me stunned again!! The cast all noticed me in the audience (red hair again!) and I know I am known for being a bouncy, cheerful, enthusiastic person, but I didn’t think I would be picked out from the stage! Amazing!
I took some great pictures of James with Patti and then with Jessie and then he noticed Brenda sitting at one of the other tables. He stood up to start on his way over to see her - gave Jean who was alongside him a hug and then turned to me and said “ And now I’ll hug Rosie” and I got a enveloped in his arms. Cant remember if I said anything to him at this point, I was still processing the fact that he had used my name again and being in a James hug tends to make you forget everything else. When he let me go, I think we stayed holding both hands as I said “This is my last show, I wont be here tomorrow - I have to fly home” and he replied “ oh no – I’m sorry” and giving my hands a squeeze. I did say I had considered missing my flight to which he said “No, don’t do that!”
Then he made his way over to Brenda and spent some time with her – I was too slow on the video, just got a couple of pictures before he said he was having to leave. Ben, the stage manager who was in charge of looking after James was reminding him he didn’t want to be late. (Ben was great – keeping an eye, but realising that James was quite safe with us, so never interfering!) so with more called goodbyes, he was gone.
We all then went straight to the parking garage – I walked faster than Jean who was lingering talking to Jessie, so I got to our car first and couldn’t get in as she had the keys. And then who should appear from the elevator? James !! (and Ben!) His car was parked on the same level as ours, just across the garage.
Ok – I’m a tad embarrassed about this, but my excuse is this is exactly what I am like normally, after a dance or something like that. I’m a very huggy person anyway, and my best friend Jenny and I have a tendency to stand around with our arms out, willing to hug anyone who comes along. So as James continued across the garage I came out round a the car with my arms outstretched saying “Hug! Can I have another hug??”
James grinned at me but kept walking and so I said without thinking, still holding my arms out “Oh go on! Hug? Please?” and this time he looked across at me, grinned and said “Oh – go on then!” and stopped and put down his bag!!
Im not sure if he then came in towards me or if I just covered the whole distance on my own, but he held his arms out and we met in the middle in a huge hug! Just the best – a big full-on squeezy hug from James, with my head held in close, tucked into his neck!! It was glorious – a big friendly, lovely hug from the most wonderful man.
I just let him go then and backed off as I was stunned yet again (James did nothing but stun me time after time this day!) though several people were still following. Becky hadn’t managed to get a picture with James in the foyer so she asked please would he, so again, I was photographer and managed to get a couple of shots (the lighting down there was crap!) and then he really had to go, so was in his car and away – we all waved!
I was fairly incoherent for a minute, trying to make conversation with Patti and then I was making better sense. Realised it might be quite a while before I next saw Patti – probably in October at Hallowhedon – we had to have much huggage. And then we got talking to one of the producers of the play who was parked right by Patti’s car – it turned out he was English but had been living in the US for years, was a huge Buffy fan and he was the one who suggested James for the part! He quizzed us on our favourite Buffy episodes and we spent ages talking to him.
I was just so up in the clouds on the way back to the hotel and squeeing my head off “James knows my name!!” being the most constant refrain. Jean had had a fantastic time too - she has her own stories to tell. We were fed up with the sight of Denny’s so decided to go to a Italian restaurant – Brenda said there was one down the road a couple of blocks so she booked us a table. We had a really nice meal – lots of lovely pasta, before heading back to the hotel as I had to pack as we had to leave at about 6am for me to get to the airport for my 9am flight. So we packed and talked and squeed and Jean did give me some very sage advice – not to be disappointed if the next time I see James it’s not like this was – not as good – because this was pretty damn special!
Not a lot else to tell – I lost most of Sunday on planes being that I had to fly to Houston and then fly home to arrive back on Monday morning, so was utterly wiped by the time I got back – typically I didn’t feel sleepy until we were 20 minutes away from Heathrow! I did make it back having had to stop for a sleep on the drive home and then just went to bed.
So that was it – the most wonderful James experience for me to date. Seeing him so happy to be back in his favourite place – on stage - and seeing him act was just the best. To discover he knows my name and knows who I am was just stunning. And the times after the performances when he came out to see us – he didn’t have to do that, there was no incentive. He didn’t have to sign autographs or pose for pictures - it was his choice to do so. Which made it even more special for me. He really loved having his fans there and was so grateful for our support. And I so loved being there to support him.
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