Looking content, not tired anymore.
This Wednesday evening 23rd July 2014 I saw The Crucible at Old Vic Theatre in London.
I went to see it with my 76 year old Mum, as a neutral commentator of acting and as an travel companion for my 5 day London trip. (Last time she was there was 50 years ago.)
As someone mentioned to me online, I must be aware to be very Lucky, as thousands would have loved to be in my seat. (Note to you, I would be very Lucky if only half of you would send me one pound to help me pay this trip). So I felt the burden responsibility and kept my eyes open for your sakes.
How can I help you? How can I stand out? Writing just another review with a rehassle of the same words (Miller, Salem, school assignment, intense, play in the round) is best to be avoided. Thus popped in the thought to give you impressions by drawings/sketches/jottings! Those will have to be scanned, so please come back here. Because of uploading troubles with large pictures, I will break this into more blogposts - and start with the last bit.
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When in Rome, erm, when in London, we just had to do the SDE. That SD thing brings out the worst in tourists like us. Although it all went very civilised, with a security guard, if you don't show pro-active eagerness, you won't get your autogramm or picture. Mum offered to take pictures and went all papperazzi-mode and me standing ready with my signable programme and The Crucible book I bought at Harrods one hour before.
(fair use of pictures please, copyright @VioletsTFB)
(no commercial re-use of pictures without permission)
This man was genuinely surprised that we came from Holland to see this play.
I said: "It was one of the best and I've seen a lot!"
He signed my Miller book.
She signed my programme and looked me straight in the eyes
when I said "You were very evil". She thanked me.
Others just fled.
Or came over.
He knew where to sign my programme: in his text.
Tituba had to go back to Barbados, no time to sign.
Then the movie star whirled by, shadowed by his security guard.
Of 30 people, he just took 4-5 pictures and didn't even finish the line.
He never looked anyone into the eyes, so I found him under my nose.
He scribbled my programme and my Crucible book.
Did I see him slightly raise his eyebrows?
Fans looking at Mr. A.
"Did you just take a picture of me?", the girl on the left asked us.
End of SDE
I had a Dutch gift, which I handed to the guard afterwards.
He took it indoors, repeatedly saying "He already left". I said: "Tomorrow is fine."
Later I recalled to have seen a huge container indoors next to exit. He wouldn't, would he?! :O :)
So much for celebrity lifestyle then.
Then we went back to the Underground around 23hr30 to catch a train to our hotel in Bloomsbury.
You can say the SDE was handled too fast, but we were back at the hotel before 00hr00.
Last trains leave at midnight, in case you need this information.
**
I would love to see this play back on DVD!!!
8 comments:
Hi Violet!
So glad you could see the play. Too bad you didn't get to give him your gift!
:( But I knew the day would come when he was too busy to keep it up. He probably had to go somewhere in a hurry. Those people in the front of the line were very lucky!
You did the best you could do! At least you were there! Stage Doors are never predictable. You might or might not get to interact. Still. An experience!
I think the security guard will get your gift to Richard. He may even write you a note of thanks sometime in the future. Lovely pictures and great recap. Thanks so much for sharing with those of us that cannot make it there. I live in Canada. Hoping a DVD will be made for The Crucible in the future too.
Before I sound like a nag, I would like to add that the security guard prepared the line by asking everyone to stand near the wall, one after the other, and he seemed to ask the last ones on the pavement if they were in the line or just waiting for their partners/friends/family. The last ones were not expressing to be pictured or having items signed.
@Phyllys, I knew which exit to take and landed just before the middle of the line. A good spot!
@AstraMarie, this SD thing is a curiosity! I never done that in my country, so maybe it's the same there. I hesitated when he signed, was happy to get the autograms and not be in the picture with him. Have never requested by mail for an autogramm, but now it's a nice treasure.
@FernandaMatias, that is nice to hear. I just wrote my email adress, so his agency will have to ask for my adress, if that is how you picture it to me. I've set my old digital camera to the greatest file, and thought to set in on 'sport', but later went for 'automatic'. My camera is slow in responding, after pressing the button. That's a bit frustrating. Yet photos turned out alright indeed. I hope for the DVD too. I will end my next Crucible post(s)with a pledge as well. :)
Thanks for this Violet, and for the ones before. I think Richard Armitage will receive your gift.
@Perry, thanks! I think so too. Not to me so much, but to others this SDE can be hypertense and surreal. Still the mind can play tricks with ye.
Hi,
I went last night and my stage door experience was pretty similar to yours. I think I made about 5 attempts to get him to take a picture but it was all so rushed. I guess it's understandable that he wants to get through it all quickly but still a bit disappointing. I'll just have to hope I can meet him at a Comic Con sometime instead.
@anonimous, hi there, I 've read all the SDE's before mine, and came to conclusion it can differ day to day. Hence I would call it 'cult'. So don't worry, I guess he has his reasons.
the people in my line looked very calm, but some were tense when you look them in the eyes afterwards, so I don't know what would have happened if he did spoke to them. If Someone spoken to him, it was only when they had pic with him and he responded with a 'yeah'. Leave your ego at home and observe is my advice. But his acting was lovely. I am fond of physical acting.
Before me there was one who took pic with him and suddenly there were like five people in half a circle around him, holding up the line as it looked, but it quickly got resolved.
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