The Crucible Stage Door Experience

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.

 

**

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!!!

 

Hobbit Fan Event And Creatives

Three Years Of Love And Ridicule

Gandalf: "Because they get a chance to see you!"

This week, April 9, was my THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THIS BLOG. 

Thanks to REMINDERS on FB and RETWEETERS in Twitterworld you all had marked

this HUGE MOMENTUM in your diary, because of the cumulative stats I post. :)

Warning: TOO MUCH INFORMATION.

It was THE YEAR OF WORLDWIDE HOBBIT PROMOTION and if you´re lucky you could have joined THE CAST AND PETER JACKSON with LIVE ONLINE CONNECTIONS through video streaming and twitter Q&A´s. Frankly, it was the year in which Mr. A had more screentime TELLING US ALL about THORIN OAKENSHIELD than acting as him. Though he had PUT IN LONG HOURS IN MAKEUP AND PROSTHETICS, SWORD TRAINING AND RUNNING NEXT TO GREEN CAT WALKS. It was the year WE DIDN´T SEE MUCH OF THAT, because of FAST EDITING, TOP NOTCH CGI AND STUNNING 3D IN 48 FPS HIGH FRAME RATE - DON´T DISCUSS IT, WE LOVE YOU HOBBIT FANS. It was the year we got teased to GO SEE THE HOBBIT PART TWO AND THREE in the next coming years. It was the year HUNDREDS OF HOBBIT ARTICLES passed my timeline on twitter, of which one article mentioned that the HOBBIT CONTRACT ALLOWS CAST TO FILM TWO MOVIES OTHER THAN THE HOBBIT. It was the year actor LUKE EVANS said to promote one of his two other movies than The Hobbit, that he LIKED READING ABOUT THE LOTR GUYS ON INTERNET, just some weeks after I posted my fake DWARFLEADER INTERVIEW. It was the year actor IAN MCKELLEN or more likely THE HOBBIT PR MACHINE stated in a press article that he wouldn´t repeat his CHARITY THEATRE TOUR IN NZ in Europe or elsewhere, a week or so after I casually tweeted a polite request to do so. Sorry LOVELY READERS, for ME not being COMMITTED enough.

Seriously, what a year this was for RA being HOT DWARF material in The Hobbit. (That´s my PR agent whispering that I should put that in. I myself didn´t detect any hot dwarfs in The Hobbit. Just saw THORIN OAKENSHIELD, DWARFLEADER, SON OF THRAIN. And that´s a compliment, to someone who now gets worldwide credit for hot fanvids and singing Misty Mountains. :) )

Now being double seriously, I was hanging in there with this blog to see how the release of The Hobbit movie would effect my pageviews. And it did! Even if this is a humble blog, not viewed by many, still it does what it does. It got picked up by all these search keywords, which were too general to find my blog, I reckon.

Most fanblogs don´t last two years. But I should not compare my blog to others. Although the thought of quitting goes through my mind, but see the work I have put in? I better leave it up. Especially since I have a hunch that I am read by people who put an interest in what I write. So, thanks, people, and thanks fellow bloggers and other fans, because it´s the creativity bug of yours that has put me to blogging. Thanks RAFrenzy for reminding me that I have a great blog. Thanks HOBBIT CAST for googling (oh well, they googled TheOneRingNet.com while they were on set, it was said during NYC promotions).

Top 10´s

These cumulative numbers represent my first three years of pleasantly crazy blogging with a naughty sniff of Richard Armitage in the mix. This year I am not putting links in this post. TOO MUCH WORK.

All Time Posts

(1) Letter To Thorin  8,887

(2) The Hobbit, Exciting And Dynamic Casting  7,448

(3) Lucas North, Pretending To Be Dating  3,051

(4) Lucas North And His Fans  2,941

(5) Guy Of Gisborne Syndrome One Year On  877

(6) Willmore The Rover, Name Another Rake  669

(7) Thorin Oakenshield And The Company Of Dwarves  623

(8) Quiet Dwarves, Hobbit Fans, Take Two  555

(9) SCOOP, Unseen Promo Pics Of Lucas North  457

(10) Getting A Whole Lot Of Guy  375

Referring URL´s

http://www.a*rmitagefanblog.blogspot.com/  1,333

http://www.m*eandrichard.wordpress.com/  791

http://www.t*witter.com/   328

http://www.t*heframeworkblogspot.com/  316

http://www.t*hesqueee.blogspot.com/  264

http://www.g*oogle.com/search  263

http://www.d*omar.ru/  145

http://www.s*pooksfanblog.com/ 116

http://www.y*imum.blogspot.com/  116

http://www.r*afrenzy.com/  114

Referring Sites

http://www.g*oogle.com/  8,422
http://www.g*oogle.co.uk/  3,855
http://www.m*eandrichard.wordlpress.com/  1,477
http://www.g*oogle.de/  1,475
http://www.a*rmitagefanblog.blogspot.com/  1,390
http://www.t*hesqueee.blogspot.com/  851

http://www.g*oogle.ca/  842

http://www.g*oogle.fr/  659

http://www.g*oogle.com.au/  645

http://www.g*oogle.es/  455

Search Keywords
thorin oakenshield  1,766
thorin  1,082

hobbit  661

lucas north  493

the hobbit 2012  329

the hobbit thorin  168

richard armitage dating  150

richard armitage thorin  136

the hobbit  112

richard armitage spooks  94

Audience
(1) United States  24,322 (huge number since The Hobbit release)
(2) United Kingdom  8,058
(3) Poland  7,129

(4) Netherlands  5,687

(5) Germany  5,636

(6) Australia  3,313

(7) Canada 2,109

(8) France 1,906

(9) Russia  1,208

(10) Spain  819

Pageviews All Time History

Best month December 2012  4,828 (release of The Hobbit: double as average 2,500 p/month)

Second best month January 2013  3,919 (release of The Hobbit continues, after that a huge decline)

Third best month January 2011  3,566

Pageviews By Browser

I*nternet E*xplorer 27,188  (35%)

C*hrome  21,792 (28%)

F*irefox  17,151 (22%)

S*afari  6,032 (7%)

O*pera  2,362 (3%)

Other (A*pple Syndication, Mobile, A*pple P*ubSub, M*obile S*afari, F*eed P*urcer) (2%)

Pageviews By Operating Systems

W*indows  63,232  (83%)

M*acintosh 7,296 (9%)

L*inux  2,549 (3%)

Other (i*P*hone, i*P*ad, i*P*od, Other L*inux, A*ndroid, W*indows NT 6.1) (5%)

**

Have I ever said that I love his acting,
although it sometimes makes me laugh when it´s supposed not to?

(*) Testing to block this post from receiving many s*pam comments.. and ruining my stats...

Screencap: RAnet, with TFB magic

There's A Lot Of Love In The Room

"Mastering the art of squeeze is essential."

"Even my Hobbit colleagues say so."

"There's a lot of love in the room", said Mr. A at the London Hobbit premiere. Which is really true.
The more RA does his promotions for The Hobbit, the less I feel my opinion on him is relevant.

Which is kind of weird, considering I have a degree in public relations.

Or not, as I tend to feel a squeeze for the man.

Found that quote in a Hobbit/RA Humour vid of one of the posters of Fanstra4.

Pictures: VictoriaWill/RAnet, WhyAsk



An Interview With One Fan

Misquoted Thorin:
"If more of us valued fangurrrling and cheer and song above hoarded gold,
it would be a merrier world."

"I said food, not fangurrrling!!"

The Hobbit has all sorts of fans and so does Mr. A. If you count yourself lucky to be a fan or follower, then you might like reading fan interviews.  Now be ready, because TFB is gonna throw this thing against the wall... and you may not like it... because TFB watched too many really gross American comedies lately, and got badly influenced. 

The One fan can be female or male, so let's prefer the fangurrrl.

 

 

TFB: Hi, we talked over the phone. (reaches out to shake hands) I still don´t know your name.
One: Please, stick to THE ONE (shakes hands)
TFB: OK, The One (talks in voicerecorder: `Maintain ´One´)
One: (looks up)
TFB: Where shall we sit? Here?
One: Yeah, uh, alright.
TFB: One, first your reaction on RA as Dwarfleader Thorin.
One: Beard love!
TFB: What´s with the beard love?
One: (strokes beard with hands) I kinda like it. I grew it to sympathize with The Hobbit cast, far away in New Zealand filming this 3D monster of a movie..
TFB: Two movies! No, three movies!
One: You can count!
TFB: And write! But back on the beard topic. How did you get that beard so natural? Hormone pills?
One: Yeah, great, huh? (hikes skirt) I am now a female Dwarf.
TFB: (in Hobbit awe mode) A female Dwarf! You´ve read Tolkien´s footnotes!
One: So you know that Dwarves have females with beards! (leans forward) But in PJ´s version... (whispers) no romantic Dwarf love.
TFB: Are you putting up a smoke screen?
One: Good idea! (lights a long brown pipe) Yeah, well. (takes a few suckings, then exhales slowly)
TFB: Why do you smoke a pipe?
One: Fits with the character.
TFB: What character?
One. The one you bring forward on your blog!
TFB: (exaggerated) I can write whatever I like!
One: Oh really?! Why don´t you write some explicit love scenes?
TFB: Should I?
One: Want input? (exclaims) ´The Dwarf who shagged me`.
TFB: (coughs) It´s probably been done...
One: What? By whom?
TFB: I can´t tell you.
One: You suck.
TFB: No, you. You´re pipe needs tending after.
One: Oh thanks. (does heavy recovery on pipe) Well, where was I?
TFB: You being a female Dwarf?
One: If they are gonna change their minds... I am ready to be one!
TFB: (coughs) Hmm. Talking about one, you´re known as the One, why?
One: Once upon a time there was this actor I encountered and since then he keeps mentioning me.
TFB: I only found two or three mentions.
One: I had hoped he would keep it down.
TFB: You don´t think he did?
One: Officially yes, so I´m grateful.
TFB: You have stated to be called the One.
One: It must be me. I do grant every fan their chance meet with Mr. A, don´t get me wrong.
TFB: You referred to an encounter. Tell us more.
One: Sorry, these things are private.
TFB: You proclaimed him your respect.
One: Naturally.
TFB: You gave him a compliment.
One: Oh yeah.
TFB: You left him on his own.
One: What do you think?
TFB: What´s wrong about that?
One: (sighs) I could not believe I behaved like that!
TFB: How?
One: So.. so... so.. lost for words.... idiotic.. it was highly embarrassing! (knocks with pipe on the table)
TFB: So you did what?
One: Grow a beard! Helps me to be incognito. (plays with facial hair)
TFB: (stares)
One: Oh, you mean that! Walk on and ignore the fact for a whole year.
TFB: And then?
One: Own it. So I wrote him the letter.
TFB: In which you included at least chocolate and underpants, I dare hope? (winks at One)
One: No, no! I wouldn't... (looks worried) You think? (whispers) I didn't get the reply.
TFB: Maybe that's a compliment.
One: Maybe he glanced over it and still likes my weirdness. (smiles hopeful)
TFB: Who knows? Does it matter?
One: If it was his Mum that reads these letters, I hope I haven't upset his Mum.
TFB: Should I issue a formal apology on my blog for you?
One: (blushes) Must I? Sorry, I won't do it again, Mr. A - 's Mum.
TFB: I doubt it. RA tends to consider you to think of him as a piece of meat.
One: You take that back!
TFB: It's in the article, so it must be true!
One: I'm the last person who would think such a thing! In fact, he stated his fans were all so diverse! Besides, I do have my own set of male fans, thank you very much!
TFB: I don´t have time to hear about these sort of fan encounters.
One: (suddenly is fed up) You know what, I don´t have time for you as well! (stumbles over TFB, drops pipe and picks it up from the floor)
TFB: By the way, did you ask for an autograph?
One: No, I didn't ask for an autograph... Being mentioned is the highest regard! Although I could do with his convincing, romantic... (kisses pipe intensely)
TFB: (sighs) I think we're done.

Note of the editor:

The One shouldn't ask to be singled out, however the intention comes from a good heart.

TFB found mentions of ´One` in a letter of 24th December
and in one interview 'More Than Just Spy Candy' (both from 2010)

 TFB remains to be a sane observer of RA's acting and his following.

 

 

Picture: from The Hobbit Movie promotion (WB) with a magic touch by TFB

Not Quite An Interview With A Dwarfleader

A smiling Dwarfleader promoting Captain America after filming block 1 of The Hobbit.

The Framework Blog caught up with Mr. A on an imaginary level in cyberspace to hook up answers for those much plagued questions RA followers' minds are mucked with.

We don't hear a lot from you these days. Maybe it's for the best. Do your research on the Net, Miss.. what's it, again? Violet. Okay, it's my alter ego, and we're in cyberspace so...

How's your beard hanging? "I grew my own beard after the first block because I felt that it was restricting my face. The jaw is so connected to emotion that I wanted to have that free. It made such a huge difference." Why don't you quote me some more? MTV.com, Jan 11, 2012

Are you not too young and too handsome to be a Dwarfleader? Should the cast of The Hobbit Movie include handsome actors? To have them covered in fat suits, prosthetics and heavy beards? Is the cast diverse enough? Is Thorin not too young? Are women Hobbit fans? I'm finding these questions so funny. The extents of these talks... reminds me to focus on my acting.  TheOneRingNet, Dec 8, 2010

The Hobbit set in Nelson, December 2011 (source protected)

How is your typical day on the set? I can't reveal details yet. However, I'm proud to say, my short appearance as Thorin in The Hobbit Teaser is already perceived as 'Aragorn's stand-in', see podcast. Back in the days of LOTR, my predecessor if you like, Viggo Mortensen ran errands, and he got the role because another actor was fired after just one day on the set. Sofar so good for me. A day in the life of the LOTR, ABC News, Dec 4, 2004

Has Peter Jackson seen your showreel? Not during the casting process, but on set he might surprise actors by mentioning he has seen your previous work, of which he doesn't say it was your worst, to put you in place, but he doesn't exactly say it was your best, either. He is also known to have a lot of books, mostly about The Hobbit and LOTR. My stash of books at my bedsite looks meagre in comparison. There And Back Again, excerpt Sean Austin, ABC News, Oct 14, 2004

How is Peter Jackson really treating you? Holy crap, this man eats you alive! Brain Dead, 1992

Top photo Mike Warsland/WireImage, Jul 20, 2011, adjusted by TheFrameworkBlog

Another Profile The Women Adore

HOLLYWOOD - If you are a man and had the chance to visit Miramar’s Stone Street Studios when "The Hobbit" was being produced you would no doubt have been much more interested in how the picture was being shot, than in the personality of the star.

On the other hand, if you are a woman or a girl, it would be Richard Armitage you would be most interested in seeing.

I must confess that this clash of interest as displayed by the opposite sexes is not from personal observation.

That is what the guides at the studio told me - and they ought to know.

In fact, he so impressed the ladies by his gallantry of manner and courtly charm - two attributes by the way which were his great assets - that they began to pester the officials unmercifully.

Hence a ban on visitors for the rest of the production period.

None of this adulation, however, affected Richard Armitage. He carried on as usual, debonair, charming, always letter-perfect and in his usual high spirits.

However, the women who did manage to meet Richard Armitage in the early stages of the production were clearly pleased by his attention and all of them came away with the impression that he was their favorite actor.

In fact, he flattered them more than they did him.

In this picture he had keen competition - Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, Aidan Turner and Benedict Cumberbatch are in the cast - and he worked exceptionally hard to give of his best.

For several days he was trussed to a pony. Nothing about him could move except for his eyes.

Peter Jackson, who directed and produced the film, was finally moved to remark, "Looks as though we've got him where he'll behave at last."

To which the cameraman remarked, "That's what you think. Richard can do more with his eyes than most people, and if you look through the camera you'll see he's pinching the scene."

Film fans have alot of knowledge about starts. Most of his American visitors knew he was born in England and that he joined the circus in his determination become an actor.

Many of the visitors to "The Hobbit" asked when he expected to sing in a picture. He merely said he had no plans for singing on the screen, although he is to portray the life story of Thorin Oakenshield, leader of a group of singing Dwarves, in his upcoming picture.

It was his singing ability, however, which got him back into a singing role, having performed in musical theatre in England.

For several years he appeared on English television in several tv series, Robin Hood, Spooks and Strike Back.

Literally "tall, dark and handsome" Armitage seems to have all it takes to make an idol on the screen. Women talk about him and when they talk to him he has the ability to make every one of them think he has eyes and ears for her alone.

Yet their menfolk don't object for they recognize in his easy-going manner, friendly attitude and ready wit that he is also a "man's man."

**this is a fake article**

A scan of the original article published in Picturegoer, February 17, 1945, can be found on http://www.carygrant.net/articles/profile.htm

The rights of above picture of Richard Armitage are with Recognize Magazine/Daniel Higgins,

in classic Hollywood look photoshopped and cropped by The Framework Blog 

Fashion Statements With Beard

It's cold outside.. Yeah, and? :)

Mr. A isn't quite known for his fashion statements amongst his followers. In fact they analyse every ill fitted shoulder pad. I'm looking at blogger Servetus... who has a large readership and wrote more than one fashion post. With the Captain America promotion outfits, the critique has diminished somewhat.
I have no complaints... as I am the kind that could do with a stylist.
Find his latest fashion statements in a clip and on the Russian website.
And yes, I know I promised to come up with The Beard website, to show more beardy fashion.

In case you wondered where I've been...  the gnomes feared my health: a scary viral infection. I'm recovering well, thanks. If I lost any readers, can't joke with everyone...

So I'm back from zombie zone..

My mind went into reverse and came up with weird things, like: I ROCK!!!

RA warms up to the New Zealanders, erm, Dutch...

Normal people get Valentine cards, but me... indirect hints with Dutch shirts.. on a near Valentine's Day occasion. Fact: RA was wearing Gap Star Raw at the Hobbit press conference of 11. February 2011. Figured the word 'Raw' could be linked to 'Kiwis', nickname of New Zealanders, or his initials, but I have never linked the brand to 'Dutch' .. as I move in different circles.

It's appreciated, Mr. A!


Pics: Project Magazine Photoshoot, Can't Remember

On An Aesthetic Drip

Causing a lot of inspiration are all the recent splash of interviews for Captain America, The Hobbit and in general that solved my RA drought. I made these drips. Have to make the August calender yet.

Above DRIP is from Spooks ep. 9.8 wherein hero spy Lucas North shows his dark side and puts colleague Ruth on an anesthetic drip. I probably have heard it wrong! The quote is also inspired on a previous read goal: "To have as many to entertain as possible" (help me out here, this is my vague memory recalling). Meanwhile to keep other memories alive, I am on a solid drip addiction, prescribed by Mr. A. and followers.

Above DRIP is from the Project Magazine´s photoshoot and the quote is from Lucas North to his boss Harry Pearce in that epic rooftop shootout of Spooks ep. 9.8. Don´t say the syntax is wrong!
I am thinking to make a similar one with myself in it. Maybe I will put that collage in the background of this blog coming month. Because why? The Man is hitting 40 in August and guess what, so will I !

Above DRIP is also from the Project Magazine´s photoshoot and the quote is from Me, nailing the nailement of Mr. A. who understands what it is to have been constructed in 1971 and facing it all: "I have a life, career,  family, friends. I don´t need you". Ahem.. sorry, wrong counter quote from Lucas North´s former girlfriend Maya to Lucas in Spooks. Sidenote - according to a zodiac book, in referance to my birthdate in 1971, I should need the use of others more, instead of doing it all alone. When asked about 22th August of 1971, it was the same advice. Anyway, above DRIP is a moving fantastic inspiration for upcoming posts August Is Hot! Getting sentimental at my age! GRRRR!!!

Upcoming: August Is Hot blogposts

Will I be talking about The Beard, Thorin and Heinz? Mark your calendar!!

If you kind of feel left out of what I am talking about,

then hook on to http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/ to get your daily drips of RA dose.

Dwarves Are Not Gnomes

Dwarf Thorin as Gnome Richard

The gnomes in my cartoon, who were previously pouting and making a mess of my back garden, being ignored as casting material for Dwarves, were busy playing a re-enactment of The Hobbit, when they heard disturbing news, yet also uplifting, about some wannabe gnomes playing the fool for charity goal Rise Up Christchurch.

The Union Of Legimate And Honorable Gnomes had set up a statement which reads as follows:
(I had to enlarge it to read it).

"The Union Of Legimate And Honorable Gnomes wishes to declare to be saddened by the misrepresentation of gnomes in a Hobbit trailer. Although we considerately and carefully try to understand the popularity of pretending to be or being a Legimate And Honorable Gnome, we cannot include everyone of our height and beardsize into our Union. Acknowledged Legimate And Honorable Gnomes nurture nature, mumble in their beards and are called Gnome, son of Garden. Therefore we cannot agree with the representation of Dwarves pretending to be Gnomes as given."

A spokesperson said, when asked about the implications of the statement, "Once we´re back on speaking terms with Hobbitwood, we will take our statement into consideration."

Hope you understand I have to find my way out of Milkwood Mirkwood soon!
I intend to put my #hobbitread tweets in a post, eventually.

Good to see The Hobbit is filmed within budget!

Looking forward to it even more!

Oh, and I hoped for a Dwarves´ song!
I came close, didn´t I?

Check out Servetus´ (Me+RichardArmitage) and RAFrenzy´s posts
with ´Informal Fan Challenge´ on giving donations to this charity.

Found fascinating gif on RAlfieism´s blog.

Dwarf Thorin RA has sent a Hobbital Thank You on 29th May 2011.

Find out about the cello playing request by Calexora on Befuddled Musings.

I tweeted:
I was hoping for a Dwarves´ song on the telethon, I settle for cello playing :)
(Didn´t think there was time to practise or screen time for cello playing,
was hoping for something Dwarvish in jeans,
not expecting Dwarf costumes, but hey, they made an effort!)

I retweeted:

To benefit the Rise Up Christchurch Telethon, Servetus will donate for each comment on this post: http://t.co/cqYWzqz

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This post
Dwarves Are Not Gnomes
was a reply to
my previous post
Gnomes Are Not Dwarves

The truth is in there, somewhere.

Screencap: RAnet/Bccmee

Gnomes Are Not Dwarves

Sir Ian McKellen has a blog on which he tells about his observations, like now, working on The Hobbit. His blog had a blogpost in which the phrase ´gnomes are not dwarves´ appeared. I wondered why he would educate his followers, of which a substantial number might know him from Lord Of The Rings already.
I have a clue. Thanks to my speculative brain and that Extras clip, links at end of this post, I imaged a scene like below. You can read that Sir Ian McKellen is shortened as IK and Richard Armitage as RA and the whole thing is intended as a jest. As much as this is my rough idea of the conversation and you all want to spit on it send lovely replies, I safely call this a draft version:

Again: draft version!

SCENE:

Ian McKellen sits, reading. Richard Armitage approaches and joins Sir Ian.

RA: Hi.
IK: Ah, ´Thorin´! How´s preparations going?
RA: Fine, thanks. I understand you maintain a blog.
IK: Blog. Website. Website. Blog. Whatever. So, you´ve seen it, have you? And, like it?
RA: Yes, it´s great, but I come to that later... As I´m new here and signed this  - fist-thick - Hobbit contract - you know it, obviously -
IK: Hm-mm. Mine´s a meter!
RA: I wondered - as you have this - website - how you can post about your observations regarding The Hobbit?
IK: Well, I can - and that´s the joy of it! Why?
RA: I don´t have a blog and don´t want to start it, or be on Facebook or Twitter..
IK: Oh, come on! You do have something?
RA: Yeah, email, but that´s about it. The thing is - my agent recommends - for now - to keep my head down and stick to participating to Sir Peter´s videoblogs -
IK: Ah, yes. Peter And His Videoblogs.
RA: So I would like to ask you to put something for me on your blog. Very informative by the way.
IK: Years of experience!
RA: Blogging? Congratulations!
IK: Well -
RA: It will only be one thing. Allow me to explain. My fans - I hate that word - they´re overall lovely, and a surprising lot very creative - and bright -
IK: Hm-mm. Males or females?
RA: They say they´re women.
IK: Males are the worst! I deal with male fans most of the times. However, never mind, continue.
RA: The one thing they didn´t have to do extensive research for - as I have done, munching over the tiniest details, and they notice everything -
IK: Are you sure they´re not males?
RA: Is to relate Thorin, the Dwarfleader - and his dwarves - to gnomes!
IK: And - gnomes are not dwarves?
RA: Exactly! But they keep doing it. See this cartoon??

IK: Hm. Yes. That´s serious.
RA: It´s just that I don´t want to exclude my fandom from vital information.
IK: I´ll see what I can do.
RA: Thanks! Don´t tell them it was from me, though!
IK: Your fans will probably mock up this conversation as well and talk about it.
RA: By that time there will be something else!

END

Disclaimer:

Normally I would not ever do real fiction, but this RA drought forces me to.

Water!

LOL!

Hope I still have your respect. *ducks*

You don´t have to worry.
This post gave sparkles to new ideas.
And I read The Hobbit now, finally!

http://www.mckellen.com/cinema/hobbit-movie/blog.htm see ´March 31, 2011: Gandalf Is Tested´
I posted my gnomes/dwarves cartoon on February 20, 2011 in ´Fanstrafaganza Cartoons´.
I´m not alone in this. I know that Servetus showed gnomes on her blog too, in between these posts.

Hootenanny!

Martin Freeman chats about The Hobbit film in Jools´ Annual Hootenanny 2010-2011.

And I missed that bit!

Wassail! Hootenanny!

Seriously, I feel like I am an outsider

when my English Dictionary doesn´t explain these shout-outs to me!

Yes, my dictionary talks to me, thanks for asking.

Martin Freeman was a guest in the crowd in Jools Holland´s yearly festive end of year programme on the BBC with performing artists and guests from the entertainment industry, like actors, comedians, and other musicians. It´s a programme I like to see who are there. This time I forgot to record it. Couldn´t check i-Player as it was not for show ´in your area´.

I can say I was chuffed to see his face on tv, just days before his journey to New Zealand to film there for, what´s it, 8-9 months. Especially reassuring was his choice of clothes, his green shirt and matching green socks, exuded that he was comfortable to play Bilbo. That gives a civilian courage.

It´s not just that he´s in The Hobbit, that I post about him. It´s his dry humour!

I´ve seen him in the series The Office, the original English version. You either hate or dig it. I found it fantastic! It´s full with embarrassing scenes. You don´t want to work with those people, but sadly you have to. Day in, day out!

Another thing I saw him act in was the tv-film Micro Men. It´s a tale about the competitive introduction of personal computers brought to the people of England. It was very interesting. I didn´t have a clue how that came about as I live in The Netherlands.

That all in mind, I recently watched the 3-part series Sherlock Holmes in which he´s a nowadays Watson. Bantering with sociopath Holmes he´s been perfectly casted in this!

But back to the Hootenanny programme. Martin Freeman sat next to comedian Jo Brand or she was put next to him. She made a sudden, funny-ish remark about a man Martin just talked earlier to. She said something like: "He really loves you!", which made him laugh. Then he replied: "He´s a great kisser!". He knows how to counter these remarks. He seems like he´s someone with whom you can have a nice and funny chat in the pub with. I suppose his reply would be: "Only a pub chat?".  Alright then, I will quote the Vicar of Dibley: "Come to the bosom of my bosoms!" (for a hug).

Hootenanny!

(whatever that means)

Jools´ Annual Hootenanny 2010-2011

Can´t Answer That Question

Why are you so uptight about having sand in your stubble?
"I´m sorry, Sir. I can´t answer that question!"

Making this one viral? My pleasure!


StrikeBack Viral from seanographic.co.uk HD on Vimeo.

Interpreting British DIY

"What? Now? It´s 3:00am!"

Watch out for RAndom DIY quotes! After hearing this British joke, the cultural aspect of it sheds new light on interpreting the undertone of these quotes. I mentioned this previously on my blog.

Cultural joke:

In France when a woman is having a romantic interlude, she says: "Sacré coeurs! Toujour amour!"

In Italy when a woman is having a romantic interlude, she says: "Sempre amore! Molto amore!"

In Britain when a woman is having a romantic interlude, she looks up and she goes: "That ceiling needs doing. It's all gone flaky! How about a fitting wardrobe? When are you gonna do something about that shed? I will have to bring a man in!"

May I suggest this bloke:

"My idea of a passionate weekend is doing DIY. I'm pretty handy with a screwdriver. But is that sexy?
I don't think so!"

Ken Dodd who made this joke, is a fond reader of ´The Rover´, he once said in an interview with Dawn French (Vicar of Dibley). Yes, the circle is round again!

Sources: RichardArmitageNet Spooks, Miranda Hart

Guy Of Gisborne Syndrome One Year On

"So for Marian Syndrome there´s no cure either?"

On several sites the death of Sir Guy of Gisborne is commemmorated. It is now one year since he died on British television. Thank God, I was unaware.

In about six weeks, I can celebrate my own one year anniversary of Gisborne Syndrome. I could bring the date forward.

"If only Marian would have brought the date forward..."

Last year I searched for clips on YT about the Robin Hood tv-series I saw twentysome years ago. I was about to buy that dvd-box, because I loved that series, the dialogues, the mystique and the mood. OK, Robin Hood (Michael Praed) and the Son of Herne (Jason Connery, son of) had the good looks and the moral right on their side and Marian on their hand, but the Sheriff and Guy had the best lines. Must say that I emphatized with the plagued Guy, played by the late Robert Addie.

After some months I searched again and had a hard time to find these clips. In doing so, I had to discard some 60 or more clips of ´a´ Gisborne Gorgeousness, which automatically raised the question: "Who is that?"

Art collection with prohibited guided tours

Found the marvellous websites about the man behind Gizzy, Richard Armitage, with lots of information for those interested. After some time I searched for blogs about RA and - hey presto! (yes, I read the Smash Hits)- there were many bloggers and commenters with hilarious lingo! To be politically correct I have to say they are intelligent, middle aged, Radio4 listeners, but that doesn´t cover the whole fanbase. The pre-borns and the braindeads could not be consulted.

"My dark side can´t be treated. 

Those birds love my stubble factor. "

I started my own blog and in my posts I tried to keep Richard Armitage off my pages. Can´t keep that promise I made earlier, for my homies´ sake! What was the link with Gisborne Syndrome again?

"By the look of it, you may not be far behind!"

Sources: RichardArmitageNet, Tell Me, The Framework Blog

Waiting For His Homecoming

How far the fans followers are willing to go to take him home, is quite scary!
To forcefully take him home in the boot of their cars and then to softly nurture him!

I feel a female oriented, sadistic, high octane, romp in the boot coming up!!!

It´s only because I have to wait a couple of days before my -see, I´m claiming it, already-
DVD of Strike Back
will arrive through my mailbox.

Yay!

Sources: RichardArmitageNet, Somewhere

Drops Wet Gorgeous

A few days ago Timelord sent me a message on my mobile phone. Funny, I don´t know a Timelord. The text read: ´Don't drink the water, don't even touch it, not one drop´. In a corny mood I texted back: ´Drops Wet Gorgeous!´. Got no reply yet.

I will try to recall what happened after I knocked at the convent gate for a refreshment. You know they have this current offer: 4 hours waterboarding, for only 20 euro? Didn´t know what to expect, but I could use a bit of freshen up. And then it became a blur.

´Watching paint dry, is boring. This will hypnotize you´, said a man in his mid-fourties with arms thick as chain-cables.
This wasn´t my idea of a convent. I felt a mean, thick needle going into the skin of my arm and soon after that, I dozed off.
Woke up after some time and got slapped in the face. I couldn´t move, was restrained by a frayed rope.
´Where´s the Beemie report?´
´Beam me up? I don´t know´, I said confused.
This time I was hit hard in the face. Tasted blood in my mouth.

My eyes, one getting swollen, couldn´t really adjust to the dim light. Heard the brute walking out of the room, a basement or whatever it was. A rather loom surrounding.

´If I can do it, you can do it too´, hissed some man from the other side of the room. Someone else there was also tied up.
Felt a crust of blood drying up under my right eye.
´I need a doctor. Who are you?´, I hissed back.
´You´re quick´, he quipped.
A remark I didn´t understand.

´Get me my digital cinema HD-camera that does more than 1.000 frames a second´, roared the giant to someone in the hallway who I couldn´t see. By that time my right eye felt terribly swollen.

Then I guess I had a psychedelic experience. I recall watching and hearing water.. drops....fall... ve....ry.... slow...ly... saw... them.... fal...ling... ree..aal.. sl...oo..ow...

´Do you keep up with the jest zest? You get waterboarded, sis!´
Gulp! Got a bucket of water splashed in my face. I hate that!
Then, lying down, with cloth over my face, I had to struggle with many buckets more.

Eventually I got out of there, thanks to the witty stranger, with something he called the Sonic Screwdriver. Oh, and I tripped over waterbottles all over the floor, labelled ´The Waters of Mars´. 

Sources:
http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/downloads/192-sbdownloads.html nailing a spoiler

Watch The Ways Of Men

Wearing a tie and feeling uncomfortable with it,

is one of the ways of men.

Strike a tie

To watch RA fixing his tie, is endearing.

Although his stare scared me at first.

It looked as if he was about to have a meeting with the taxman.

Twiddle a tie

The funny tie-twiddling of Oliver Hardy comes to mind.

Tie me up

And why do men a tie up with each other? Yeah Jack, why?

Oh, here we go again....

´Cause they´re drop dead gorgeous!

Back to my fanfiction: time to refresh myself at the convent.

Current offer: 4 hours of waterboarding for only 20 euro!


Sources:
http://www.zazzle.com.au/camouflage_tie-151661200703448558 army-camouflage tie
http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/news/2010/05/sky-magazine-interactive-guide/ strike a tie
http://www.lucywho.com/ctn_10456444/oliver-hardy/tpx_24321
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MxxqwjF1xo  twiddle a tie, see 0:38
http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/news/2010/04/new-strike-back-trailer-25th-april-2010/ tie me up