Wednesday 21 March 2012

Brief Encounters

A quick note to go with an amusing day. I arrived at work for the matinee this afternoon, and on arriving at stage door discovered a huge van, with a generator parked outside, with a little table under an awning. Turned out to be the catering van for the film that is being made locally. I saw some of it being filmed last week: it is to be called ‘The King of Soho’ and stars Steve Coogan (who I spotted last week) and Anna Friel. It is a biopic about Paul Raymond and is due to come out next year.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2114050/Steve-Coogan-Anna-Friel-start-shooting-The-King-Soho-porn-baron-biopic.html

Anyway, I had learnt through twitter that Chris Addison was due to be in it, but was still amazingly surprised when, as I was standing out in the sunshine savouring the spring-like weather before having to go inside, he walked straight past me! I didn’t recognise him at first as he was in a 1970s style costume and had grown a beard, with long hair. However, he wandered past again, allowing me to confirm it was indeed him. A few minutes previously, I had seen Peter come out of the stage door heading off to get a coffee. He then returned and I got to witness him greet Chris, laugh at his costume and have a chat with him (for those who don’t know, they co-starred in ‘The Thick of It’... although usually Peter’s character is yelling and swearing at Chris’ so it was pleasantly unusual to see them behave jovially towards one another!) Peter, clearly amused by the flares, then photographed Chris in his costume.



Whilst all this was going on, James turned up and signed some things for waiting fans. I watched and was surprised to see one woman hand him the sleeve from a ‘Sense and Sensibility’ DVD. That is one of my all time favourite films, but I had completely forgotten James was in it until that moment! I couldn’t resist mentioning it to him so, even though I know he hates making conversation, as soon as he turned to go in I said ‘Did you just sign something to do with Sense and Sensibility?!’ He said yes and I replied, ‘I love that film! I’d forgotten you were in it actually!’ (honesty is best policy). He laughed and said something about how he’d had very big sideburns for the part. You heard it here first, folks!

My latest discussion with Ben was regarding the delectable Jude Law who was in the stalls last night. I was filling him in on the way home as usual! On the way out tonight, I came up the stairs from stage just as he was at the door about to sign out. We had a fascinating conversation, which he opened:

“Jude Law, eh?”
“Eh, Jude Law!”
“Jude Law!”
“Jude Law!”

He then left. Who needs a vocabulary?!

As an update from before, I did indeed remember to tell Marcia Robbie’s message and she was delighted! We had Scottish person overload when Rab C Nesbitt (aka Gregor Fisher) came round to visit and my Glaswegian friend nearly died from starstruckness overload.

On Tuesday I went to watch the understudy performance of the show. It was quite a treat to see the show as an audience member: we sat very close in row B for the novelty of getting to sit anywhere but the very back and enjoyed wandering around at the interval (also enjoyed asking our friends who were working some of the annoying questions we’re always asked!) It was fascinating to see the understudies all perform together. James and Ben had to play their parts, but other than that it was all change. I have seen two of them do it before, but, as Marcia and Peter haven’t missed a show, it was the first time seeing Marcus and Beverley play the Professor and Mrs Wilberforce. With the same lines and characters being performed by almost a wholly different cast, it was a little like being in some kind of parallel dimension. They did very well though, and I am pleased they have all now had a go at performing those parts.



Beautiful weather has kept up: today I walked home in just a blazer jacket and we went for a Tesco lunch in Soho Square between shifts. I was in Kent at the weekend for Mother’s Day and the Westgate Gardens looked stunning in the sunshine.


I received a wonderful package in the post the other day from Katy, with an assortment of adorable photos of Joseph (my godson). He’s growing so fast! Has two little teeth and the most gorgeous smile.  Can’t wait to have the time to go home to give him cuddles. Things are rosy!

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