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Published: September 12th 2006
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Stage Door: me and Dame Judi
I couldn't ask anyone else to take the picture, so this is a hold-out. Dame Judi was so lovely about it, and even asked afterwards if the photo was all right. Well, it's not a particularly flattering one of me, but at least that puts paid to any suggestion it's photoshopped! In which Ju combines her first outing to a West End Theatre, her first Noël Coward play AND her first brush with Theatrical Royalty! The Burger King was hardly an auspicious start to the evening. I had planned to go home before the play to get dressed up and have some food, but fate conspired, my meetings over-ran, and early evening found me perusing takeaway options for the financially challenged in Leicester Square. It was the very middle of summer, I'd been sitting in a stinking hot room with no air con all day, and I felt anything but ready for a nice night out - but after weeks of looking forward to it, I was about to see
Hayfever! Starring Judi Dench!
The Theatre Royal, Haymarket was restored in 1994, and in 2000 it celebrated 280 years since the first incarnation opened in 1720. It is magnificent, all red and gold, with an enormous chandelier - and even sitting in my seat in the upper circle I felt a wonderful sense of occasion. The performance was packed, with very few seats free even in the gallery tiers above me. The buzz of the audience settling into their seats was so exciting.
I vowed I would go to the theatre more often.
The curtain rose on a magnificently detailed set. Sorrel and Simon's quibbling and Clara's abruptness set up the circumstances which drive the play - each one of the four members of the Bliss family has invited a guest to the house for the weekend, without telling the others. Mayhem ensues: the guests are alternately negelected, patronised and made fun of as the family seeks to out-manoeuvre one another. Dame Judi's dramatic entrance as Judith was received with glee. The cast all delivered exceedingly good performances, but Dame Judi really brought the house down, on one occasion so thoroughly she even affected the composure of her castmates. It was everything I had hoped for.
I came out of the theatre walking on air, and hyped up, rang mum immediately to tell her all about it, (hopefully I didn't make her late for work - I couldn't seem to stop talking!) An idea had begun to form in my mind, and as I talked, I walked around the block to the back of the theatre. As I rounded the corner I caught sight of a little knot of theatre goers
We just met Judi Dench!
Saran (the Aussie) and I ran around the front of the theatre and posed in front of the posters. We were so excited by the evening in general and meeting Dame Judi in particular that we couldn't stop grinning. down a short lane, and knew there no chance I was going home just yet. I joined the group, now very glad I had purchased the £4 programme, and waited. There was a young man next to me, almost as excited as I was, and we got to talking. His name was Saran, and he had just arrived from Australia. We spent a few minutes babbling about Downunder, and how glad we were we had come to London, this being the sort of experience not possible at home!
It wasn't long before
William Chubb, who had played Richard Greatham, the diplomat, came to the Stage Door. He quite obviously wanted to go home, but he signed some programmes first, all the while doubting anyone knew who he was. He rode off on his bicycle as
Peter Bowles (David Bliss) came to the door. He looked at me quizzically as I stammered out how good I thought his performance had been, and how it was the first Coward play I had seen performed - and signed my programme 'Love Peter Bowles.'
Sir Peter Hall, the great director, responded to praise and comments but did not linger. I received the
Me, with Judi as Judith Bliss
The costumes and set were all fantastic. I have seen a few reviews that questioned the choice of Judi to play Judith - but who cares what age she is meant to be, her performance was simply brilliant and Peter Bowles was the perfect foil. signature of
Belinda Lang, who played Myra Arundel, but
Lin Blakely (Clara) was in too much of a hurry to stop, and I didn't see
Kim Medcalf (Sorrel) at all.
And then I caught sight of a figure in the staircase window...
Dame Judi Dench, who had made such a wonderful Judith Bliss, was making her way downstairs... our little mob got excited, and as she caught sight of us on the doorstep she gave a little sigh, but put down her handbag and jacket straight away and held out her hand for the first pen. She was so gracious, responding with smiles to the praise heaped upon her, and saying we were all very kind. She let Saran take a photograph with her, and emboldened by his success I asked for one as well! Knees knocking, I apologised for the flash, and the imposition, and she said it was quite all right - she was perfectly lovely.
Bouncing for joy and high on our evening, Saran and I jigged our way back to the front of the building, where we took more photographs of ourselves in front of the posters, then skipped to Picadilly to make our
way home. Stars in my eyes and giggling to myself, I arrived home in starstruck glee, announcing to all and sundry "I just met Dame Judi Dench!"
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stars galore!
oh jubeedoo, that is marvelous.. it was just the other day I was watch Mrs Henderson Presents and loving every inch of Judi's performance.. she is a true star!