Shirt….
Has a Fantastic Afternoon
Shirt was at a loose end – it was just under twenty-four
hours until he was to be Mavic Chen’s ‘Faith Guardian’, there was nothing he
wanted to see at the cinema, and Chalky and Tigger were busy getting ready for the
next day. He therefore decided to break the habit of a lifetime and try to get
some autographs at a stage-door without having seen the play first. The two
plays in question were “A Dolls House”, starring Christopher Eccleston and
Gillian Anderson, and “Hamlet” starring forthcoming movie Watson, Jude Law, as
well as TV Watson, David Burke; “Twin Dilemma” guest star, Kevin McNally; and
new series WHO stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Penelope Wilton & Ron Cook. Shirt
justified his non-attendance at the plays themselves with the fact that both
productions sold out almost immediately.
His first port of call was the Donmar Warehouse, where he
was pleased to see people clearly waiting by the front door for autographs. One
girl had a Ninth Doctor photograph, but was advised by someone who had been
several times before that Mr. Eccleston usually exited via a back door. Having
failed to find this door, using the directions given to the girl by the helpful
autograph hunter, Shirt returned to the front door where the audience had begun
pouring out. As he did so, uber-fan, David Bickerstaff, swept past. Ten minutes
later and the stream of people had stopped. Suddenly, the mobile of an
autograph hunter opposite Shirt rang. He answered it, and two seconds later
began running towards the back of the theatre. Shirt and the helpful fan gave
chase, until having run down a side-street, they eventually emerged at the back
door to the theatre, where a small crowd had surrounded Mr. Eccleston, who was
signing autographs. As Shirt arrived, he was just signing a photograph for Mr.
Bickerstaff. Pulling his Series 1 poster out of his bag, Shirt waited patiently
until the great man having signed for three other people first, signed it with
a flourish. He seemed in a rush to get off, but fans continued to crowd in on
him. Shirt was surprised how personable he seemed, but could see the warning
signs of annoyance beginning to build (a la Peter Davison). Taking a photo of
Mr. Eccleston with his phone, Shirt moved off, having learnt that the chances
of Ms. Anderson appearing were very slim. Another Doctor to add to the tally –
with Baker (T), Davison, Baker (C), McCoy, McGann & Tennant, he had nearly
all the extant Doctors - just Mr. Smith to go !
Walking via Naughty Asteroid, Shirt made his way to the
Wyndhams Theatre, where the Donmar were staging their production of “Hamlet”.
He was again pleased to find a small group of autograph hunters, including one
that he recognised from Seventh Galaxy signings, waiting patiently there. The
wait, however, proved to be mainly in vain. The play ended and a large
contingent of the females from the matinee audience trooped round in hopes of
meeting Mr. Law, but on being told that he would not be coming out by the
stage-doorman, wandered off grumbling. Then eventually, the stage door opened
and Kevin McNally exited. He was quickly surrounded and happily signed a
plethora of “Pirates of the
Shirt then proceeded to wait…..and wait……and wait.
A large contingent from Gay Pride went past, but of David
Burke, or any of the New Series stars, there was no sign. It seemed that they
were sensibly spending the time between the two performances in their dressing
rooms.
The other fan managed to get an autograph on a “Clash of
the Titans” photo from Sian Phillips, who was passing by, as she was in
“Calendar Girls” at a nearby theatre. The helpful fan from the Eccleston
signing then turned up, having waited in vain for Gillian Anderson.
Shirt continued to wait…..and wait……and wait.
Finally giving up, he decided to make his way home, musing
on a generally successful few hours – the Ninth Doctor and a Sixth Doctor guest
star. Fantastic !!!!
[PL]