Shirt & Zygon Curry...

...Have Georgia on Their Minds

Shirt had previously attended performances of West-End plays “What The Butler Saw” (his attendance having nothing to do with Georgia Moffett in her underwear - honest) and “The Sunshine Boys” (starring Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths). However, due to heavy rain on both occasions, had not hung around the respective stage-doors. This having come up in conversation with Zygon Curry at the dedication of Chalky and Tigger’s second child (at which Alfie and Mr. Lucas were the Faith Guardians), the two decided to make a trip later that week as both had a week off work.

The very wet weather initially looked to have scuppered any chance of such a trip, but relying on the forecast that Wednesday night would be dry, this was chosen as the night of the expedition. Shirt arrived in The Strand a few minutes early, and so made a brief detour to check that he knew where the stage-door of the Vaudeville Theatre (where “What The Butler Saw” was playing) was. Returning to the front of the theatre, Zygon Curry had just arrived. Briefly popping inside, he confused the theatre staff by asking for a programme, ten minutes before the play was due to end, meaning that programmes and cash had been secured away.

Returning to the stage door they joined a small group of girls who it became clear regularly waited at the stage door for Georgia, and waited patiently. Zygon Curry took the time to sort out his boards for signing, putting small post-it notes with his name on each one. The play finished, and a few minutes later, Shirt caught sight of the back of someone’s head that looked like Georgia’s a short distance away. However, neither he nor Zygon Curry chased after her to find out if it really was her. Shirt also dismally failed to stop Jason Thorpe who had appeared in the critically-acclaimed comedy production of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” in the West-End a few years before.

After around fifteen minutes, with both looking at their watches concerned that they had to get to the Savoy Theatre stage door in ten minutes time, Samantha Bond emerged from the stage door with a small group, which then faded away when Zygon Curry approached her. Having signed Zygon Curry’s board, Shirt proffered his ‘Sarah Jane Adventures – Complete Series 2’ DVD which she signed next to the photo of Mrs. Wormwood.

In the meantime, Georgia had also exited, causing Shirt to hiss “Georgia !” to his new compadre, who stepped up with another board to be signed. Shirt was next, getting her to sign his “City of Spires” CD cover (having been unable to find his “Dreamland” DVD at home). He then asked for a photo with her that Zygon Curry happily took.

Zygon Curry then managed to get his own photo with Georgia, taken (shakily) by one of her fans, who had also been queuing up to have their photos taken with her. The two had also wanted to get Tim McInnerny who was also in the play, but it was about the time that “The Sunshine Boys” was ending, and so they gave up on this and made their way over to the Savoy Theatre.

Zygon Curry again made a detour to get a programme, and they made their way down a small side-street to the wooden gate leading to the courtyard behind the theatre, where a sign indicated autograph-seekers were to wait. A few minutes later, and a rope barrier was put into place, behind which the waiting fans were ushered. The waiting area was just outside a Pub, and the people nearest the gate were clearly pub patrons who were hopeful of getting a free autograph. A steward came out and stated that Danny and Richard would only be signing programmes and tickets from the show, meaning that Zygon Curry was relieved that he had bought a programme, putting it underneath one of his boards, in an attempt to get Danny to sign the board whilst displaying that he had a programme.

The pub patrons became more and more rowdy as the waiting went on, but Zygon Curry spent his time basking in the unusual accent of the fan standing next to him. Eventually, the rowdy group having left, a steward re-appeared to state that Danny had gone and that Richard would not be coming out to sign autographs. Both Shirt and Zygon Curry were clear that this had been due to the other group’s rowdiness. However, Zygon Curry told Shirt that he intended to try again when a friend came to the play in a few weeks time. The steward also confirmed that Richard does not like being asked about ‘Harry Potter’.

Making their way back to Charing Cross Station, they parted at the Northern Line platforms, vowing that this would not be the last such jaunt.

[PL]