Rosie Goes to see James in The Bells of West 87th in LA - Part 2
Part 2 - Second weekend - Sept 20th, 21st and 22nd
(SPOILER ALERT!! - Spoilers for the play and James’s character)
FRIDAY
After 5 days of doing all sorts of fun things with Patti (going to the Once More With Feeling park; visiting Vasquez rocks; helping her put a sofa/bed combination together and sorting through her huge t shirt collection!) it was time to go back into LA to see my fourth performance of The Bells of West 87th. And it was just me as Patti wasn’t going this evening so she let me take the truck and drive myself which was good fun. I got there with quite a bit of time to spare so walked down the road, had a poke about in a thrift shop got to the farmers market and had an ice cream before walking back, still with time to spare before the show. I got a seat on the right hand side as usual, in the second row which I liked as you were more at eye level with the actors. Tonight the theatre was about half full and I was sitting next to a reviewer who was very interesting to talk to - she had come to see it because of James and his Buffy connections (and she did give it a great review too!) There was nobody else there that I knew (though I had been talking to a delightful older gentleman and his wife outside beforehand - they thoroughly enjoyed it) and it seemed to be quite a mature audience who were a bit more quiet and reserved - there were not so many loud laughs, more polite chuckling!
The play itself was great again of course - I just love it, it’s so funny. I was still picking up on new bits here and there and even though I was getting to know where the funny lines were, it didn’t stop me finding it hilariously funny - if anything knowing what was coming made me laugh more! I noticed one change tonight - up until now, the sick cat has had cancer. Tonight it had gallstones!
Afterwards hardly anyone stayed on at all. One couple were waiting in the foyer and so they got to speak to James first. I was in the usual place opposite the doors so was able to see him coming out. He was wearing the gorgeous mid-blue t shirt that sets off his eyes, so he looked stunning with his curls and the smile on his face. From way back, as he walked towards me he grinned and called out “Hi Rosie!” then stopped briefly to greet a guy just inside the doors before coming straight over to me. He held out his hand so of course I took hold of it to shake and it became a clasp rather than a handshake. And then James pulled on my hand and hauled me in against him and gave me a fierce hug saying “You can have your hug tonight baby!” Awww - it was lovely! Of course I reciprocated and put my arms round him and had my chin on his shoulder. Gorgeous, beautiful James in that soft t shirt hugging me!
I did manage to speak coherently afterwards too - saying how it was just me tonight, Patti having lent me the truck. Then I said I had something for him - or rather for Britney. He had told us in Italy how much she loved Doctor Who and wanted lots of t shirts, so I gave him the one I had got for her. I checked the size was right and he said it was and then he unfolded it and held it up to look at (Ten outline against the TARDIS with sparkly background) and ‘wow’d’ very appreciatively - he thought it was awesome and said she would love it. He told me it was difficult saying goodbye to her each night to come out and now he could take her presents which would put him in her good books.
I also gave him the two little phone charms I had bought in Philadelphia earlier in the year - a TARDIS for Britney and a Dragonball for James! He loved his Dragonball one and exclaimed over it (and I had to briefly explain what a phone charm was!)
He put the gifts in his bag and asked me if I would be there again tomorrow night (yes of course - I was there right through) and added “There’s a friend of mine, a funny guy coming on Sunday - Mark - you know him” meaning Mark that used to be there at conventions with James and Steve. So of course I was delighted that he was going to be there. I remarked that Charlie had said he wasn’t going to make it down and James laughed, saying it was a long drive for him.
He was making moving on noises, saying he had to get back to Britney. As he was saying it, he held out his arms and drew me into another hug. Again I happily reciprocated and had my chin on his shoulder as he held on, then gave me a harder squeeze - and then held on some more! It was a surprisingly long hug, which of course was absolutely wonderful - lovely cuddly James, all smiles and so happy. Even his hug even felt happy! As he finally let me go he told me “I’m glad you’re here Rosie” picked up his bag, added “See you tomorrow” with a gorgeous smile and then he was off - leaving me in a big pile of squee!
I didn’t have a chance to take any photos at all, so I put the camera away whilst still squeeing with delight and left the theatre to go to the parking lot. I realised I was quite close behind James, who had stopped to look at his iPad, so I walked a lot slower and let him get ahead and to his car first. He beat me out of the parking lot easily as I had only just got to the truck when he pulled out and shot off up the road at a heck of a speed! So I stopped in the car for a few minutes and wrote up some notes about the evening (fairly coherently all things considered!) whilst having a big squee that continued in bursts all the way back to Patti’s - because it had been so wonderful! I love that man so much!
SATURDAY
Patti and I decided to have a Ghost of the Robot night and both wore our GotR t shirts. We arrived at the theatre just after 7pm, so a little early but not early enough to really go anywhere else beforehand, so thought we may as well wait. They were just about to start doing the tickets out the front so we stopped right there and waited. It’s a very narrow space at the front of the theatre with the small bench that swings out from the wall for the ticket seller just by the gateway and there is a very large fern that growing right by the door which leaves very little space between the two to get past (unless you don’t mind ducking down right under the fern.) So we had just stopped to wait right there, with me slightly behind Patti, when I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder and a voice said “Hey ladies” Of course I turned round and there was James, right behind me! He kept hold of my shoulder as I turned and gave it a quick squeeze, and I realised I would have to move to let him get past me as there was no space - he had to squeeze round the fern as it was! I was so surprised to see him since it wasn’t that long until the show started, but I did manage to say “Hi James” as he came past me. Before he got to the doors, he turned back and called “I’m late!” but he was grinning as he said it. Obviously he meant that he couldn’t stop and talk at all, but that was fine because it was totally unexpected to see him at all. So that was a lovely start to the evening!
In the play, James’s looks at ‘Molly’ when they first meet were getting even more intense. James puts that incredible look of wonder and adoration on his face as he slowly tilts his head - it is so amazing to watch. He seemed to be playing it up a lot more elsewhere too - a lot more expression when he is in the background and a few silent “wow’s” added in as the strangeness of Molly’s family is revealed. Just wonderful and so funny. His wave at the goldfish was still as hilarious as ever - and he got in a second wave at it too at one point I noticed, which cracked me up yet again! And tonight the sick cat had shingles! I wonder if it’s going to have something different every night now.
There was a bit of a problem at one point where there seemed to be a confusion over lines and everybody was trying to make it right so there was some talking over each other, but it sorted itself out pretty quickly. And there was something wrong when they were all sitting round the table too - I saw James surreptitiously revolving the tofurkey plate as it looked to be the wrong way round!
Afterwards it seemed that hardly anyone stayed behind to see James or any of the others which was a bit strange. James came straight out and up to us waiting in out normal place, high-fived Patti and then me and said in an affected English accent “Excellent choice of t shirt!” So he had noticed our GotR shirts straight away (so they were well worth wearing!) Unfortunately at this point someone decided to butt right into our conversation and ask James questions which was very rude, as it was obvious he was talking to us and since there was practically no one else there to see him. Wait your turn!
He did turn back to us as soon as he could which was lovely and Patti asked him to sign a programme for Mel and Tracey in Australia - he asked to be remembered to them and said he should be there again next year. We also asked him what he was writing in his notebook on stage whilst he is waiting for Molly, in between the adoring looks. He laughed and said it was something like “two eyes, one heart” and then added “Sometimes it’s “one breast” Or maybe two!” I laughed a lot - he is a daft bugger sometimes!
I asked how they had coped with the slip when the dialogue went a bit wonky and everyone was trying to pick it up. He said they dealt with it - the trouble was there wasn’t enough silverware on the table which threw them a bit and the tofurkey was the wrong way round so the edible bits were on the wrong side. I said I had spotted him surreptitiously turning it round!
Patti asked about the photo album they look at sitting on the sofa in the second act, what were the photos in it? James said they got bored looking at the photos that were supplied originally so they had changed them for their own, taking turns - it was carol’s this week. And they had all promised not to put any porn in “cos that’s what we actors do to put each other off!” As that bit is in low light as the action is taking place in the kitchen on the other side of the stage, James said they shouldn’t over act it “or we take attention from the action “ I replied “You always take my attention - I’m always watching you wherever you are on stage!” and he grinned at me. I do - wherever James is, I’m watching him and every time they do the sofa scene I’m watching the three of them acting silently and none of them ever slip - it all looks totally natural.
James then went to talk to the other people waiting so there was a chance for me to take some photos whilst he did. Then as he was picking up his bag and preparing to go he turned to me and said that Mark wasn’t coming tomorrow night after all - he was coming next week - as his girlfriend wanted to stay in and watch the Emmys. I mentioned that we would have to avoid the traffic the next day because of them and as he was walking away, James declared loudly “the Emmys are BORING!” which made me laugh.
We gathered up our stuff and made our way out to the parking lot and were just walking in the gate as James was driving out. We waved at him of course and he grinned at us - and then shot off up the street really fast again!
SUNDAY
We came into LA early today as we wanted to avoid any of the Emmys traffic and it meant we had time for a Patti Tour. These are much more fun than a normal tour; I got to see things that were much more interesting to me in Downtown LA. For instance, I saw the building that Angel was thrown out of in season 5; Wolfram & Hart; The Hyperion Hotel and even the hotel where they filmed part of James’s episode of Numb3rs! We did see them doing some filming on another block there too, but never did find out what it was. We also drove around Sunset where it was incredibly busy and crowded and quite mad!
So to the play! About 2 thirds full tonight and a nice appreciative audience. Those awestruck looks James was giving were as awesome as ever and I was glad to be always sitting to the right of the stage so I could see his face. There was even more expression and he was getting big laughs in different places. When he pulled the deodorant out of his pocket and opened it the damn thing fell apart and bounced on the floor so he couldn’t use it. Neither he nor Cameron missed a line - they carried on and covered it perfectly. There was a lot of laughter about the diamond and it’s setting and the line “She went to fetch her grave” that up to now has only got a small laugh if any at all, got a huge one tonight - I’m sure it was due to James’s dead pan delivery! Oh and the cat had shingles again ...!
We stood in our usual spot afterwards and James came out fairly quickly as usual. He stopped to talk and take a few photos on his way towards us - there was quite a few people waiting tonight - and when he arrived, we shook hands and then into the hand clasp and just about got to say hi when we were interrupted AGAIN by someone butting in. I couldn’t believe it! But almost immediately James turned back to me, turning his whole body round so he was facing me and said that Britney had LOVED her t-shirt. He demonstrated her holding it up and declaring “That is SICK!” which he then explained was teen talk for ‘really awesome’ (which I did know) I laughed and said “Hey, I managed to impress a 16 year old!” And he agreed I had.
James had come up close to me now and had his back to the rest of the foyer and was giving me his undivided attention. I asked him if he would sign a programme for Erica in the UK as she wasn’t at all well and he was so sweet about it. Told him she hadn’t met him yet, but really wanted to as I was handing him the programme and said “It’s Erica spelt the normal way” to which James replied “There IS no normal way!” which is true, so I spelled it out and he signed it to her with a Bite Me.
Then I had to say my piece to him that I had been thinking about - said I wanted to say it this weekend as I knew there would be a lot busier next weekend with a lot more of his fans coming so it would be harder. I told him that I really wasn’t sure when I would see him again - financially it was a real problem now (I didn’t cry!) If he came to the UK of course I would be there. He was listening intently to me, those gorgeous blue eyes fixed on my face as he said “I’ll be in the UK - I come at least once a year” I had to add “ Please don’t forget me - it’s not because I don’t want to come that you may not see me for a while”
James assured me that he wouldn’t - said he couldn’t forget me! He wouldn’t! He was so sincere and sweet as he assured me, always keeping eye contact. I certainly believed he meant it. Darling wonderful James!
I would have loved to have hugged him at that point so I asked, was he hugging tonight? He glanced round at everyone standing about, stared hard at one whilst saying “Not really...” then looking back at me and held my eyes with his for a moment, like he was signalling to me. So I’m pretty sure he wasn’t hugging anybody because of one person who was there!
I’d been thinking about the things he had said to us last weekend about noticing if we were there - Patti and I had both spotted him glancing out into the auditorium during performances - so I blurted out without thinking “Do you really look for me in the audience?” He smiled that beautiful James smile and replied immediately “Yes, I do. I look because then I know I have a friend in the audience who will laugh”
Well, that gobsmacked me completely! I think I exclaimed “You called me your friend!” or something like that and he grinned in acknowledgement. I don’t remember how we parted from that - he did move on to talk to other people and I know I got to take some pictures, but mostly I was in total James fog for the next couple of minutes !
I was so touched by that - James called me his friend! The way he said it was totally sincere, so I may not have had a hug tonight - but I got so much more!!
(SPOILER ALERT!! - Spoilers for the play and James’s character)
FRIDAY
After 5 days of doing all sorts of fun things with Patti (going to the Once More With Feeling park; visiting Vasquez rocks; helping her put a sofa/bed combination together and sorting through her huge t shirt collection!) it was time to go back into LA to see my fourth performance of The Bells of West 87th. And it was just me as Patti wasn’t going this evening so she let me take the truck and drive myself which was good fun. I got there with quite a bit of time to spare so walked down the road, had a poke about in a thrift shop got to the farmers market and had an ice cream before walking back, still with time to spare before the show. I got a seat on the right hand side as usual, in the second row which I liked as you were more at eye level with the actors. Tonight the theatre was about half full and I was sitting next to a reviewer who was very interesting to talk to - she had come to see it because of James and his Buffy connections (and she did give it a great review too!) There was nobody else there that I knew (though I had been talking to a delightful older gentleman and his wife outside beforehand - they thoroughly enjoyed it) and it seemed to be quite a mature audience who were a bit more quiet and reserved - there were not so many loud laughs, more polite chuckling!
The play itself was great again of course - I just love it, it’s so funny. I was still picking up on new bits here and there and even though I was getting to know where the funny lines were, it didn’t stop me finding it hilariously funny - if anything knowing what was coming made me laugh more! I noticed one change tonight - up until now, the sick cat has had cancer. Tonight it had gallstones!
Afterwards hardly anyone stayed on at all. One couple were waiting in the foyer and so they got to speak to James first. I was in the usual place opposite the doors so was able to see him coming out. He was wearing the gorgeous mid-blue t shirt that sets off his eyes, so he looked stunning with his curls and the smile on his face. From way back, as he walked towards me he grinned and called out “Hi Rosie!” then stopped briefly to greet a guy just inside the doors before coming straight over to me. He held out his hand so of course I took hold of it to shake and it became a clasp rather than a handshake. And then James pulled on my hand and hauled me in against him and gave me a fierce hug saying “You can have your hug tonight baby!” Awww - it was lovely! Of course I reciprocated and put my arms round him and had my chin on his shoulder. Gorgeous, beautiful James in that soft t shirt hugging me!
I did manage to speak coherently afterwards too - saying how it was just me tonight, Patti having lent me the truck. Then I said I had something for him - or rather for Britney. He had told us in Italy how much she loved Doctor Who and wanted lots of t shirts, so I gave him the one I had got for her. I checked the size was right and he said it was and then he unfolded it and held it up to look at (Ten outline against the TARDIS with sparkly background) and ‘wow’d’ very appreciatively - he thought it was awesome and said she would love it. He told me it was difficult saying goodbye to her each night to come out and now he could take her presents which would put him in her good books.
I also gave him the two little phone charms I had bought in Philadelphia earlier in the year - a TARDIS for Britney and a Dragonball for James! He loved his Dragonball one and exclaimed over it (and I had to briefly explain what a phone charm was!)
He put the gifts in his bag and asked me if I would be there again tomorrow night (yes of course - I was there right through) and added “There’s a friend of mine, a funny guy coming on Sunday - Mark - you know him” meaning Mark that used to be there at conventions with James and Steve. So of course I was delighted that he was going to be there. I remarked that Charlie had said he wasn’t going to make it down and James laughed, saying it was a long drive for him.
He was making moving on noises, saying he had to get back to Britney. As he was saying it, he held out his arms and drew me into another hug. Again I happily reciprocated and had my chin on his shoulder as he held on, then gave me a harder squeeze - and then held on some more! It was a surprisingly long hug, which of course was absolutely wonderful - lovely cuddly James, all smiles and so happy. Even his hug even felt happy! As he finally let me go he told me “I’m glad you’re here Rosie” picked up his bag, added “See you tomorrow” with a gorgeous smile and then he was off - leaving me in a big pile of squee!
I didn’t have a chance to take any photos at all, so I put the camera away whilst still squeeing with delight and left the theatre to go to the parking lot. I realised I was quite close behind James, who had stopped to look at his iPad, so I walked a lot slower and let him get ahead and to his car first. He beat me out of the parking lot easily as I had only just got to the truck when he pulled out and shot off up the road at a heck of a speed! So I stopped in the car for a few minutes and wrote up some notes about the evening (fairly coherently all things considered!) whilst having a big squee that continued in bursts all the way back to Patti’s - because it had been so wonderful! I love that man so much!
SATURDAY
Patti and I decided to have a Ghost of the Robot night and both wore our GotR t shirts. We arrived at the theatre just after 7pm, so a little early but not early enough to really go anywhere else beforehand, so thought we may as well wait. They were just about to start doing the tickets out the front so we stopped right there and waited. It’s a very narrow space at the front of the theatre with the small bench that swings out from the wall for the ticket seller just by the gateway and there is a very large fern that growing right by the door which leaves very little space between the two to get past (unless you don’t mind ducking down right under the fern.) So we had just stopped to wait right there, with me slightly behind Patti, when I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder and a voice said “Hey ladies” Of course I turned round and there was James, right behind me! He kept hold of my shoulder as I turned and gave it a quick squeeze, and I realised I would have to move to let him get past me as there was no space - he had to squeeze round the fern as it was! I was so surprised to see him since it wasn’t that long until the show started, but I did manage to say “Hi James” as he came past me. Before he got to the doors, he turned back and called “I’m late!” but he was grinning as he said it. Obviously he meant that he couldn’t stop and talk at all, but that was fine because it was totally unexpected to see him at all. So that was a lovely start to the evening!
In the play, James’s looks at ‘Molly’ when they first meet were getting even more intense. James puts that incredible look of wonder and adoration on his face as he slowly tilts his head - it is so amazing to watch. He seemed to be playing it up a lot more elsewhere too - a lot more expression when he is in the background and a few silent “wow’s” added in as the strangeness of Molly’s family is revealed. Just wonderful and so funny. His wave at the goldfish was still as hilarious as ever - and he got in a second wave at it too at one point I noticed, which cracked me up yet again! And tonight the sick cat had shingles! I wonder if it’s going to have something different every night now.
There was a bit of a problem at one point where there seemed to be a confusion over lines and everybody was trying to make it right so there was some talking over each other, but it sorted itself out pretty quickly. And there was something wrong when they were all sitting round the table too - I saw James surreptitiously revolving the tofurkey plate as it looked to be the wrong way round!
Afterwards it seemed that hardly anyone stayed behind to see James or any of the others which was a bit strange. James came straight out and up to us waiting in out normal place, high-fived Patti and then me and said in an affected English accent “Excellent choice of t shirt!” So he had noticed our GotR shirts straight away (so they were well worth wearing!) Unfortunately at this point someone decided to butt right into our conversation and ask James questions which was very rude, as it was obvious he was talking to us and since there was practically no one else there to see him. Wait your turn!
He did turn back to us as soon as he could which was lovely and Patti asked him to sign a programme for Mel and Tracey in Australia - he asked to be remembered to them and said he should be there again next year. We also asked him what he was writing in his notebook on stage whilst he is waiting for Molly, in between the adoring looks. He laughed and said it was something like “two eyes, one heart” and then added “Sometimes it’s “one breast” Or maybe two!” I laughed a lot - he is a daft bugger sometimes!
I asked how they had coped with the slip when the dialogue went a bit wonky and everyone was trying to pick it up. He said they dealt with it - the trouble was there wasn’t enough silverware on the table which threw them a bit and the tofurkey was the wrong way round so the edible bits were on the wrong side. I said I had spotted him surreptitiously turning it round!
Patti asked about the photo album they look at sitting on the sofa in the second act, what were the photos in it? James said they got bored looking at the photos that were supplied originally so they had changed them for their own, taking turns - it was carol’s this week. And they had all promised not to put any porn in “cos that’s what we actors do to put each other off!” As that bit is in low light as the action is taking place in the kitchen on the other side of the stage, James said they shouldn’t over act it “or we take attention from the action “ I replied “You always take my attention - I’m always watching you wherever you are on stage!” and he grinned at me. I do - wherever James is, I’m watching him and every time they do the sofa scene I’m watching the three of them acting silently and none of them ever slip - it all looks totally natural.
James then went to talk to the other people waiting so there was a chance for me to take some photos whilst he did. Then as he was picking up his bag and preparing to go he turned to me and said that Mark wasn’t coming tomorrow night after all - he was coming next week - as his girlfriend wanted to stay in and watch the Emmys. I mentioned that we would have to avoid the traffic the next day because of them and as he was walking away, James declared loudly “the Emmys are BORING!” which made me laugh.
We gathered up our stuff and made our way out to the parking lot and were just walking in the gate as James was driving out. We waved at him of course and he grinned at us - and then shot off up the street really fast again!
SUNDAY
We came into LA early today as we wanted to avoid any of the Emmys traffic and it meant we had time for a Patti Tour. These are much more fun than a normal tour; I got to see things that were much more interesting to me in Downtown LA. For instance, I saw the building that Angel was thrown out of in season 5; Wolfram & Hart; The Hyperion Hotel and even the hotel where they filmed part of James’s episode of Numb3rs! We did see them doing some filming on another block there too, but never did find out what it was. We also drove around Sunset where it was incredibly busy and crowded and quite mad!
So to the play! About 2 thirds full tonight and a nice appreciative audience. Those awestruck looks James was giving were as awesome as ever and I was glad to be always sitting to the right of the stage so I could see his face. There was even more expression and he was getting big laughs in different places. When he pulled the deodorant out of his pocket and opened it the damn thing fell apart and bounced on the floor so he couldn’t use it. Neither he nor Cameron missed a line - they carried on and covered it perfectly. There was a lot of laughter about the diamond and it’s setting and the line “She went to fetch her grave” that up to now has only got a small laugh if any at all, got a huge one tonight - I’m sure it was due to James’s dead pan delivery! Oh and the cat had shingles again ...!
We stood in our usual spot afterwards and James came out fairly quickly as usual. He stopped to talk and take a few photos on his way towards us - there was quite a few people waiting tonight - and when he arrived, we shook hands and then into the hand clasp and just about got to say hi when we were interrupted AGAIN by someone butting in. I couldn’t believe it! But almost immediately James turned back to me, turning his whole body round so he was facing me and said that Britney had LOVED her t-shirt. He demonstrated her holding it up and declaring “That is SICK!” which he then explained was teen talk for ‘really awesome’ (which I did know) I laughed and said “Hey, I managed to impress a 16 year old!” And he agreed I had.
James had come up close to me now and had his back to the rest of the foyer and was giving me his undivided attention. I asked him if he would sign a programme for Erica in the UK as she wasn’t at all well and he was so sweet about it. Told him she hadn’t met him yet, but really wanted to as I was handing him the programme and said “It’s Erica spelt the normal way” to which James replied “There IS no normal way!” which is true, so I spelled it out and he signed it to her with a Bite Me.
Then I had to say my piece to him that I had been thinking about - said I wanted to say it this weekend as I knew there would be a lot busier next weekend with a lot more of his fans coming so it would be harder. I told him that I really wasn’t sure when I would see him again - financially it was a real problem now (I didn’t cry!) If he came to the UK of course I would be there. He was listening intently to me, those gorgeous blue eyes fixed on my face as he said “I’ll be in the UK - I come at least once a year” I had to add “ Please don’t forget me - it’s not because I don’t want to come that you may not see me for a while”
James assured me that he wouldn’t - said he couldn’t forget me! He wouldn’t! He was so sincere and sweet as he assured me, always keeping eye contact. I certainly believed he meant it. Darling wonderful James!
I would have loved to have hugged him at that point so I asked, was he hugging tonight? He glanced round at everyone standing about, stared hard at one whilst saying “Not really...” then looking back at me and held my eyes with his for a moment, like he was signalling to me. So I’m pretty sure he wasn’t hugging anybody because of one person who was there!
I’d been thinking about the things he had said to us last weekend about noticing if we were there - Patti and I had both spotted him glancing out into the auditorium during performances - so I blurted out without thinking “Do you really look for me in the audience?” He smiled that beautiful James smile and replied immediately “Yes, I do. I look because then I know I have a friend in the audience who will laugh”
Well, that gobsmacked me completely! I think I exclaimed “You called me your friend!” or something like that and he grinned in acknowledgement. I don’t remember how we parted from that - he did move on to talk to other people and I know I got to take some pictures, but mostly I was in total James fog for the next couple of minutes !
I was so touched by that - James called me his friend! The way he said it was totally sincere, so I may not have had a hug tonight - but I got so much more!!