Rooftopper "Closer" reviews and pics

[kissmekate]

I really love the funny face one. I love his sense of humour!

[lovethemanrs]

LOL...Ophelia.

Can't leave you two alone for 5 mins!

[kygal]

What fun Ophelia! Love those cheek to cheek pictures!

[midoro]

Lovely photos Ophelia, love the funny faces!

[artisanlibra]

All of these photos & encounters are lovely!!

I got to see the play for myself on March 4th, whilst down in London for a couple of days, and it was a fantastic night! 

I ended up, as usual for me, arriving at the Donmar a bit early.  Well, I say a bit early, but it was an hour & a half early!!  I had gone to London on my own, so I made sure to text my mum to tell her I'd made it safely to the theatre.  The text went like "After much traipsing, I've found the theatre with still an hour & a half to spare.  Might see if there's a bar area inside...Rufus Sewell just strode past me...". It would seem that, as I approached the theatre, Rufus must have come out of a coffee shop I had passed on the way.  Because, as I was writing the text, I looked up from my phone in time to see him stride majestically past me with a coffee in his hand.  We didn't acknowledge each other, but once I realised it was him, my jaw dropped to the floor.  I wanted to drop with it...

After gathering myself over a mocha, I returned to the theatre for the play.  18 years ago, the play was controversial & shocking.  By today's standards...not so much.  It was still entertaining & deep though.  And Rufus, I feel, was made to play Larry.  Eccentric, wry, dark, emotional, funny.  The other actors were good, but I was there only for Rufus, so I pretty much only paid attention to his performance.  And the bit with the dressing gown?!  I was at the wrong angle, up in the circle, for that scene, but it, er, gave me some "thoughts" anyway.  The set up of the stage was simple, moveable benches & minimal props, and the actors themselves changed the sets.  They seemed at ease doing it, knowing where everything was supposed to stand & getting it there quickly!

After the show, I waited outside.  With one other person.  A middle-aged man, who wasn't sure if Nancy Carroll had just come out or not.  I went on the sound of her voice as she spoke to her friends around her, and told him that "he could probably still catch her if he ran".  So he did.  Then, Rufus Sewell came down the stairs.  A friend of his had apparently come to meet him, and waited in the lobby.  Let's just say that I couldn't stop staring at Rufus after he appeared.  I must have been staring ceaselessly at him, because as they (he & his friend) came out of the Donmar, he approached me and said "Hello?!".  I was done for.  As an introvert, I don't usually do this sort of thing (despite having managed to approach West-End actor Michael Xavier the night before).  But, this was Rufus Sewell!!  So, I went into what I call "Auto-Pilot", but even that went into meltdown, as all I could manage as he approached was a feeble "Hello, would you...?" and to hold out my programme & pen.  He obliged, signed, and returned the programme...but not the pen.   I wonder if he thought the guy next to me was with me...no, never met him before in my life!  After a couple of seconds of awkward silence - what I'm best at - Rufus popped the cap back on my pen and handed it back.  That's when my fingers accidentally brushed against his...I had to hang back a couple of minutes; one, my hand was trembling so much I couldn't even put the pen back in my bag and so I would barely have managed to walk down the road, and two, I would've looked a little stalker-ish as Rufus & his friend strode off down the road...in the same direction that I needed to head off in!!  The last I saw of them, they were walking off down Monmouth St as I headed down Earlham.

Sadly, no photos, because I was too nervous & Rufus seemed to be in a bit of hurry - I think he & his friend had agreed to go on somewhere for a late supper...or a couple of drinks & a catch-up.  Hopefully, next time, I'm a little pluckier and can ask him for a photo.  But, mission accomplished; I managed to meet Rufus Sewell!!

(PS - Sorry for the length of the post; I do babble when I talk about Rufus, it can't be helped it would seem!)

[kygal]

Congrats Artisanlibra on meeting Rufus. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the play and the encounter!

[Petruchio - Good God]

ophelia - still laughing about your funny pic....

artisanlibra - congrats on meeting Rufus and thank you for the lovely report....

[midoro]

Thanks for the report Artisanlibra - glad you could meet Rufus!

[GreenEyesToo]

Well done, Artisanlibra, and congrats on getting to meet Rufus - no need to be nervous next time, though, as he's very gracious and kind with fans, so no need to feel overwhelmed. Re the anti-stalking tactics, I was in the same position as you, the first time I went to see his last play, Old Times - I hung back for a few minutes, went up the road, turned the corner and not only had Rufus and his friend turned around and were heading back towards me, but then they crossed over and went into the restaurant I was heading for! I had to take refuge in a coffee shop around the corner instead....

Ophelia, great pics!

Well, I saw the play again yesterday, and again from another completely different angle - it's amazing what else you pick up just from a few seats difference. It's still just as electrifying on repeat viewings, especially when, as last time, Rufus walked off the stage just inches away from me, a couple of times.  And, no, I didn't trip him up!

Time for just a brief chat afterwards, as he was on his way to meet people, but he laughed (and said he'd seen it himself) when I quoted a line from a recent review (which I'll post in the appropriate thread shortly): "Rufus Sewell looks like a Botticelli angel on crack" - he liked that! He was also very interested to hear about the workshop we'd attended earlier at the Donmar rehearsal rooms (he isn't attending any of them) when I told him we'd been given excerpts from the play to work on - he hadn't realised. I think he was amused to discover one scene we did was Larry meeting Anna in the Aquarium - embarrassing!! (Thank goodness it wasn't the scene before...)

The workshop itself wasn't quite what I expected - it started off with the attendees being asked to do a physical warm-up, turning wrists, arms and ankles, balancing on one leg and contorting our mouths! That was just to relax us, I think, although balancing on one leg while twisting an ankle and a knee around was anything but!

We then paired up to read and examine various excerpts from not only Closer but other plays with similar relationship themes (Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Private Lives), with some brave souls willing to read out their clips, and then a group discussion before we moved on to the next piece of text.

It was interesting to be taken through the same sort of processes that the actors in Closer would have used to help them break down the script and get at the underlying meanings (and quite nice to be in the same place that Rufus rehearsed, too ).

A bonus at the end was to discover that in the next few days there will be a "making of" feature online, showing us the process of putting the play together, with rehearsal pics, so look out for that!

Ooh, nearly forgot - it was also lovely to meet and say a quick hello to a fellow Rooftopper on her first visit to the play and her first time meeting Rufus - so glad you got to speak to him, and hope we get to see the photo! I hope we get to read your impressions of the play, too!

[walt]

a lot for all the reports about the play!

[midoro]

Thanks GE2 for your report on the play, the workshop and meeting Rufus again!

[judypatooty]

That workshop sounds fascinating, GE2. (And I'm glad Rufus knows about the Boticelli angel on crack description!)

[kygal]

The workshop sounds interesting GE2. Thanks for the update on seeing the play again and speaking with Rufus. Glad you didn't trip him..lol.

[ruthie2910]

Ophelia, love all your "selfie" photos, but this one is a cracker

Mar 6, 2015 20:07:51 GMT ophelia said:

LTM, splendid photo again!

Walt, I love wearing my apron, but not whilst I'm cooking!

Artisanlibra, I totally understand how you felt and if it wasn't for my friend being with me when I first met him, I think I would have also reacted like you did, my eyes didn't leave him when he entered the cinema for the Q&A and I couldn't even remember what questions were asked, but it will be easier the next time.

Love reading all the reports and seeing all the photos, keep them coming Rooftoppers!

[BuildersPassion]

Thank you for all this reports and pictures, ladies!
The workshop sounds really interesting GE2! I know some of this practices from similiar workshops for improvisational theatre, i did before. It´s very funny.  

It was my first time in London last weekend, and i enjoyed it so much. Everything was just overwhelming in this short time. And so was the play at Donmar Warehouse. I loved the intimacy of this small theatre, you feel like being "in" the scene, not only watching it. Luckily i´ve got a ticket for a seat in the third row (thank you!!), instead of the standing in the circle. It was a fantastic experience to see every facial expression of the actors, to be so very close to the stage. And they did really good work, all 4 of them. I loved to watch the joy, the sadness, the anger on their faces, in their eyes, hear it in their voices,  to laugh many times on this well written and spoken parts.  It was compelling and i feeled like i forgot to breathe sometimes.
Everything went quickly. When the actors shifted their requisites around, it was interesting to watch them. Every time "in character" and focused. It didn´t matter the stage decoration was rather simple, quite the opposite. Focus was on the actors and there play. 
And of course, Rufus, the reason for me to come to London, and see this performance. 
He was gorgeous in his role and he made Larry, the dermatologist, the caveman, the vulnerable man, absolutely believable. And ... likeable, in my case. His eyes, his versatile voice, ..magnificent.  Yes, i liked "Closer" very much, and i would watch  this performance again (and again), if there would be an opportunity. It is a highly intense, powerful play, full of passion and emotions, and the story fits even perfectly in present times.

After the performance i waited downstairs and found myself amongst some Rooftoppers.
It was so lovely to meet them and i hope i didn´t talk nonsense, because i was quite nervous and my head was empty (the english words .. gone away). 
The reason for this... sure.. Rufus came downstairs  and said "Hello" to us. After a little chat with the other rooftop ladies he came over and i had the chance to talk to him too. He is such a lovely, kind, handsome man. And funny!
He said something like "Oh, a new one" , when he saw me between the familiar faces of the other ladies, and smiled. When he experienced i came from germany to see the performance, to see him, he asked if i did understand every word of the play. I said "almost everything, but not every single word". He seemed  to be pleased about my answer, because of the various "dirty" words in the play. And this smile again . 
I had my camera in my coat pocket.. yes.. and there it remained. I totally forgot about it in this situation. And i´m a rather shy person. But luckily LTM was there and took a photo of Rufus and me (Thank you so much!). He´s looking gorgeous, as always, um.. me not . 



After i left the theatre and we stood there, talking about the play, our plans for diner, Rufus passed by. I looked after him and .. he turned round, looked right into my eyes and said "nice to meet you", before he continued on his way.
It was a wonderful day. Maybe one of the best in my life! A dream coming true.  I will never forget this!   
Report - finished . Sorry, i hope my written English was not too bad.