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Alkioni´s Faith Healer meeting in Dublin (February 7, 2006)
I went at the theatre around 7.45. As soon as i entered there, I saw a door ( inside the main entrance ) labeled Stage Door . So then i was
certain that he would come out from the main entrance. Anyway, the other usefull thing i noticed was that there were two bars inside the theatre.
One coffee bar and one wine bar (which is the most interesting part of the theatre actually since it was where i met him!!! )
Anyway, i got the program of the play which was for free. I do not know if that was because it was the first night of the play or not. They also
sell the book of FH. I did not see any other things such as posters, postcards e.t.c. but maybe it is too soon yet.
The play started at 8.10. Since i do not wish to spoil it for those who have not read the play i will try not to talk too much about the plot.
I adored the play! When i first read it i must admit i was a little bit confused but of course theatrical plays are made to be preformed and not to
be read. The performance was absolutely brilliant! Even though i must admit that i had a slight problem with Ian McDiarmid's accent (which was
meant to be that way) I loved every minute of it.
And now of course the play starts with Ralph. What to say about his talent??? No matter what i will say it will be too little!!!! He was absolutely
perfect. There were times that we were laughing and times that i was really ready to cry. At the first act he also sings a little bit. He has a
lovely voice! Of course i have not seen any other plays of his but from what i have read here in the forum, you all wanted to see him in a comedy.
Of course the play is a drama, but Ralph can make you laugh in certain parts of the play and he is doing it wonderfully.
Ingrid Craige was really very good but Ian Mc Diarmid was trully amazing. I really loved his performance and he was perfect for the role! After the
play, a few people gathered at the wine bar. I was waiting there shaking when, guess what: Nickos saw Ralph first (So i do not really know where he
appeared from). Anyway, a lot of people approached him, mostly ladies of course to talk to him, congratulate him, take autographs e.t.c.
I felt too shy to talk to him at first, but Nickos went to him, so of course i followed. I told him how much i enjoyed the play, his performance
and I thanked him about introducing Brian Friel to me. Nickos asked him a few questions regarding the way he was seeing the play (those of you who
have read it can probably undestand why). Then of course, i asked him for an autograph and he was more than happy to give me one. I just could not
take my eyes from his eyes and he kept smiling. I really do not know how to express how i feel. I do not think i will ever forget that day. He has
a very soft voice!!! And what to say about his eyes!!! I really need to calm down a little bit and try to remember more details. He was wearing a
white shirt with a white t-shirt i gather underneath and light brown trousers. He seemed very happy about the way people reacted to the play.
And now let me tell about today. In the morning i was in the cloud 9 and i could not concetrate to anything. Nickos and I went to see the Castle of
Dublin and afterwards we went to have another Irish Stew at the restaurant of the Parliament Hotel... And guess who was going out of the
door... Ralph of course. I could not believe my eyes and i was in a shock. He was with a young guy and they were talking. He was absorbed in
conversation so i did not do anything, i just froze. He was wearing a blue-grey short coat. That was the only thing i managed to notice
I feel that i am in a dream. I will try to write more as soon as i can. I have to calm down a little bit first..
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PINOT´s Faith Healer meeting on Broadway (June 2006)
BEFORE THE PLAY BEGAN, AN IRISH VOICE MADE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT REMINDING THE AUDIENCE TO TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES AND THAT NO PHOTOGRAPHY WAS
PERMITTED INSIDE THE THEATER. (I GIGGLED TO MYSELF THINKING ABOUT THE ARTICLE I READ REGARDING THE CELL PHONE INCIDENT DURING A DUBLIN PERFORMANCE,
WHERE RALPH ADDRESSED THE OFFENDER!)
THE LIGHTS DIMMED AND THE SOUND OF A WHIPPING WIND FILLED THE THEATER, AS A SWIFT WHITE CURTAIN RACED FROM ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE TO THE OTHER, TO
REVEAL A SOLITAIRY RALPH. THE SPOTLIGHT SHONE ON HIS SHADOWY FIGURE, CLAD IN A DOUBLE BREASTED WOOL OVERCOAT AND A FEDORA, STANDING AT THE VERY
EDGE OF THE STAGE, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US! I SAT, MESMERIZED AS HIS SOFT, LOW VOICE BEGAN RECITING THE NAMES OF IRISH VILLAGES IN A DISILLUSIONED
WAY, AS IF AWAKENING FROM A DEEP SLEEP. THE INCANTATIONS GREW LOUDER AND LOUDER, AND THOUGH I DIDN’T DARE TAKE MY EYES FROM HIS, I’M CERTAIN THAT
MOST EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WAS AS FIXATED AS I WAS. HIS WORDS WERE NOT LIKE WORDS AT ALL, BUT VELVETY SOUNDS THAT HUNG IN THE AIR. THE TRILL OF
THE “R” WAS A SUBTLE IRISH INFLECTION. THERE WERE AMPLIFIERS, BUT THE SOUND WAS AS NATURAL AS IF HE WAS SPEAKING TO AN AUDIENCE OF ONE OR TWO
(THERE WAS NO REVERBERATION COMING FROM THE SPEAKERS).
HIS CHARACTER, FRANK HARDY, SPUN THE TALE OF HIS EXPERIENCE TRAVELING THROUGH WELSH, SCOTTISH, AND IRISH VILLAGES AS A FAITH HEALER, DURING THE
EARLY PART OF THIS CENTURY. IT WAS QUITE INCREDIBLE HOW HE USED HIS VOICE AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS TO PAINT A PICTURE OF LIFE ON THE ROAD. HIS MOODS
RANGED FROM DOUR AND MOCKING TO BOLD AND COMMANDING. I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT… HOW HE COULD APPEAR FRAIL ONE MINUTE AND INDOMITABLE THE
NEXT!
FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT, WE WERE ONLY 3 FEET FROM THE STAGE, AND MOST OF THE TIME RALPH WAS DIRECTLY ABOVE US, AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE STAGE. WE
WERE SO CLOSE THAT WE COULD SEE THE SALIVA CAST FROM HIS MOUTH AS HE ENUNCIATED CERTAIN WORDS, SO CLOSE THAT WE COULD SEE THE ROOF OF HIS MOUTH AND
HIS GORGEOUS CANINES. THE PLAY HAD AN INTIMATE FEEL- AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHEN HE SPOKE, IT WAS AS IF HE WAS SPEAKING TO ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.
MANY TIMES, HE ADDRESSED ME DIRECTLY DURING HIS MONOLOGUE. THOSE EYES PENETRATED RIGHT THROUGH ME, AS I SAT STUPEFIED.
AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, WHEN THE ACTORS CAME OUT TO BOW, I WAS THE FIRST TO RISE TO GIVE A STANDING OVATION. WHEN RALPH BOWED, HE MADE EYE CONTACT
AND HIS HEAD WAS INCHES FROM MINE, AS I STOOD THERE SMILING AND CLAPPING.
AFTER THE SHOW, WE FILED OUT OF THE THEATER, STILL AWESTRUCK BY RALPH’S PERFORMANCE AND LAUGHING ABOUT IAN’S ANTICS. (I HAVE TO GIVE IAN A LOT OF
CREDIT, HIS HUMOR WAS BRILLIANT!)
THE STAGE DOOR WAS NO SECRET, IT WAS EASILY VISIBLE- JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE THEATER FRONT. THERE WERE ONLY 3 BARRICADES SET UP, WHICH DIDN’T SEEM
LIKE MUCH TO ME. A VERY SMALL CROWD OF 3O, MAYBE 4O PEOPLE WAITED FOR RALPH TO EMERGE. TWO FOLKS FROM THE THEATER’S STAFF TOLD US TO FEEL FREE TO
TAKE CANDID SHOTS OF THE ACTORS, BUT NOT TO ASK THEM TO POSE WITH ANYONE.
THEN, SURPRISINGLY, RALPH APPEARED WITHIN 1O MINUTES (THOUGH I’M SURE HE WAS READY TO CALL IT A DAY, AFTER HAVING PERFORMED A MATINEE THAT
AFTERNOON.) HE CAME OUT WEARING A CASUAL OUTFIT, LIKE HE WEARS IN NEARLY EVERY FAN PHOTO I'VE SEEN- WHITE BUTTON DOWN SHIRT, A NORTH FACE BACKPACK,
BIRKENSTOCKS… ANYWAY, I STOOD A LITTLE FURTHER BACK, NOT PRESSING MYSELF AGAINST THE BARRICADE LIKE THE OTHER FANS. MY PARTNER WAS A FEW YARDS
DOWN THE LINE, POSITIONED WITH CAMERA IN HAND AND INSTRUCTIONS FROM ME TO TAKE AS MANY PICTURES AS POSSIBLE. (UNFORTUNATELY, YOU WILL SEE BELOW,
THAT WE DID NOT GET ONE GOOD SHOT... SAD TIMES) RALPH WAS ALL SMILES, GRACIOUSLY LOOKING EACH PERSON IN THE EYE AND SIGNING THEIR PLAYBILLS. I
WAITED PATIENTLY, HOPING I’D BE ABLE TO HAND HIM MY PLAYBILL. AS HE MADE HIS WAY TOWARD ME, I GOT THROWN OFF BY A GAGGLE OF WOMEN WHO WERE
SCREAMING, “WE BROUGHT OUR MOTHER HERE TO SEE YOU! WE LOVE YOU!!!” AND WHILE SIGNING SOMEONE ELSE’S PLAYBILL, HE RESPONDED, “I LOVE YOU TOO!!!” IT
WAS VERY SWEET. HE CONTINUED TO SIGN MAYBE 3 MORE PLAYBILLS BEFORE HE GOT TO ME. WE MADE EYE CONTACT AND I THINK HE RECOGNIZED ME FROM THE FRONT
ROW. (MY PARTNER LATER MENTIONED THAT HE NOTICED RALPH MADE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO REACH OVER SEVERAL PEOPLE IN ORDER TO SIGN MY PLAYBILL!) AFTER HE
SIGNED IT, I WAS SO STUNNED THAT ALL I COULD UTTER WAS “THANK YOU!”
HE SIGNED A COUPLE MORE PLAYBILLS AND WAS ESCORTED TO A SHINY, BLACK CADILLAC ESCALADE AND THEN WHISKED AWAY INTO THE NIGHT.
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DragonHunter200´s Faith Healer meeting on Broadway (June 2006)
Well, I did it. I survived Live Ralph without passing out and/or throwing up!!!
It was just as amazing as so many of you have been saying. He’s absolutely brilliant, there’s no doubt about that – never was! But, really, I was
blown away. There were moments where he was just such a force on stage, I think I forgot to breathe!
And he was funny!! Obviously, it’s not a comedic play, but his first monologue was really full of humor. His expressions and some of his actions
were just priceless! The second monologue was much more dramatic and at one point – when he was describing how he knowingly went to his own death
– I was just entranced by him. Couldn’t take my eyes off of him (and not just for the obvious reasons! Get your minds out of the gutter!!)
It’s pretty obvious now why Ian McDiarmid won the Tony. That’s all I can really say. The majority of his monologue is just hilarious – a very
welcome change from Cherry Jones’s – and the rest is very moving. I was afraid I’d only be able to see him as “the bad guy from Star Wars” but it
barely crossed my mind. If I wasn’t there specifically to see Ralph, I’d really have to say McDiarmid would have been the highlight of the play
(followed very closely by our boy, of course!!!!)
Cherry Jones was good, but I really didn’t like her monologue very much. Of course, I’m not a critic – it was probably brilliant for all I know. I
kind of thought she was a little too melodramatic and, honestly, a bit obnoxious. I think she could’ve toned it down just a little and gotten her
point across just as well. But like I said, what do I know?
I DID get to stay after and go to the stage door!!! It only took them about 15-20 minutes to come out. Ian McDiarmid and Cherry Jones came first,
of course, and I got both of their autographs. And then the man of the hour!!!! Even my mother said he looked fantastic! He looked young, really,
at least ten years younger than he is. He was wearing a black shirt and sandals and had a black backpack on his back.
Eventually, he got around to me and everyone behind me was thrusting their playbills at him and I was seriously starting to worry he’d move on
before signing mine. But of course he didn’t because he’s a perfect gentleman!! I could think of absolutely nothing of quality to say to him so, on
a whim, I came up with, “I know it sounds corny, but I just love everything you do.” He signed my playbill, said “Thank you very much,” (in that
wonderful, beautiful, sweet voice!!!) then looked directly into my eyes for a least a whole second (which is longer than you’d think for something
like that!!). Oh, they were the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen, I thought I’d drown in them!!! What color are his eyes? They looked very green
to me, but it was dark, and I thought I’d read they were a different color. I don’t know, I was about a foot away from them, staring straight into
them for a good long second and they seemed bright green to me! Oh, and they were BIG!!! I had no idea he had such big, beautiful, luscious eyes!!
Officially my favorite Fiennes feature!
Now here comes the tragic part. My camera was malfunctioning. I took loads of pictures (124 to be exact – mostly of Times Square, not all of
Ralph!!) and most of them came out horribly blurred. In fact, ALL of the Ralph pictures are blurry. It’s terrible, really terrible!!! The next
morning I talked to my dad on the phone (it’s his camera) and he asked me some questions about it. Turns out, the focus wheel-thingy had been
bumped off of “automatic focus” onto the next setting and that’s what caused the blurring. I didn’t move the wheel, but I should’ve thought to
check it!!!! I’m beating the crap out of myself for that. That beautiful image of Ralph’s eyes is already starting to fade and I don’t even have
good pictures to help hold onto it!! So, unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be wasting space on the site with my crappy pictures. Sorry girls. But
believe me, I feel sorrier for myself about it!
Still, it was a fantastic night!! Totally worth the ten hour drive! I’d do it again in a heart beat.
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