Reader, I met him.

[bironic]

A year and a half ago, I fell for the villain in a music video on YouTube. Last night, I had a drink with him.

("Way to bury the lede," said thisiskis when I told the story the long way around this morning. You get the highlights version.)

I took the bus to Manhattan for a 24-hour visit this weekend to see a fringe play imported from England because, as you may recall, this actor I liked, Jon Campling, was in it and it didn't sound like there would be another opportunity to see him in the U.S. in the foreseeable future.

The play itself, TRIPPIN, was better than expected. Quite funny and creative on a shoestring budget. I think the advertising doesn't do it justice. It's billed as "weekend warrior does a drug and meets some wacky characters," and it was that, with a side of privileged white male existential despair, but it was also a surprisingly cathartic journey into how a person can create or exacerbate their own deep unhappiness and try to self-medicate with substances or escapist media without getting at the root of the problem. Anxiety transforms into peace.

I'm so used to seeing embarrassing productions/TV/movies/performances for the sake of a particular actor or actress that this was a nice change of pace.

Afterwards iggyw and I were hanging out in the empty lobby, where I was hoping for a photo op and autograph, when Jon's wife found us. We chatted until Jon appeared, and then, instead of a quick meet and greet, they totally invited us downstairs to the playhouse bar! I had been daydreaming about just such an outcome but wasn't sure I would be brave enough to ask for it. So I was on cloud nine for the next hour and a half as we talked about a bunch of different things and I got to look at his face some more. Much merriment and storytelling; I am once more thankful to extroverts for their seeming ease in keeping conversations lively among strangers. Iggy, who is less comfortable than I am about meeting performers, started out skeptical but ended up having a lovely time and agreeing that they were both super sweet.

And before we left, I did get that autograph and photo op. I had confessed my love for his villain roles starting with that abduction-themed Amber Run video, and he delighted me by feigning a kidnapping move while Iggy took our picture. <3








Totally worth the trip.

*

Thanks to no_detective I also got to see a matinee of MENGELE, which I was more ambivalent about. It was neither as bad as it could have been nor as good. Lots of breathy, rapid-fire dialogue between "Mengele" and an avenging angel as they delved into his life and actions, with a few pauses to play video footage from the Holocaust and/or the Schindler's List movie. The performances were pretty strong, and I liked the attention paid to the conflicted attraction-repulsion some perpetrators felt for their victims, but there was nothing new or particularly insightful in its depiction of a war criminal justifying his behavior, and the structure of the play undercut any sort of catharsis.

Other weekend highlights included (1) being stopped by a fellow DS9 fan in a shop who liked my Terok Nor t-shirt and (2) food! Decent SoHo pizza with Iggy, a tea house on Bleecker I wish we could have spent more time lounging in before the play, an amazing kosher everything bagel with cream cheese around the corner from the hotel (Ess-a-Bagel, yummm), and brunch this morning with thisiskis and coffeeandink. More wide-ranging fannish conversation, this time with scrambled eggs.

*

Back to work tomorrow. synn and I are, uh, supposed to fly to Orlando on Thursday to go to Harry Potter World. It still appears to be possible? We'll see.

Comments

[isweedan]

Omg your "face" :'D :'D :'D

What a lovely full weekend!

[bironic]

It is an accurate representation of what lies beneath. :D

[ride_4ever]

I enjoyed reading the details of your meeting, and I got a sympathetic chuckle out of "I'm so used to seeing embarrassing productions/TV/movies/performances for the sake of a particular actor or actress". *contemplates extensive list of Callum Keith Rennie appearances*

[bironic]

:) :) An experience shared by many fans, indeed.

[seekingferret]

Sounds like a fun trip. And OMG Ess-a-Bagel. I haven't had one of their bagels in years and I suddenly have a massive craving.

[bironic]

so. good.

[umadoshi]

That's amazing. *^^* I'm glad you had such a cool experience!

[bironic]

Thanks! Perfect icon for the occasion.

[thedeadparrot]

Congrats on a great experience! That sounds amazing.

[bironic]

:) :)

[grammarwoman]

That sounds absolutely fun - yay for you! :)

[bironic]

I am still smiling about it two days later.

[par_avion]

Awww! I'm glad the actor's play and meet-n-greet went so well. Glad it was worth the trip.

[bironic]

Yes! I'm sorry I didn't catch you at brunch - another time soon, hopefully.

[seascribble]

This is such a magical story and I am glad you got to experience it.

[bironic]

Yay, thank youuu, it was such a nice high point amidst the general bleh of the world.

[cuddyclothes]

Wow! I love your "face"! He is quite cute, I must say.

Ess-A-Bagel! I haven't been there in forever. I must go back.

[ldthomps]

Awwww, that's so awesome! Like y'all, I'm often squicked by the meet and greets I read about, but this just sounds like cool people talking with each other in the way that folks can do while traveling, with bonus fannishness, which is a delight. YAY for good fannish experiences!