I understand the fear of disillusionment behind the quote, “Never meet your heroes”, but I suggest the opposite. There’s wisdom there whether they disappoint you or inspire you further.
Ciaran Hinds
I had the great privilege of meeting one of my heroes this week. I worked with him on set on Tuesday and then he just showed up at my play tonight. Not every day do you have a movie star hovering in the lobby, waiting to tell you how much he loved the script and performances. He told me he is going to send the director of the film to see it.
Some of you might know Ciarán Hinds from Game of Thrones or Harry Potter or Sherlock Holmes or Munich or Road to Perdition or…his resume is endless. But I am particularly thrilled that he’s a huge theatre star. He was in the Seafarer on Broadway and is a regular at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre, the RSC, and the list goes on. It’s wonderful when you meet one of your heroes and he’s not only an amazing talent but a generous and supportive human being who simply loves a good story.
Gosh. I’m a big girl now. But was it ever nice to get a pat on the head and a gold star sticker from a master I admire.
When I was on set on Tuesday playing Mr. Hind’s wife, the make up artist told me he was asking about theatre in Vancouver as soon as he got here and she blew him a raspberry and said, “You’re joking, right?” I gave her a hard hard silent look from the hairdresser chair. She mumbled, “Well…I lived in New York for a while…” I calmly stated, “Ah. If you lived in Vancouver you’d know that we have a very vibrant scene here and many shows tour across Canada and internationally. I had a play reading in New York last year. If someone asks again you can always count on ——- ” (I shared with her my “best bet” list of local companies and festivals) She was very good at her job and quite a lovely person all in all, but obviously she knew dick all about Vancouver theatre aside from the TYA shows she did here back in the 1980s. So, I had to set her right. Her and her nude coloured lip gloss.
While on set, the first thing I had to do was strip down to a neglige for a room full of men and climb into bed with Mr. Hinds. It wasn’t a romantic scene by any stretch, it was comedic. He immediately set me at ease with dry humour and kind inquiry about my life here in Vancouver. Then later at supper he chose to sit with me and we chatted about theatre and parenting and film. I would have liked to chum around, show him the town, meet his wife – but then I remembered “right, he’s famous, I suppose that doesn’t work that way.” While working he asked all about Espresso and said he would come. Though I asked box office to set aside tickets for him I didn’t hold my breath.
It’s so interesting, this business. Tonight it’s entertaining stars. Tomorrow it will be entertaining the scrub brush as I return to maid work. This reminds me of mothering. Sometimes I am the star in my daughter’s eyes “I want to be just like you, Mommy!” and sometimes I am the scullery maid. Last weekend I asked Nora to clean her room for the fourth time to which she replied, “Only if you speak to me in a respectful tone.” She’s eight. Eight. God help me.
The Out Vigil by Julie McIsaac
Earlier in the day I wrote two letters of references for emerging actress/playwrights like myself who are doing some great work. Then I went out to see a new play by Julie McIsaac: a wonderful actress and musician here in town trying her hand at playwriting with a young and ambitious company called Twenty Something Theatre: The Out Vigil, directed by Sabrina Evertt. It just closed. I had a rip roaring headache and I almost didn’t go because I wasn’t able to concentrate on their heartfelt work as much as I would have liked. But I didn’t want to miss their show, so I went anyway. Tonight reminded me of the importance of just showing up. To take the time to show up is a show of confidence. To say, “You are someone worth listening to.”
You never know who is out there. You never know who is watching. Sometimes someone who could make a difference to you or you could make a difference to them…and sometimes it’s a room of empty rows ambivalently flipping you the underside of their seats.
flowers from Cheryl and Jen
This is when I am glad that my reason for doing what I do is beyond who is there or not. It’s beyond stars or scrub brushes. It’s about the All Seeing. But gee, to have a room full of friends there seeing the show for the second or third time – having paid for ferry trips over and babysitters…and to see Mr. Hinds…yeah. That was pretty damn sweet.
You named your entry “vigilance” but it could just as easy be “generosity” — because while Mr. Hinds was kind enough to see your show, you have been kind enough to support younger artists with your presence to witness their work and letters of reference.
I think that kindness begets kindness; keep doing what you’re doing.
xo Pam
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Linnet! I loved what you had to say about the Driftless Area – I didn’t get that far in my research. Gorgeous landscape. Lovely writing style you have, thank you for sharing your work with me. Mr. Hinds is playing Ned and I am playing his wife Luanne. You found the only picture of me online that I hate, haha, but thank you so much for including me in your blog. Lucky ducky you saw Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. I am tempted to boot it down to Dublin to the Abbey theatre this fall. I am really impressed with the director (Zachary Sluser) of The Driftless Area: intelligent, sensitive, confident. I also worked on set with John Hawkes who was very kind to me and it was a pleasure and education watching him create. Nice to meet you virtually!
Oh no, I wanted him to play Tim Greer! He is too often typecast as a villain. In any case, thanks for the info and the kind words. I have exchanged the hated photo for another (even though I quite liked it).
haha, you are very kind of indulging my vanity! Thank you, Linnet!
Thank you Ms. Frangione for this wonderful story! I am a big fan of Mr. Hinds and have had the pleasure of seeing him onstage in “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” and Conor McPherson’s “The Night Alive.” I met him twice, and in my limited experience, he was every bit as kind and generous as you describe. Congratulations on the play, and on your role in DL. You have provided us fans with a precious nugget of information about the forthcoming film. I updated my blog post about “The Driftless Area” to include you in the cast: http://linnetmoss.com/2014/05/15/the-driftless-area/
Can’t wait to see the film.
One other thing–he mentioned in a radio interview that he might be doing a play in Dublin in the Fall, but so far he’s not listed in the Fall offerings on the Abbey website. Do you know which production he’s to appear in? I want to start making travel plans 😉
I didn’t get the specifics, might not be official yet.
If you’re not allowed to say then feel free to ignore me, but does the movie differ from the book a lot?
I only ask because it’s one of my favorite books of all-time and the cast has some of my favorite actors (you must have an amazing talent for acting to be able to do scenes with Hinds and Hawkes, probably two of the best in the business) so naturally I’m curious, and with independent film sometimes it can be years before the general public gets to see it so I’m a bit anxious lol.
Really anything you think you can tell me would be much appreciated, and if that’s nothing then I’m totally fine with that, I don’t want to get you in trouble or anything.
Thank you for sharing.
I was cast at the last minute and haven’t read the book yet, so you’ll have to tell me 🙂 I can say this, the cast is terrific and the director, Zachary Sluser, is so intuitive, smart, sensitive and has a poetry about him that I feel suits the lyrical quality of the story itself. Mr. Drury is on set a great deal. So wonderful to see an author’s input valued like that. This is definitely a labour of love for them all and that’s always a good sign. I hope you enjoy the film, Joe!