I gave Alan Rickman my book

[ellenkushner]

I just quite unexpectedly met Alan Rickman, backstage at a performance of Strindberg's Creditors  at BAM, a show he directed. I was the guest of the Welsh Cultural Council (long story) and we had fantastic seats for the show (row B!).  One of the three amazing actors in this tight little drama, Owen Teale, is Welsh, so we were ushered backstage to meet him - and what a great guy he is!  He speaks of Rickman with warmth, and not a little awe.  He is, apparently, a force to be reckoned with.  (Teale also does fabulous imitations of his voice, along wtih Al Pacino's  and other dressing room visitors....Ah, actors!  I could never mimic worth a damn.)  Apparently Rickman comes to every performance, and gives notes (by phone) the next day.  So there he was in the dressing room, being pleasant to everyone who wanted to talk to him.  He obligingly shook hands with all of us. Then I had wine with Teale (who obligingly had brought out plastic cups & opened a bottle) - it did seem a bit Wrong that we were there to see him, but everyone was still clustered around AR.  Then Rickman politely said good bye all, and I realized I had a copy of "The Man with the Knives" in my bag.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained - I mean, it's not like anything bad was going to happen.  So I shook his hand again, and said, "I had no idea you would  be here tonight, but I wonder if I could give you this?  Thank you very much; I really appreciate all the work you've done" or something like that.  And off he went.

I knew you'd kill me if I forgot to mention it.  Especially as I already told my Twitter pals first.  (But you know I love you best, don't you?)

Comments

[ron-drummond.livejournal.com]

Very cool. You did tell him that you were the author of the book you were giving him, yes? (It's not clear from your account that you did.) I've forgotten to do that under similar circumstances. How did he respond?

[comrade-cat.livejournal.com]

OMG flail! Fandom collision!

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Well played!

[aluragayle.livejournal.com]

:D
Oh, how cool! ♥

[anghara.livejournal.com]

*whimper*

Does he sound as good in person as he comes across in movies...?

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Yes - it's really quite eerie hearing That Voice coming out of this tired-looking guy schlumphing in a corner....

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

Wow!

But I initially read the title as "I gave Alan Rickman my look," and I was thinking about your Look, and I'm sticking to my original image.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.... would that be the Look I cultivated back in the days before I was Well Married? Or is there an extra Look in my quiver that I've been ignoring lately?

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

I wasn't thinking of a come-hither look, though now that you mention it, I remember that look.

I guess I was thinking of your Wise Look.

[calimac.livejournal.com]

Now you get to wear a sticker that reads, I met Alan Rickman *sigh*

Alan Rickman ,etc.

[(Anonymous)]

Go, Ellen! Hope you saved a bit of Alan Rickman's DNA to kiss me with next time we see each other. Afraid he walks on water in our house, and with me in particular. Though our boys have also decided that his 'Snape' should try reading "Tale of Two Cities" for fun and profit.... Oy.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Awesome! That's a nice bit of serendipity.

[couchspudprotem.livejournal.com]

But who would you cast him as? He's not right for Alex and I don't see him as Richard...

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

He can direct.

He'd also be great for Horn - would've made a great Ferris a few years ago, sigh. He'd be a fabulous Ferris for TPOTS!

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

Yeah! What fun! Be still my beating heart. Alan Rickman. Sorry I'll be in my bunk...
Lucky Lady. :)

[tithenai.livejournal.com]

GLEEEE! How fantastic! Here's to him becoming a starry-eyed fanboy. :)

Also, if you haven't seen this, I HAVE to share, because I only learned who Strindberg was yesterday, as a result of it.

[deliasherman.livejournal.com]

OK, now I'm lost in "Strindberg and Helium" land.

*Empty!*

Now you should read the plays. They're not nearly as funny, (in fact, they're pretty depressing) but they're beautiful.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

I only learned who Strindberg was yesterday

Oh dear, oh dear . . . what *do* they teach them in these schools?

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

That's impressive.
Owain Teale is a fine actor.

[liz-mo.livejournal.com]

Yay, Alan Rickman. Thank you for sharing with us! Lucky you!

[shrewreader.livejournal.com]

YAY!!! Now I await the word on film-optioning the set with bated breath!

*purrs*

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Yes, would that not rock exceedingly?

I must confess, I wonder what any reader would make of "Knives" as a standalone piece? I'm trying to picture a reader reconstructing the "Riverside" set's DNA from just those 5,000 words . . . would it make them want to see more? Would the virtue of the writing entice them, or the little story seem just too dense?

Heaven only knows what he did with it - threw it in the dumpster? Left it in the hotel room? Handed it to a curious dinner companion with a, "I've no idea - you take a look at it" . . . ?

All this, of course, ran through my mind in the seconds I took to decide to hand it over. I imagine the truth is just as strange as the fiction. I'm counting on never knowing - and knowing you can never count on anything.

[lauriemann.livejournal.com]

Lucky you! Always wanted to meet Rickman (he was briefly in Pittsburgh in the late '90s filming Dogma).

I was exhausted during Noreascon 4, and fell asleep during the Hugo Ceremony. At one point, I could have sworn I was listening to Alan Rickman talk. As I woke up, I realized it was Neil Gaiman (who was MCing the Hugos that year).

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Yes - they actually have a somewhat similar affect: I've seen Neil in a room full of people who are thrilled to be there with him but trying to hide it, managing the same courtesy and aplomb. I actually thought of Neil when I was there. Good call!

[emilytheslayer.livejournal.com]

Nice. Now I want to figure out what I would give a random celebrity like Rickman who might someday cross my path, so I can put it in my bag JUST IN CASE. Not that it's what you did, but I can't count on it all being quite so serendipitous!

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

If I had thought (or known) of it beforehand, it wouldn't have happened. Serendipity is like that - you just have to trust it.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Lucky you! I have SUCH a crush on him!

[natesmomclaire.livejournal.com]

Whoa! Way to carpe that diem!

[rubygirl29.livejournal.com]

Fabulous! He seems like he could fit into the world of Riverside perfectly. And he is one of my favorite actors. He can do it all from dashing hero (Sense and Sensibility) to despicable villain.

This was well done, indeed!