In October 2022 I was in London to see the event "Madly Deeply: The Celebration of Alan Rickman" (+ a book launch of his diaries), some places connected to him in London and Juliet Stevenson's theatre play! :D
So of course that I want to have a description of this on my blog! :D
I went to see those events together with some other fans and these descriptions, that I'll post here, are already on a sort of public place (public can have access, access is not controlled as far as I know) and/but I thought that it would be the best to post it here in the form in which it's there and anonymize it as much as I can. Because now I'm confused about some things, if I interpret/interpreted some things that happened correctly, so I'm not active on that place and/but there were really nice things so I thought that my aforementioned solution would be the best. :)
2 October 2022 - part 1
This time it will be about what happened from the morning of the day of the event until we saw the side of the BFI with an entrance! 
So the next day I woke up very early spontaneously or so I thought and slept 4 hours again so I was delighted! That I slept, that I slept enough hours and that I woke up in time for going to see the service at St. Paul’s Church with Fan 3 and Fan 4, before meeting Fan 5, Fan 2 and Fan 1 at Phoenix Garden and before the BFI! Yay, the day really was there! Which I both could and couldn’t understand.Soon after waking up I heard some weird coughing from the next room but it was still manageable to unvoluntarily listen to that. I had ear plugs (I took also extra) with me but I don’t know if I remembered them.
I even had time to relax before getting ready but I should remember to start getting ready before the time about which I think that I should start. So I went out with small extra time to get to the church.
Well, I knew very well that this St. Paul’s Church is also called Actors‘ Church and I knew and I was even reminded that it’s in Covent Garden. And I think that I googled Actors‘ Church but then I decided to be safe and google St. Paul’s Church and I think that I noticed that it pointed me elsewhere. And since some time I don’t pay much attention to if a building is called a church, a cathedral or whatever, also because I’ve seen that some of them were being referred to in both/more terms. I found out that there is a difference for example in the architecture but still, some of them were called as both/more and rightfully I think but still it’s confusing and I didn’t want to pay attention to that. In at least 1 of my previous 2 stays with school I even saw St. Paul’s Cathedral from the outside and we were somewhere at Covent Garden but I don’t remember knowing about St. Paul’s Church being there (but I found a photo of it from the trip now with the entrance to the garden of the church that I used this time but I didn’t remember what the building was) and I didn’t remember what the distance between St. Paul’s Cathedral and Covent Garden was. And I didn’t verify if what I found is at the Covent Garden, even when I was planning the route here before at home.
Yes.
I arrived on time (10:56 whereas it started at 11:00) but to St. Paul’s Cathedral and there is a difference! I see that London is big but I still didn’t expect that there will be St. Paul’s Cathedral and St. Paul’s Church and that they will be 2 different buldings. So I see that I could verify things more!
I found out also because I was talking with others from ??? who travelled. But then, I saw a bit of St. Paul’s Cathedral from the inside! Yay!
By the way, one should pay attention that there are another 2 confusing things in the UK of the same name and it might be useful to you as fans of Mr. Rickman – there are 2 Stratfords but only one is the one. Both are even in England but one is a part of London but that’s not the one that you may want to visit. That’s a different Stratford – Straftord-upon-Avon – and that’s quite somewhere else. I noticed that, I didn’t need that this time. And, by the way, I was in Stratford-upon-Avon but I wasn’t entirely aware of it’s signifikance in relation to Mr. Rickman and his theatre work here so the most interesting thing for me in that time that I got from there was my photo of a crazy painting of William Shakespeare that was shown there.
Ladies told me that I still can go to „our“ St. Paul’s Church even during the service. I somehow got confused and thought that it will take me half a hour to get there. But they still told me to come and I was looking forward to it so I agreed.
But at first I decided to get something to drink finally. Some rolls that I took with me were still left so that was fine but I had only a few drops of Coca-Cola so especially when I was running late now I thought that it may not matter that much and that I should get some now. I succeeded in a nearby Sainsbury Local at Paternoster Square.
Of course that I was running around confused after I got out of the Underground when I was looking for St. Paul’s Cathedral, then a bit about the entrance and when I was going to the Tube again, I just won’t write about it more.
I found out that the trip should take me about 16 minutes but with buying drinks it took more than that half a hour I think.
Then I managed to arrive at the Covent Garden, walk through it and find the „right“ St. Paul’s Church! I found the entrance very easily. Then I got in and I was a bit nervous also about how I’ll find the ladies. At the entrance to the hall a sympathetic friendly looking lady smiled at me and gave me some papers. I started walking in the centre and soon enough I found out that Fan 3 and Fan 4 were i the front on the right side! So I went to them!
So I went to them!The service was still going on and I think that the priest looked at me for some time. Everyone was standing. I don’t remember being at a service in a church before, on top of that, a Sunday one (I see that it should be somehow more special). I could and couldn’t understand what takes and took place (Mr. Rickman’s memorial) in this church. People were singing (some of that was on a paper in a plastic cover, you had to return this to them) and repeating some things (that was on other papers, ladies said that we could keep them so I did). I think that we didn’t say anything, I out of respect that I wasn’t a member of the church, I wouldn’t know the melody and I came after the beginning. It was interesting to see that. Then they were giving the bread and wine to the members of the church. Then I saw a girl doing something with the candles on the altar and I thought that it’s awesome that not only boys, but girls can do it too.
Then Fan 4 went to the right front corner to candles. I think that Fan 3 told me that Fan 4 would have to return for something and that we would have to go to the Phoenix Garden alone. Then we went to Fan 4 too. We all lit some candles and Fan 4 even took a photo of me while I was doing so and while I was unaware of her actions, as I found later.
Then we were trying to find if Mr. Rickman’s plague is somewhere in the church and our dear brave Fan 4 was up for asking the priest! Who changed into more comfortable clothes and was talking to other people in the left bottom corner (from the view from the entrance). After some time we found him. I think that Fan 4 asked also other people before she got to him. And then when she had and opportunity she asked the priest! And he said that it’s not there. So we went outside.
We had to get to the Phoenix Garden! I think that we walked to a corner of a street and saw a map here. So I with Fan 3 were trying to find out the route, we also thought about the one that Fan 4 should take. And we decided about some. Then we walked together for a while until we directed Fan 4 to a different street and we took another.
But after some walking we found out that we shouldn’t walk that way! So we also sent Fan 4 to a different way! We somehow thought about us having contacts on each of us and hoped that she would find the way after all and/or call us.
Then we walked for some time. Also around a restaurant with beautiful and/but artificial flowers on it. And now I found out that it’s name is Rossopomodoro.
After some time we found it! We saw some garden! It had some beautiful garlands of colourful triangles hung throughout it.
And not only some garden. It was the Phoenix Garden! The promised place! The place where (...) is Mr. Rickman‘s memorial plague! And the place of meeting of us, members of ??? who travelled.
And the place of meeting of us, members of ??? who travelled.It took us some time but then we saw Fan 5, Fan 2 and Fan 1! So we greeted each other. I jumped on Fan 2!
So we greeted each other. I jumped on Fan 2!Then we started exchanging presents. And there it came. I packed my presents and had them ready in the morning but I found out that I left them at the hotel! So I was suggesting that I would come back and bring them several times, I would’ve made it but others told me to stay so I did it. It were some things for everyone of us and it made sense why I wanted to go back for it before the BFI event (I don’t know how personal you would see my presents, if I should leak what I wanted to give you) and I put mine out of the plastic folder and had it with me so it was better that I could show them one of it, that I actually made it. We talked about us discussing some meetings tomorrow when I could give them my presents.
Then everyone did what they wanted. For me it meant going to see the plague. And taking a photo of it! And, at some point of time, touching it! I both could and couldn’t understand that I was in the Phoenix Garden seeing the plague and the context. After touching it (one had to come closer off the path and step on a freshly created clay bed) I started trying to get rid of the clay – it was very sticky, beware. Then I sat on a bench in front of the plagues – there were more – and started having some refreshments while looking around, listening to others from our group and feasting my eyes on the plague. I think that ladies said that the bench was relocated from that clay place.
I think that ladies said that the bench was relocated from that clay place.There were a few other people, I remembered some woman with a child that walked in front of me.
You’ve already seen our group photo in front of the plague but I want to post it again lol because I like it, I hope that it’s fine.
(photo)
And here’s mine of the thing!
Ladies were talking with some other person about the plague and I think that about cleaning it and about looking for someone.
Then the ladies decided to leave! After some time of doing something (probably something with refreshment and my hand bag) I added myself to them. After some time we actually left the garden.
And we were on our way to the BFI! Part of the way was the one which I and Fan 3 came from the church.
We started (or maybe we noticed them already before) seeing some people in violet dresses from the London Marathon that took place that day. And we were going closer to it! When we were at Seven Dials again, Fan 1 pointed out that they have good cafés here.
We came to the street where The Duke of York’s Theatre was located where we saw yesterday The Doctor!
I think that it was there as we were getting closer to it that I saw a man on our side of the street (left, more away from the theatre) going to us (and I think that he passed my left side) who I thought that looked like Robert Downey Jr.! But I don’t know if it was him, I didn’t ask him because I was shy and as I think that Fan 2 pointed out, you never know in London, it may be the star.
At the time I hadn’t researched the time of the mattinee properly so I thought that we were going around it when Ms. Stevensonwas in and we could have been saying hi. But then, maybe she already was there even though that we were here between 12:53 (that’s the time when I took a photo in the Phoenix Garden) and 13:25 (that’s the time when I took a photo of St-Martin-in-the-Fields Church), closer to 13:25 or maybe she was somewhere around and saw us.
But then, maybe she already was there even though that we were here between 12:53 (that’s the time when I took a photo in the Phoenix Garden) and 13:25 (that’s the time when I took a photo of St-Martin-in-the-Fields Church), closer to 13:25 or maybe she was somewhere around and saw us.
When we were in front of the church, I was told about an event where Mr. Rickman was present (I thought that it was in the church) and that they had an afterparty in the crypt of the church. That’s what I remembered and now I found out again that it was a play „The Mysteries – Yiimimangaliso“ which took place at the Garrick Theatre, thanks to Fan 1 who wrote it here we know that he helped to bring the production from South Africa to London, that he was there on the opening night on 15 September 2009 and that they had an afterparty in the crypt of the church.
We spotted there people in some costumes and again, I got to know interesting information about them and something else I think but I’m sorry, I don’t remember it now.
Then we came to the Trafalgar Square, we crossed the road at it’s beginning and were walking above on the side of it.
(photo)
Then a bee looking insect bumped into me! Into my chest or the front of me! I had my clothes loose so I was worried if it flew under it but after some time of looking, lifting and shaking the clothes it seemed that it continued its flight.
We were talking about that the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – part II. was held there on 7th July 2011(but then, the screening was at ODEON again). I watched it online, what about you, do you still remember? It was the day when I became more a fan of Mr. Rickman (until then I was more a fan of Severus Snape, I was immersed in the HP world).
After some time we got close to the river! Which meant also getting closer to the Marathon, as they ran on Victoria Embankment! Fan 1 was right when she said that stairs to the bridge will be before that. Before climbing them I took some roll out of my hand bag to have some refreshment which plays more role in this story in the sense that I was talking about it with Fan 5. I was delighted that I could be eating our awesome rolls from our city in London, especially on that day! I was singing the praises of it to her that they are the best in the world, because it’s true, or at least I haven’t eaten better. They are properly baked, tasty, have a decent amount of poppy seeds on the top and grains of salt, they should share the recipe and sell them everywhere. Well, they weren’t the freshest at the moment already but they were still great.
I was singing the praises of it to her that they are the best in the world, because it’s true, or at least I haven’t eaten better. They are properly baked, tasty, have a decent amount of poppy seeds on the top and grains of salt, they should share the recipe and sell them everywhere. Well, they weren’t the freshest at the moment already but they were still great.Then we set foot on the bridge and at the beginning of it we saw the street with a lot of runners still on it. The bridge was crowded to some point. It consisted of two Golden Jubilee Bridges for walking and of Hungerford Bridge in between, we took the right one. I thought that it would be narrow but it turned out to be spacious. We started to lose ourselves for moments and our walk took quite long, at least in my opinion, because I/we were taking photos of the view from the bridge during crossing. But we managed to find each other and get to the end of it.
After some time we continued walking to the BFI! In front of our bridge a music was playing – upbeat so I liked it and I took a video of that moment in which I wanted to capture my feelings and the atmospherebut when I turned my mobile up to film the surroundings they stopped playing the song and I stopped recording. But then, it may not matter that they stopped it as the music was joyful but the text was toxic, so I was thinking that I won’t put it here. But I like it still and it may be awesome for you to see a video from the trip to Mr. Rickman event, to pull you in, bring you there with us so I’ll share it here.
So it was 14:04 when I took a photo of a part of the BFI! We arrived under the Waterloo bridge! There was a market there so we went to look and spent a lot of time there.
We arrived under the Waterloo bridge! There was a market there so we went to look and spent a lot of time there.
There were books but also other things like postcards and street signs. I wanted to buy Westbourne Terrace street sign but I looked before travelling at a sortiment of one shop with souvenirs including street signs and it didn’t seem like they would have it, they had only a few. After some time of thinking I decided not to buy any, even though I was looking at some a little bit.
I don’t know what interesting others found, I just know what I did after quicker glancing. I was looking for something with Mr. Rickman or Harry Potter. And I managed to find something! Postcards with photos from Harry Potter! I was curious if there was Mr. Rickman on it too! And after some time of searching I found him! There were several different postcards with him! There was a lot of those cards so over time ladies helped me to search through. I decided to take examples of most of the versions. I also took some with group photos of other characters, also because I was thinking about something about which I wasn’t sure if it was right – for the sake if I could get autographs of Harry Potter actors at the event – something about which I feel very guilty because I don’t think even more that doing something like this would be right at this event but I might would add myself if I saw that they were signing autographs to someone else already.
Here are the postcards:
Then I found Harry Potter books! Some of them were 1st edition! We were looking at them with Fan 5. I was thinking about buying some but then, they were big and heavy so I wasn’t sure if I could take them in my suitcase. Also some of them didn’t have a dust jacket. Fan 5 pointed out that I could buy another bag, that some are cheap and that I could have it as checked baggage. But I also remembered that they wouldn’t fit into my hand bag at that moment and I didn’t know how I would carry them for the rest of that day, I didn’t want that also because they were heavy and it might not look good to go to the event with a purchase lol so I decided not to take them. Also this year the first book was reprinted with the original cover to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the book so I think that they could and should reprint also other books with the original cover.
Ladies were talking about going to the BFI restaurant next to the market and/or some were here and I might went there too.
Soon we went outside, went to the corner and saw the side where was an entrance to the BFI!
I decided to split it so you could more easily find only the description of what we experienced around the event.
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Heee-e-ey baby! :D