Hello, I decided to start blogging in English, so I'm currently writing new and translating old articles from my Czech blogs.
I have yet to translate a lot of articles, so it may take some time especially when I should do other things now. :D
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3rd England: Us in the BFI before + during the event "Madly, Deeply: A celebration of Alan Rickman, hosted by Mark Kermode" = an AR's diaries book launch + screening of the film Truly Madly Deeply (starring AR + Juliet Stevenson)

27 July 2023

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 2



I think that it would be great to post it both in (place) - I saw that Fan asked us to post reports about the event in the first (place) and I think that it could be better to put it also into the second one to not make others confused in future if they went to read into the second (place) and so that they saw everything. So I did it so that it would be right next to each other in (place) not to confuse you in future if you were up for it. :D



So this time it’s about the Mr. Rickman’s diaries BFI event:D And about their second event that was right after that (with a break) – the screening of Truly Madly Deeply:D



After seeing the side with an entrance to the BFI (I took a photo of it at 14:32), ladies wanted to go elsewhere for some reason (to some café?) but I didn’t. I spotted a convenient bench nearby our current position (but far from the entrance) on which some people sat and I wanted to go sit on it and stare around for stars (not „only“ film ones, they include also the family including Ms. Horton who I extremely wanted to see). When we were talking about this those people left which was amazing (because they were on the edge that was closer to the BFI where I wanted to sit) and ladies told me to wait here which I happily accepted and sat there right on the edge turned to the BFI. But as I’ve said it was far away so I wouldn’t see much, especially since I’m a bit shortsighted (and I didn’t put my glasses on from my hand bag yet) but it was still better to be at least there. I didn’t notice anything extra.


I think that I took a photo of it while sitting on the bench



After a while ladies came and we went closer I think. We were in front of the BFI! :D



But I think that already for some time Fan 1 was chatting with Fan 4 who wanted to find us. And after some time after we arrived in front of the entrance to the BFI she was calling her and then she left the way we came for her. Before that/during that I think that Fan 5 and Fan 2 went inside and I don’t know if they came back for us but we were told to go there too!



So we went inside of the BFI!!! :D Where the events were held! With Mr. Rickman’s close ones, some of them probably inside, some of them to come, maybe also with the family including Ms. Horton! The clocks were ticking, the time of the beginning of the events was getting closer each second! What will happen inside, what will we hear, who will we see?

We climbed the stairs and went to the right to the café in front of glass wall! So at least Fan 2 was already inside. She had a seat opposite to the direction which we came in and I got a seat opposite to her in front of the glass window wall too! :D So that was perfect for people watching. Next to me sat Fan 5. Fan 3 sat next to Fan 2. Ladies brought other chairs to our table.

After some time we looked at the menu on the table and were thinking about what we would order. I wanted some water but I didn’t see one and I chose tonic. Fan 2 got at least her and mine drink, thank you very much!

After some time I went to the bar which was in left upper direction from my view to look for a straw, which I spotted I think on the way here (a few red and white striped) and asked the employee if I could get it which I was allowed to do, so I grabbed this treasure and went back. I wanted to look around but I didn’t do that much because I was shy. But I was looking out of the window at least.

There were cars and a helicopter parked in front of the building, I think that from James Bond films.

Ladies noticed that we were sitting in front(from the view from the direction we came in) of the table where some celebrities satwhich I didn’t know but ladies identified some of them. 

After some time we saw a car arriving still in front of the building but more to the side! And we realized that it was Greg Wise! Woah! He came to a barricade with people behind it. And, of course, we knew that Emma Thompson is his wife! So we were wondering about her, if she arrived with him. I thought that a lady that was next to him was her but we weren’t sure at first (also because we didn’t see her properly behind people’s heads) but then yes! By the way, on the photos/videos from the event her hair looks different than what we saw as you may see now (I took the first photo at 15:12 and the last video at 15:15), she had them white in the front and the rest was darker.

People behind the barricade (ladies said that it could be fans who didn’t get tickets to the events and autographs sellers) were taking photos… And so were we, also videos! :D I even commented our behaviour as „paparazzi paparazzi“. We still were in the café. Well, I noticed that they were also doing something, like signing photos, and ladies suggested going down there to me but I was too shy.




I'm sorry for the resolution, they stood in some distance

Mr. Wise stood in a specific direction in front of fans (and there were other stars in the café next to us) and I didn’t have my glasses on and sometime I thought that maybe he looked at us lol so at a point I decided to wave at him! :D I then immediatelly turned away and confided to one of us how embarrassed I felt at that moment.

Then I realized more what was going on and after thinking about it I decided to go to them:D I looked for the postcard with Ms. Thompson on it as Professor Trelawney and I asked others if they could come with me. Fan 1 agreed! I stood up and I remember that I got a crazy idea, to say „Run run Rudolph“ out loud and after some time I think that I did so. :D And I run to the doors down the stairs like crazy as quick as I could also because they had been there already for a long time. Outside after some time I slowed down and straightened up and tried to look more like a decent person because I thought that some guys there were bodyguards (I thought about some of them) and I didn’t want to stress them out.

So I managed to get to others behind the barricade, to the right end of the group! And Mr. Wise was close to us! And Ms. Thompson was behind him. Some guy close to me asked him for a photo and someone else I think or maybe the guy had the device close to us so he came in our way and we saw his face close! :D Yay! :D I don’t know if I brought my phone, I just know that I didn’t do anything besides being happy also because of having only a photo to sign for Ms. Thompson and because of thinking about if asking for a photo would be appropriate but as you can see Fan 2 took a photo of him! :D So it looked great! That maybe I could even get Her autograph!

But then Ms. Thompson turned away and they started walking in other direction. So I decided to try to get to the other end of the group of fans – in front of the building! I noticed that there was a space between a guy and the rest of people but I tried to ask him if I could get next to him and tried to detect on which side, I was up for standing behind him not to overtake him. But after a few confused seconds I decided to take the space between them. And I looked to the right – and I saw Ms. Thompson with Mr. Wise going in front of me already into a sort of street from my point of view (but there was an entrance after a few metres as I found now in Google Street View). So I decided to go away. I saw that they were here with us for a couple of minutes and they were talking to people even in this occassion, I see that if I came earlier I probably would’ve had her autograph, or if I said something or if I put the photo out (I don’t think that I rose it but I would’ve if she signed next to me), I was quiet but I’m glad that I didn’t do anything. I’m not sure how right it would be considering how they might felt around that day but they had been already signing autographs to others so I decided to go too also because I like Ms. Thompson, I saw her also in Harry Potter and I saw Nanny McPhee as a child (and Sense and Sensibility last year) and Mr. Wise seems to be awesome too so I wanted to see him too and I still feel guilty about getting to them.

During our stay we/I saw Mr. brother of Mr. Rickman, Michael, several times! :D So that was awesome! And one of them was when I went back into the BFI when I was walking up the stairs, he was walking in a corridor in my direction, because we both wanted (or I assume that he wanted that too) to turn right (from my point of view) and to go to the café. We went in a similar speed to meet in front of the café and I walked quickly to get in front of him also so that he had to maybe look at me lol and I managed to get in front of him! :DAnd I went out only 2 times so it could’ve been this time or maybe not.

I tried to persuade others to make a trip around the café to try to look for the stars (and the family including Ms. Horton) like secret agents but they weren’t up for it and I was too shy. Fan 2 gave me an interesting philosophical :D question, and that is what would I get from spotting a star (and as you know I count the family with Ms. Horton in them). I paused for a moment, I haven’t thought about it before. Well, just I would be happy! :D

After some time dear friendly Fan 5 was talking to me and we got to the Czech Republic and Czech language and I’m very happy that I got to talk especially there in Czech lol! :D And I hope that also close ones of Mr. Rickman heard it but I wasn’t looking around for it. I like it when foreigners (especially those that I like) meet Czech things, are in the Czech Republic, breathe Czech air and meet our language and I like watching them while that lol, do you have it the same?

Close to the end of us sitting in the café I realized that I wanted to drink so I had to go outside to do that because I didn’t want to put off my mask in an enclosed area. I had drunk Tonic before but I didn’t remember/know about that it could make a lot of bubbles which can spill over (besides, I forgot its taste which I found slightly disgusting). Water got onto my hand in which I held my phone and a ticket! But the phone caught the drops of water, protected the ticket behind it so I was relieved a lot! And since that moment, as I said to ladies when I returned (that might have been the time when we walked together with Mr. Rickman), there was water outside. So if you were here and saw some spot in front of the doors, now you can know that it wasn’t something inappropriate like urine from a dog or an impolite person, it was only my spilled Tonic.

Oh, I almost forgot about the fact that at some time Fan 5 gave us our ticketsFor Mr. Rickman’s diaries launch we had 2 tickets in the back row O on the left side(from the point of view when you come in as a visitor), 3 in the back row O on the right side and M 1 in a 3rd row from the back on the right side. So Fan 5 decided that French speakers would sit together on the left side because they were 2 (Fan 3 and Fan 1) and then it came to deciding about who would sit together and who would sit alone on the right side. I saw an opportunity that I could get closer which would be good for me because of being shortsighted and I asked if M 1 is closer as it looks and I was told that yes so I volunteered and held my decision to sit there alone. So I sat on M 1 on the right side and Fan 5, Fan 2 and Fan 4 sat 2 rows behind me on the right side. Fan 5 hadn‘t given us tickets for screening of film Truly Madly Deeply yet.

Those events took place in NFT 1 and, lol, now I see that we had doors written on tickets which we should use – I had there Door 3 both of the times but I didn’t pay attention to that, I just followed the ladies.

So ladies were making fun of me that we should already go into the hall because I wouldn’t stand the wait anymore to which I replied that no. But then, it maybe shouldn’t be an example how one should behave – it may be good to go there as soon as possible and then one in the lower row could stare up and talk with someone in upper row and look at people coming in whereas the one in the upper row could keep an eye on the podium’s sides.

After some time we got up and went to the NFT 1! :D I remember that at some point I ran after ladies because I stayed behind for some time because of something, I don’t know what, getting ready took me probably longer time.

Soon we saw the poster of Truly Madly Deeply in the corridor with Mr. Rickman and Ms. Stevenson:D I took a photo of it too but it’s already there. Other people were already in front of the NFT 1. We were in front of it!



After some time we separated and went inside the NFT 1! Then we got papers with texts about the event! Then we went to find our seats!

There was a wonderful ceremonial music playing that even more increased the level of excitement. I was really there in a ??? group in the BFI to see the Mr. Rickman event and possibly with a lot of close ones of Mr. Rickman, with the family and maybe with Ms. Horton, it really was there, we were sitting on our seats!!! I both could and couldn’t understand that.

Then I started the secret activity interesting and intended for us (which still hasn’t synchronized but I can record the result), taking photos of the hall and of those papers which we got. By the way, I still hadn’t read them completely because I’m still too excited to do so. :D


This was my view from my seat :D




Those are my photos from before the event, I could take better photos of it but this is from those moments, so it may be more interesting and it's still easily readable

After some time I heard a loud shouting of my name from the back! (By the way, now I hear that you probably wanted to call me already some time before, I hear my name several times, I think that I hear Fan 2, so I wonder what you wanted to tell me, interestingly enough it was louder than what I hear as the time that I remember, maybe it was influenced by the position of my hand, maybe I was taking a photo of the hall at the time so I had it up and it could catch the sound better?) So I turned around to ladiesand they shouted to look and they probably pointed somewhere! But I didn’t know where and who it was! So I also didn’t know what to look for! :D So I was looking around like crazy and I hear myself after some time „Where, where, where?“ and after some time spent looking at ladies and at people „Which jacket?“ (I forgot the words coat and blazer at the time lol, I had no idea what to look for and I remember receiving no spoken answers at the time, only pointing sometime) and „Where?“ and „Where…“ and „(Something)?“ and „I don’t see…“ and „Whi… How… The colour?“ and when I was looking I noticed that there were some other people, I think that some ladies, next to the place where I saw Mr. Michael Rickman, and I remember glancing over them and seeing that at least one of them had shorter and blonde hair so I was like okay, so this can’t be Ms. Horton because she wore longer hair and grey and I remember seeing a lady’s back I think that dressed in a specific dress that I just remembered, I didn’t remember any other of them, especially the newcomers, maybe except from Ms. who I think that could have been Sarah but I saw her there before and „Which colour (something)?“ and „Hey!“ and „Hey!“ and whisper-shout „Hey!“ and loudly again „Fan 2!“ and „Uh… Which colour… Uh… What is the colour of her jacket?“ and Fan 2 probably came closer and I probably had my hands on the back of the seat so it was audible clearly and she said something like „She’s wearing like a denim jacket“ (parts are covered by others speech and I didn’t understand much at the time but I remembered a jean jacket and by the way I still don’t know who she was talking about) „(something, probably also ‚dark blue‘) But she went all the way into the (row?) and sat down next to the… Another guy who…“ and with a delay at this point I exclaimed „Oh no!“ and Fan 2 added „…who looks familiar but I (something)…“ Then there’s just noice of other sounds.

At some point of sitting there I put out my glasses I think.

After some time there are 5 thumping sounds – a gentleman probably tapped the microphone. Everyone immediatelly calmed down. And „Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!“

And, as I’ve said, the recording still hasn’t synchronized and there are these few minutes before the event and I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHERS ARE TALKING ABOUT, only us so I recorded those minutes before the event again and I thought about posting it here, also because I don’t hear us talking about anything private and because I thought that it may be interesting for you, to bring you there too, to have more experience of what it would’ve been like to be there too. It brings the atmosphere and you could hear what maybe also Ms. Horton heard. I SENT IT TO LADIES and THEY DIDN’T OBJECT, one of them said (on Facebook, I first sent it to them here because it was easier and then to Fan 2) that many made recordings and posted them publicly and that she thinks that I’m safe here (and I feel that I could leak this information) so here you have the exclusive recording of those minutes before the event intended only for you here lol! :D

(video)



By the way, the one who welcomed us as the first was some gentleman whose name was Stuart (something – I don’t understand much), then there was a video with Mr. Rickman and then the moderator Mark Kermode came.

They said that they would put a video out – so would you wait?

And so the event began! I was very delighted that I could see it and I both understood and didn’t understand that it was happening. While listening I was hoping that Ms. Horton was sitting with us! After Mark Kermode welcomed us, he mentioned Ms. Horton but in a way that I wasn’t sure if she’s there – „Rima, who was Alan’s lifelong partner, ‘s („is“ I guess but he said it like ‘s) very keen that not only this is a celebration but also that it (was?) as warm and relaxed as possible“ – so it kept me being nervous. But then, at one point, Ruby Wax directly asked Ms. Horton (about if Ruby could tell the story about Ruby making Mr. Rickman sing a squirrell song – „Rima, do you mind if I do this?“) but I don’t know if I heard something – it’s not audible on the recording – so we knew that she was there!!! :D Yay!!! And then Ruby asked her again if Ruby can do it – „Rima, can I do it?“ – and I remembered that I heard a loud and clear answer – „Yes“ – and it’s audible on the recording and now I see that she probably said it twice – at the first time it’s audible partially because of other people who started laughing at the end of it but the next time it was clear. :D

There were other videos throughout the evening. The first guest was Emma Thompson (present), then there was Lindsay Duncan (present), Tom Burke(video), Timothy Spall (present), Harriet Walter (present), Ian McKellen (present), Ruby Wax (present), Daniel Radcliffe(video), Stanley Tucci (present), Sharleen Spiteri (present), Eddie Izzard (present), Dexter Fletcher (video) and Rima Horton ❤️ (present).

By the way, the moderator Mark Kermodeopened bottles of water for some guests and he got splashed 2 times I think! :D

Then Mr. Kermode called for Ms. Horton, OOOH!

And when she came up I thought that I probably remembered the dress that she wore that it wore that lady who I saw next to the family so maybe I saw her! :D I thought that we were loud a lot, even louder than others when ladies tried to draw my attention to someone so I thought that maybe she heard us but I’m not sure because on the recording there are other strong noices but maybe it was caused by the way that my Watch captures sound.

Even with glasses on I still had to bend forward and poke my head out and of course that I did this especially when Ms. Horton was speaking! The lectern with microphones which guests used when they had monologues (when they didn’t choose to be interviewed by Mr. Kermode for their contribution) stood to the right side so that was nice for us sitting there. I hoped that she would look at me and as I say I’m shortsighted and I would need stronger glasses but I think from what I’ve seen that it’s possible so I hope that she did look and also at me! :D

I was scolding myself that I paid too much attention to hairstyles of other people because I wanted to see her, I didn’t expect that she would change it lol, the shape and, besides, it’s colour, and when I was trying to find her in the hall (and elsewhere I basically looked in front of me and I was concentrated on our discussion or not searching much because I was shy) I totally was looking at the hairstyle and if someone didn’t have the one we saw I looked elsewhere and I wasn’t focusing on their face, some more. So I recommend to focus on face only. I WANT TO HUG HER!!!!! … I can have that wish right? … And write that here also. :D

I was also looking out for Ms. Stevenson but we were told about 2 times (Ruby Wax + the moderator) that she wasn’t there (Ruby Wax)/couldn’t be there that day because she’s on stage (the moderator) so that was a pity.

Like I said, I both could and couldn’t understand what was going on (that it was there, it was going on and the meaning of everything, every aspect) but I was very happy, excited and I’m very thankful that I could be at the events and see everyone.

So we were told about the film and about the book that it was on sale in the BFI bookshop and that we had to get out of the room because there was „about to be screening of Truly Madly Deeply“ and then there was a clip from the film starting from when Nina asked Jamie where he was and:

„Are you here? You are here!“
„I’m here!“
„Are you staying?“
„Well, I think so! I’d like to, is that alright?“
„Fantastic. Can I kiss you?“
„Yeah.“

Oooh, what about if it’s true about Mr. Rickman too! :D



Then we got up, the music was on again. Someone from the ladies called me. And I don’t know why I chose to go for the book instead of sitting on my seat and trying to see Ms. Horton again and everyone but then maybe they saw us somewhere after that thanks to that and I tried to see where she sat but I think that I forgot that a bit or maybe she was in the central column in the middle somewhere if I remembered correctly.

But then, of course that I wanted to get the book there because having my book from here at the events was amazing! And I supposed that a lot of people would go buy it. And that they had a limited number but it would’ve been clever of them if they had there at least 2 times the number of books as the number of people at the events.

So we went out to the corridor between doors that we used and that others on the left side used and we were waiting for other ladies from ???. I remember that at some time when we were waiting there (probably that time) I was turned to our doors and Fan 2 stood in front of me. Then I saw that Michael Rickman was standing directly behind her with his front side to her (so also to me and others)! So I was thinking about that if/when she would turn around, what surprise it would be! :D I didn’t know what to do and I somehow was just thinking about what I wrote and I was waiting. And after some time she turned around and saw him! :D I saw that he wanted to go in the direction behind us and I was hoping that he would pass directly by me! So I was looking somewhere in front of me and not directly at him and I was trying to look calm. And he really passed directly by me! :D Yay! :D XOXO! :D

At some point I saw I think also Ms. Edney walk out of „our“ door too and looking to our side but then I looked elsewhere and I don’t know where she went.

At some time I was told that Fan 1 thought that she saw I think Mr. Grant and I thought that it was the one who ladies tried to draw my attention to but then Fan 2 is speaking about „she“ in the recording so I don’t know who she was talking about. :D

And after some time we went to the bookshop:D We were on our way for the diaries! Will we get there in time? Will we get the books? I forgot to turn the recording off, I did it at the bookshop so I still hear myself asking about how much time we had, agreeing with that not very long, thinking about that maybe we shouldn’t buy it at that moment, then „Okay, let’s try“ and then I saw it! And I exclaimed in a funny way, someone laughed twice! :D

So I got my diaries! :D

And, again, I was thinking about posting it here, because I thought that it could be interesting for you, I recorded it again and I sent it to ladies with the previous recording and they didn’t object so here it is for you! :D

(video)

After waiting in the line and buying them after some time we went back in front of the hall. We had to get our tickets from Fan 5 for screening of the film Truly Madly Deeply. And we got them! We all sat in H row which was close, I had a seat H 14. And after some time we went inside!



We got also another papers for the film. After that we went to sit and after I found my seat, some of us still went in front of us and when I saw one of us I thought that maybe I should put my feet even closer but I didn’t do so and that someone accidentally stepped on my foot (I remember who it was, I won’t leak of course, it’s okay) which didn’t look good for my next day planned walking, my feet already hurt after these days and at that moment that! :D By the way, my foot hurt for days so I recommend protecting your feet but it stopped hurting days ago.

I took a photo of my ticket and of my papers.



Again, I took it before the event and you could see also my glasses, my ticket for this event and a power bank, papers for the previous event and the bag with the book

After some time we were talking about autographs and this book. So ladies thought that we could’ve gotten one from Emma Thompson but that that was that. But I waved my finger and emphasized that not „only“ from her. Then I had to explain so I whispered Ms. Horton’s name. But then, of course, in reality it wouldn’t be appropriate/right and we didn’t plan to ask them, but to have their signatures on something would’ve been great.

We were close and the screen was large to the point that I didn’t use glasses I think. I’d recommend them to use the screen for broadcasting also things happening on the podium lol for shortsighted people with insufficient glasses but I think that it could be the best for everyone, but then, maybe for example I would still try to focus on real people on the podium and not on the screen.



After some time the film started! :D Should I include my thoughts about the film? :D

Those are are just other notes: I was glad that I had already seen it in February because now I was calm that Ms. Stevenson’s character had a happy ending as much as it was scientifically possible and I knew about funny things in between and I could enjoy it more.

I have a personal joke about the mouses in her house too (I write „too“ because I think that I had read that Ms. Stevenson had them in her place too) because a short time before I saw the film for the first time I had a shrew or a mouse also under my bed (so there could hide a monster, even other than insect, and you should have your limbs on the bed) for the first time (and I hope that for the last time). I really have to mention it because I’d like to recommend, if it would be possible for you, to have everything stored in cabinets with solid doors that seal – or that have a space around them that is less than 6 mm/a quarter of an inch, because that’s the obstacle that a mouse or a shrew shouldn’t be able to cross according to what I found on Google after some searching. Open cabinets can look good (but what about dusting?) but if an unwanted mouse guest entered your house (and it may happen more easily than you could expect), you might get very heated if you took disinfecting seriously.



After some time the film ended. We decided that we would like to have a photo on the podium! So we went down. I decided to take my blazer off so there was a striptease. After some time (there was only a few people and I don’t know if the family or others saw us at that point) we got together and someone asked someone to take a photo. I decided to take my mask off inside of the BFI for the first and only time. And you already saw us there with the books on Facebook, those are photos that Fan 1 has on her device so she should add it here! :D

(photo)



And after some time we left the BFI. I was thinking about looking to the café again but we didn’t do so. Then we started walking to Azzurro, an Italian restaurant at which we had a table reserved for us! :D



So the next time I plan to write about what happened after the events during this day! :D

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