Ralph Fiennes Brand Fan Encounters

 

Stell and Brand, June 28, 2003

I went to see the play last night. Quite a few other Forummers were there - Guys you are the best. It struck me as I entered the theatre that this was the first time I had seen a play in the West End. The theatre is beautiful, very ornate, lots of gold decor, quite the Victorian theatre. I was interested to be able to compare the play having seen it at Stratford. The stage at Stratford is far bigger, so some of the movement was restrained. My main impression was that RF was not so an intense a character, there was more smiling and softness to the speeches. I think it was better it made Brand more human. My seat was on row B, my neck was very stiff after 3 hours, but do not be put off by this as you get a very good view. The final scene was far more dramatic because of the set change, it worked very well.At the curtain call RF looked a little tense to begin with especially when the guy in front of me took a picture as he took his bow, his displeasure was obvious.

After the play we followed Kevin Kline to the stage door, he gave a couple of autographs but did not want to pose for pictures. There were about 20 ish people waiting. A silver BMW was waiting to collect RF, the driver confirmed he was waiting for 'Ralph' we giggled and corrected him. I think we waited about 40mins for him to come out. The dress sense still leaves a lot to be desired. I stood back just wanting to take a few photos - the lighting is dreadful in that street. After signing for everyone he went off in the car with Kevin Kline to Soho House a private members club for film & media people.

Michelle (Sugarpaste), June 28, 2003

I too got back from seeing Brand yesterday,met up with some lovely forumers,really enjoyed that..sorry i didnt say goodbye francis,i got lost in H&M!
The theatre was great,i have never been to a West End theatre before,I was sat on row b of the gallery,which is the top shelf!!but i could see all the stage clear enough.Oliver cotton,the actor who plays the mayor was missing and had been replaced by Colin haigh? I was dissapointed as i really like him in this character,the other guy just wasnt the same,didnt have the intensity of oliver or the loudness of his voice.
I noticed a few changes from Stratford too,such as the scene where Gerd tries to snatch the baby from Agnes,Brand leaps over a bench and traps her against the wall(there was no leaping in stratford) and also the final scene was far more dramatic,more lighting,it looked excellent from the gallery.
Stage door...lots of girlies waiting,the street was narrow and fulll of cars,didnt like it as there was no room to stand back and give him space.Just stood back and took some pics,when ralph came out he looked soooo tired(poor thing) but he signed for everyone and posed for pics,he was on autopilot I think,is smiles where very weary,but he was pleasant.I think he's looking a bit thin,he's working himself to the bone..literally!.
I am glad i saw the play in Stratford it was more intimate and more room at stage door.
I believe i frightend Ralph slightly....sorry Ralphy babes

Maxine on her Own , July 5, 2003

Was on my own this time. [Peter and the boys went to see Bruce Almighty at leicester square and loved it] I made a Bee.line for the programmes bought one and decided to go and soak up the atmosphere. Front row again. I had a panic as alot of people were not filling the seats at the front row. They were late from the bar. Phew. Unfilled seats on a saturday night would not be good. The lights go down the hush begins. Music and then Mr Fiennes illuminates from the back as Brand. When he came to the front i soaked up as much as i could see of him.

i wore my glasses this time even though i was at the front. I was glad i did because it helped my concentration. Ralph 's skin is just so lovley all the time. Not one flaw [one chicken pock scar we all know about]. He looked so much more comfortable in the role i thought. He had a 5.oclock shadow....gggrrrr. Really lovley. It seemed to give Brand[the charcater] an edge but i cannot explain why. .I looked at his hands and could see the sinuey vains in his fingers.[and later when his jacket was off his sinuey arms and hairs..also his chest hairs phew!]. He really looked so much more relaxed. Maybe the other ladies have already said this.

All the actors look comfortable in the role. I actually shed some tears in two different places.

SPOILER: Once when the lady who was pleading with Brand to help her as her baby had died [husband put child out of its suffering and turned on himslef]and at the very end. The tears surprised me.
The lady that i just mentioned played her part sooo movingly this time. Really believably.
[end of spoiler]

Ralph really led the way this time. The lady who played opposite him was was crying real tears so many times. That really moved me. The whole play fitted like a jigsaw. No more nerves for them. They relished their roles and it was a joy to see. I kept on thinking how lucky to admire such an actor who brings such fantastic plays and films. If it was not for ralph i would not really have had such an interest i am sure.

The play finished and Ralph made everybody laugh....he continued bowing and taking applause and everybody copied. he caught them out a few times and they did not expect so many encores! He laughed wickedly and it was infectious! LOL

Everything finishes and i ring Peter first to see where they are. Stuck in traffic! Peter said to go back stage and he' meet me. [no arguments from me hee he] Not too many people waiting but enough. An american gentleman chatted and asked if Ralph would be coming out. I told him very likely yes and. And another lady from Zimbaeway asked me and we chatted away which helped the nerves a little. Everybody came through the door for half an hour . Saw legs going downstairs and the heart started beating...."Yes it's him" I thought. I stood back as some people scuffled and chatted. I love watching others interact. One man said his brother knew Ralph [another actor] and ralph asked how his brother was....he had been ill.....aawwww how kind.

My turn next. "Thankyou Very much" as he signed the programme. "A Pleasure" He replied. His eyes looked straight at me. No words to describe the feeling accuratley. I moved on and he signed the Zimbabway ladies programme. "We have come all the way from Zimbabway to see you! " he found this amusing. I cant explain why but it was a sweet reaction. As they walked awya they could not stop looking back [surprise surprise] "AAawww Is'nt he sweet" They said.

His car was waiting for him and Peter and the boys arrived just at the moment. I watched as the car went and he waved to some ladies on the corner as the car took it's direction.

I felt really calm and happy to have been their again. I felt more relaxed and calm.More grown up and not so manic as i have been in the past. I hope this review helps some ladies on the ledge at least. Love Maxinexx

Mama's Account, July 10, 2003

Middle seat-row B- couldn't ask for more than that!!The man on the phone at the theatre,when I called to book a seat tried to persuade me to go for the seat a few rows back- I'm sooo glad I didn't!!! Great view of RF for three hours!!! the only thing is I find it sooo hard to concentrate on the play when RF is on the stage. He is so handsome!! Anyway, I wasn't as moved as I thought I would be. At the end of seeing Our Town- on broadway this past year- I cried. At Brand- of course I was sad for the wife- but I wasn't moved to tears. I thought the wife played her role very well. As for RF, it was a very physical and must have been exhausting role. I didn't feel much compassion for him- I really didn't feel mush of anything for him. When he collapsed a the end of the play- there was silence and then some one from the audience laughed- which I couldn't understand. Maybe I was just mesmerized by being so close to RF. It's always hard for me to review his plays and movies. I think I hold him up to a very high standard of acting. It may not be fair. After the play- I walked around the back- there were a couple of girls and their boyfriends there. After about twenty minutes RF came out- by then a larger group had formed. There were several woman from the Philipines- they were talking to the driver of the van that had arrived for him. The driver said he had no idea who RF was- they asked the driver to photograph them with RF when he came out. RF carried a large Nike or sports bag- wonder what he has in there- he said- just let me put the bag in the car. Then he signed autographs- he looked very clean- must have showered- wore a black jacket, I think-reddish shirt- didn't look at pants- maybe grey. The group of women asked if they could take a pic- he said ok- then they kept on saying- one more one more- and kept on snapping- alot of people had cameras- I was like tone the first at the stage door- yet he stood near his car- so alll the others pushed there way up front- I wasn't even sure I would get his autograph- which I have several times already- but he was very polite and gave everyone one. He turned to me- I handed him my pen and playbill and he signed- I told him great performance and he said thank you. That's it. No eye contact this time. I was just happy to be standing near him. I had my camera but didn't feel like snapping-I felt bad for him although he seemed to be having a ball- there was a woman there from South America also-he seemed interested to know where the fans were from. I don't know why I didn' say more to him- it's like I wasn't thinking. I wanted to ask him about Vapor and if he would be filming in NYC- but I was too shy in front of the other people. Also, he took many bows at the end of the play- he kept on coming out-he was very happy-smiled a lot-luckily he stood right in front of my seat each time. He kind of scanned the audience a bit then- otherwise he never made eye contact with the audience up front. That is my little story. No pics. But I have enjoyed seeing the other pics on this forum- now I'm sorry I have none to contribute. Our hotel happened to have been located right around the corner from the theatre. Very convenient for walking back afterwards. My hubby enjoyed Bombay Dreams alot- he was sorry I missed it. The Haymarket front stalls were all full the night I went-lots of women-some very dressed up- one woman in low-cut black evening dress. Don't know where she was going afterwards. No one left during intermission that I could see.

Julia's Spit Special Review;-) August 06, 2003

First and foremost:
IF you haven't been there yet, you MUST DO IT NOW! Leave your husband, your children, your mother, your granny, your dog and your budgie behind, take all the money you have and buy tickets, go to the next airport and fly to London, don't look back, never look back, and then, when you sit in your comfortable seat at the theatre, you'll realize: Oh damn! It's SO worth it!
At least that was my feeling.

I won't bore you with my stay in London. But before I start talking about BRAND, there is the danger that no one will be able to stop me then, you see, I have to warn you: I am not a native speaker, so this review will be full of mistakes and bad grammar and all those things. But considering the fact that most of you aren't English either, and all of you are mad about Ralph, I think you won't notice most of the mistakes anyway.

So, ahhhh now my favourite subject: B_R_A_N_D: *melt*

I think you know the storyline; It's about a priest, Brand, who has his own 'religion'. He doesn't think that god is forgiving or that he pardons people. Brand thinks that God wants 'all or nothing', and thus Brand demands 'all or nothing'. So, you see, Brand is not very popular with the people from the village.
His own mother, a very greedy woman, was dying and she wanted to see her son for the very last time (him being a priest), and he said that she had to give away all her money away if she wanted him to visit her. She, greedy and miserly, offered to give half of it. Brand didn't come. So she offered to give 90 % of her money away (which was quite funny on stage, when you think about the woman, ill-to-death, offering 90% of her posessions after the 50%-offer hasn't worked!). But he wants 'all-or-nothing', so she dies without him.
And this is only one example to show you how 'cruel' Brand is. He is hard.
No, not _that_, tststs, what are you thinking??!
bad girls!
He is decribed as a hard man. But really, I don't like 'cruel'. He just believes in what he preeches, as far as I'm concerned. There is a scene in which he risks his life only to save the soul of a complete stranger. So, 'all or nothing' again, but this time the other way round! And he did it.
This is also the scene in which his future wife falls in love with him. They cross a river, and I _so_ liked it how they did it on stage. There was only a bench, which was meant to be the boat. And then they (oh god my English is so poor I don't know how to put it into words!) they let a rope come down from the ceiling, and Brand took it. [there was a little moment when I thought he'd use it to cross the river the way Trazan does, you know, and a was grinning at the thought that perhaps Ralph would be too weak and fall down right on my lap LOL]. Anyway , he used the rope to make a triangle and so they 'sailed' across the river.
Pretty cool, huh? No wonder that the girl fell in love with him. (although she _had_ a boyfriend at this time, the little b*tch ).
And there was the famous mountain-climbing-scene, and I _LOVED_ it! Really, it is very hard to pretend to run on stage and I think they did a _wonderful_ job.
Ah, well, let's go on. So the only one who likes Brand is his wife. But, hehe, the innocent girl doesn't know what's still to come!
They have a baby, Ulf (who is unfortunately made of plastic and therefore a bit ... stiff) and they are oh-so-happy. But then Ulf is very ill because of the freezing cold in the ugly mountain-valley where the sun never shines (the perfect place for 'I-am-never-funny-and-happy-Brand'). So, naturally, they're about to move west,for the baby's sake, but then Brand sees that it is kind of 'god's will' that he should stay here, and the wife is , dutiful as always, staying there, too, of course.
So in short, Ulf dies.
The wife is very upset, but she had no choice after all, had she? I mean, I really understand her, don't you? Would you give away only ONE second of your on-stage-time with Ralph only because your Baby will die? Nah, of course she couldn't possibly do that! LOL

In the end she dies too, when she has finally given 'all'. (And this Brand - %$$¡±&¡±$$, I could have KILLED him! The poor woman, crying, doing EVERYTHING he demanded, and THEN, in the END, when she has done EVERY BLOODY THING HE WANTED HER TO DO, guess what the little Bastard said???? 'But you didn't give it _willingly_, so it is as if you had not done anything'¦! AHHH!!! I mean, he could have said that BEFORE she gave everything!!!)

_sorry_

So, as I said, she dies too (the only good thing she could have done, because I think at some point in the story she realized that she should have stayed with her flower-power-happy-clappy-boyfriend instead of I-love-nobody-because-they-are-so-weak-and-can't-give-all-Brand).

_sory again_


So, she dies too.

Oh, here is a good place for a little criticism, the one thing that must not be missing in a proper review
There were that 'people from the village', about 10 or 12 people. They were always together. what I mean is, they didn't count as individuals, they acted only as 'The Crowd'. So, sometimes The Crowd was angry, sometimes annoyed and so on. But I noticed that only the person of The Crowd who was speaking at the moment looked angry. you know, the others, who had no text, just stood there, with an expression that said 'I don't know what do do with my face'. Those thing shouldn't hapen, and it is the director's job to tell his actors to 'be' their character ALL the time and not only when they have text. Perhaps I am a bit obsessed about theatre, but a close friend of mine who is an actor and a director himself made me pay attention to details. As far as i'm concerned this Brand - director did a great job, but he should have paid attention to the Village-people and the smaller parts, too, and not only to the main characters.

As I said, only a little thing. So let's go on.

And, of course, Brand dies in the end too, because of an accident the mad girl had caused. SHE was a great actress, you know, the look on her face and the eyes!!! And you can't imagine just HOW MUCH salvia this woman had!! She was spitting CONSTANTLY (on purpose, of course) (on the other hand, she was standing in front of gorgeous-Ralph-with-cute-stubble, so PERHAPS it was just the normal reaction, you know, drooling. PERHAPS she was a member of this message board, it would explain the drooling!).
But I had to giggle (silently) every time she talked to Brand, because Ralph , although he is a good actor, could not hide that he found her drooling and spitting absolutely TERRIFYING. He kept moving around (NOT on purpose) only to avoid being near her and her salvia. At that moment, and this may be only my opinion, he looked cleary MOST tormented. Brilliant! LOL

So, hmmm, let's see, anyting I forgot? Oh yes! Ralph seemed so happy about the audience, when he bowed (is that the word) for the 3rd time, he didn't GO back, he JUMPED back, really like a excited 5-year-old, he jumped around! That was SO cute.

Ok, I hope you are convinced go and see the bloody thing!

And don't worry, if you are first row, you will get Holy Ralph's Spit (because I heard that some of you wanted that; I was 8th row, but, you see, I did want to see the play, I didn't come to catch spit), but you should be aware of this: You will get tons of the mad girl's spit also!