Cartoon Armitage - My Love Affair with an Alpaca ... ;)

Since joining Twitter, I have come across not only many wonderful words inspired by The Armitage, but also a vast variety of images I wouldn't even have thought to look for, had I been browsing normally on the web. This is, I think, is one of the more positive aspects of social media. Creative people, with an idea and the talent to execute it, are given a platform on which they can immediately connect with people to whom their work might also speak.

This was very much the case for me and a certain illustrative artist who goes by the name of 'DI_Alpaca' (do you get the reference in the title now? ... how could you think I meant a real Alpaca?! hehehe ;) ). I saw her work being retweeted when searching for the Richard Armitage hashtag...

This is DI_Alpaca, meeting the man himself...
She got a Hug and a Photo?! - lucky thing! :)

I fell in love with what I saw instantly. I hope some of you have had the chance to see some of this work, and I will be sharing some here, but for those who haven't, please check out DI_Alpaca's Tumblr page, where the images which were tweeted all originate.

Cartoon Armitage by DI_Alpaca

What I love about her work is that although her drawings are incredibly cute (!), I think they still very much have the essence of Richard in them. Not just in his physique, but also, somehow, in his 'spirit'; by which I mean his general loveliness we all care for but can't quite explain! I've picked a few examples of my favourites (there are loads, luckily!) in the hope of illustrating what I mean, somehow...

The Usual Suspects

This was one of the first images I saw. I loved how DI_Alpaca had captured the unique mannerisms of each character, and how they were arranged to look like a line up. This reminded me of that iconic scene from the film 'The Usual Suspects', actually!

Here we see (from left to right): Guy of Gisborne, Mr Thornton, John Proctor (holding his Apothecary, hehe), Thorin, Lucas North & photobombed by Richard himself as Santa Dwarf)

DI_Alpaca's drawing reminded me of this iconic scene from The Usual Suspects...

I also loved how they were interacting with each other - Thornton seems to be consoling Proctor, who is holding his Apothecary ;), and in what looks like a reference to Benedict Cumberbatch, there is even a photobombing Armitage Santa Dwarf- a look taken from Richard in the Crisis for Christchurch campaign in NZ...

Do you see the resemblance? ... hehehehehehehe...

A Striking Likeness

I thought they were just wonderful, and all had about them a certain quality that I felt portrayed Richard perfectly, a kind of sensitivity I think he possesses. Richard strikes me as a sensitive person; by which I mean he seems very in tune with the emotions and feelings of the characters he plays, and seems to take them into account in his acting roles but also in interviews with his interactions out of character - this is just my opinion, anyway...

Richard's philanthropic side is expressed here beautifully

There are also a series of drawings she did of The Crucible, which I think are very poignant and capture the tense silence which engulfed the theatre around these characters at times. This (below) is taken from Act Two and depicts a particularly awkward encounter between John and his wife Elizabeth. I think the drawings perfectly captured the intensity of the scene; the feeling of something needing to be said, but not knowing quite what it is or quite how to say it...

I rummaged around for some more work and also found this brilliant image, taken from Richard's role as John Standring in Sparkhouse. I thought not only was the physical resemblance remarkable, but she really captured the warmth and kindness of John's character...

Cartoon Standring bears a striking resemblance to the real thing...

For me, that is the sign of a true artist. Most people can probably learn how to draw well if they practise the skill hard enough. For me, what makes an artist different is that they somehow have that innate skill to capture something of the world around them in more than just a physical sense; an essence, a feeling, an interpretation of the world around them and the people within it. DI_Alpaca's work clearly has a sense of this, and her own mark - as an individual and an artist - is made in her artful capture of Richard and the roles he has played.

No-one Nose

Having looked at these cartoons a lot over the past few days and weeks, what I also thought was striking and worth a mention was the distinct lack of a feature of Richard's which he has commented on himself before, that is his nose . I have heard Richard refer to himself as a "beanpole who grew into his nose". What I absolutely love about DI_Alpaca's cartoons are that they completely refute Richard's reluctant affiliation with this body part as his defining feature, in that there is not a nose in sight! And yet I am still undoubtably sure, when I look at her drawings, that they are of him. I hope if he has seen these drawings, this fact fills him with some relief; your nose is not the feature which defines you for us, kind Sir... it is you and your approach to your work as expressed through these drawings which is what defines you (for me, anyway!)....

Saying that, I have to say DI_Alpaca has captured an incredible likeness with Richard's beard! It is a character in it's own right, hehehe...

This is a pretty perfect likeness to the man I saw at the Stage Door!

With Good Intentions

There seems to be a really affectionate feel to the drawings. They seem to be coming from a good place and that warmth really shines through and was contagious, I thought! They immediately made me smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside ;) - and provided me with a moment in which I could just allow myself to appreciate my fondness for Mr Armitage. So thank you for giving me a way to do that, DI_Alpaca!

I have created a Pinterest Board with all the Cartoon Armitage drawings I have found so far and am in the process of uploading them all, so I can enjoy them all in one place (I hope you don't mind, DI_Alpaca? Your work is credited there too). If you wish to have a moment of Cartoon Armitage Appreciation, then please do follow this link and Repin or follow the board and images if you like :) :

Cartoon Armitage Pinterest Board

I feel like there is more I could say on these cartoons; and if I think of the appropriate words, I will, but I think it's just best for now to allow the works to speak for themselves.

To finish, I'd like to indulge in and share my favourite of her drawings (so far) with you :) ...

BaconBeard Moment (of genius!!)

 #IceBucketChallenge Trauma 

From that Sunday Times photoshoot....*sigh*... ;)

Enjoy!

Antigone x

If I were Richard's Stylist on the Red Carpet (Part 2) - Theory in Practice...

Ok, so I was feeling like the ideas in my previous post were perhaps a little far fetched or too abstract, and I was starting to feel silly for suggesting them! So I thought I would do a little experiment using images of Richard I found wearing already similar looks, and combining them with things I suggested to try and illustrate a little better what I meant. So here we go...

I think I might add more to this as I discover more things, here's just a few to get started with...

Colour Blocking

Ok so imagine Richard in this gorgeous vintage 60's style suit (well it looks 60s to me ;) )...

Now imagine the suit with a colour block tie like this instead... maybe in blue and magenta instead ... I think it could work...

Here's an example of a brighter coloured shirt under a classic coloured suit, worn by Richard himself... In my last post I didn't mean the colours should be garish for the sake of it, I don't think that suits Richard's personality. But I can see this in maybe a deep green or purple working really well too...

Now look at Richard in this dark suit - already there is some colour in this look, a muted chocolate/khaki colour...

Now imagine him with a deep aubergine coloured shirt and bright azure blue tie, wouldn't that bring out his eyes...

I think putting this into practice, I'd say a simple dark/light classic coloured suit and the colours the as the accents and accessories would be the thing I'd want to try. 

I find colour so exciting to experiment with ... I think I was just getting carried away with things. However I do think if Richard were to wear a coloured suit, Boateng would be the kind of designer to make it work for him, and I'd love to see him wear a coloured suit with a granddad style shirt under it, with that distinctive collar.

This is actually alot more difficult to express than it feels in my head. I hope its coming across somehow. It's been fun to get creative with it and I hope you've enjoyed my ideas. It's something to think about, anyway!

Antigone x

P.S - Can I just apologise for any previous poor grammar or spelling ... this whole idea for a blog post got me way too enthusiastic and I didn't do a very good job of proof reading it! Hope it's legible! At least the pictures are pretty... hehehe ;)

'Who are YOU wearing?" - If I were Richard's Red Carpet Stylist...

Time for something a little different...

I was watching a great interview by Richard the other day given while on the red carpet of a local premiere in New Zealand (featured below). It's a great clip which shows a sassier side to him, which was refreshing and fun to see, and in all honesty the interviewer on the other end of it was being pretty sarky!  I love how he gave the guy as good as he got - I thought at one point Richard might stare the guy into paralysis with those sparkly blue lapis-lazuli of his. This ice-blue stare happened in particular when the interviewer asked Richard: "Who are you wearing this evening?". Richard seemed amused and almost taken by surprise by this question, and responded, wittily: "Who are YOU wearing?".

RA: "Who are YOU wearing?"

This got me thinking... If I were to dress Richard for an event like that, what would I have him 'wear'? And when I say 'have' I don't mean I would force him to wear it - I tried to think of something which Richard might be comfortable to wear, but which was perhaps something out of the ordinary for him. Not that I can know what that would be, of course, I've only gone by what I've seen him wearing previously.

It was whilst pondering this thought that I came across a discussion on a Facebook group I'm (very proud to be) a part of, about what 'look' we would dress Richard in, for a Red Carpet event. I saw mention of one of my favourite designers there, and so thought I'd give this a go myself! So here goes...oh before I start, I must thank the group for allowing me to borrow some of their excellent images to illustrate my points - I speak for you all, though not on your behalf, of course ;)...right, here goes...

After looking around for ideas, I worked out there were three key elements important to me for the perfect Richard Red-Carpet-Look; the shirt, accessory choices, and ... here's the controversial one... a splash of colour. I've used each of these "elements" to explore some potential looks below. Keeping in mind I have a creative background in visual art and am a huge fan of anything quirky and colourful, so my choices may by not that conventional, but I've tried hard to look at what I've already seen Richard wearing and pick things he might realistically wear, even if a little different to the norm for him. Have a look and see what you think...

'Getting Shirty' - finding the perfect shirt

As we can see from this picture (below), Richard looks great in a well fitted shirt. But what I realised whilst doing a bit of research were how very many different type of shirt cuts/styles there were! Here are a some styles which I thought a little different, but in the right context, could provide a great alternative to the standard crisp white shirt (not that there's anything wrong with that of course ;) )...

This shirt is a great cut on Richard

"Granddad shirts" (yes, they really are called that ...*rolls eyes*)

I have been in love with this style of shirt for a really long time. I love what the collarless look does to the male form - it accentuates the neck and adams apple, makes the shoulders seem broader. I think it can work buttoned right to the top; or worn under a classic suit, as shown here by Jude Law; or a few buttons can be undone at the top without a suit jacket for a more casual look. I can definitely see Richard wearing this style of shirt in both contexts, and looking mighty fine in it too! 

Patterned Shirts

Patterned shirts can also be a great way to jazz up a suit. There are so many pattern styles to choose from for men these days - from retro paisley print, to geometric. I think a perfect example of a style of patterned shirt to suit Richard would be this polka dot one. The polka-dots are small enough not to seem to gimicky, but add a bit of vibrancy and movement to the suit (thanks to my facebook friends for this image!).

Two-Tone Shirts

These are a really interesting alternative to a plain shirt. They are often used to inject colour into an outfit, by using the colour as a highlight to a plain-toned shirt. Under a dark suit, or even on its own with smart trousers, I could see this as a great way for Richard to express his personality through a tease of colour.

This is a really contemporary two-tone look

Here's some tonal detail on a shirt - it would look great
with a colour-blocked tie under a plain suit.

These are just a few styles I can see Richard wearing. I had to stop myself, as I really could have gone on and on looking at these, but I still had accessories to consider! ;)

'It's all in the Accessories' - adding that little something extra 

Having explored the importance of a good shirt, I decided to move on to Accessories. A vital part of any outfit, accessories can provide a splash of quirkyness or class, and, of course, personality. Here are some accessories I thought Richard could use ...

BOW TIE

Yes, I said it! I would love to see Richard in a bowtie. And I don't mean part of a tux, as seen here (though of course I wouldn't object to that, hehehe) ...

Ohhh boy... What a handsome fella...

Call it geek-chic or quirky, I think with the right look, a bow tie would be perfect on Richard. (Thanks Clodagh Monet on Tumblr for these pics below :) ).

Waistcoats

i think a lot can be said for a great waistcoat. In the same was a great fitted skirt can accentuate the female form, so can a great waistcoat for a man. I could easily see Richard pulling of the "oh, I forgot my jacket at home" look and wearing a waistcoat with style on the Red Carpet. I particularly like these for their sleek fit and also the chain and handkerchief detailing. In fact, handkerchiefs could also be a great way to add a bit of something different to a suit, through colour and pattern choice.

With small additions - like a chain, handkerchief or rolled up sleeves -
a waistcoat can look smart and dashing all on its own.

Ties

Ties are a very underappreciated accessory, I think. They can add a striking statement of sophisitication or playfulness. I have included an example of this below, where Richard wears this very suave mauve/grey striped tie which just brings the whole outfit together beautifully. I think Richard's choice in tie could give him a variety of different looks to pick from..

Richard showing us how to wear a statement
tie with style

Colour statement

A simple, boldly coloured tie, can change the feeling of an outfit instantly. I can see Richard wearing a bright azure blue one to lift his eyes, or perhaps an aubergine to complement his dark hair.

This gorgeous magenta would really bring out Richard's
eyes, I think.

Stripes

Stripes come in all kinds of different pattern formations (who knew!). I am particularly a fan of horizontal stripes, as I think they look really sharp and contemporary. I think both chunkier and slimmer stripes would work on his build.

Here's a Chevron-type stripe which would work well in
vibrant colours

This ombre' type tie could also work
with the right colour-palette

Colour-blocking

I am a big fan of colour, and when I found this colour-blocked tie I thought I could maybe see Richard wearing it under a jet black suit with a crisp white shirt, held in place with a simple pin tie. It has a real 60's chic vibe about it.

In discovering this colour-block look, I started to think a little deeper about what exactly it was I think I would want to add to Richard's outfits if I were to style him with a look. And then it became clearer....

'A splash of colour' - being bold and brave

What I realised, after getting this far in my little project, was how important colour would be for me, and getting those colours right, if I were to dress Richard. 

The perfect example of this in action on Richard is seen in his outfit for the Premiere for 'Into the Storm'. I thought this look really suited him, and was something quite different to what I had seen him in before. Normally I was used to seeing him in neutral or monotone shades, but here he wore a bright and bold Royal Blue suit with style, accentuated perfectly with a crisp white shirt, brown brogues and that brilliant striped tie; the stripes were chunky and the red and blue tones vibrant and punchy. Richard seemed not afraid to wear colour and these colours really suited his complexion and perfectly brought out his eyes.

Richard at 'Into the Storm' Premiere, pulling off
a splash of colour

We tend to see Richard in muted and neutral tones - perhaps because they are classed as masculine? Well I think, as shown in Richard's choice in suit above, that a bit of colour could be a really exciting option for him, which I think he could pull off perfectly. That's not to say there isn't anything wrong with a good black, grey, or navy suit - they are classics - I am just exploring what I might dress him in, and I am always a fan of using colour to bring accent and personality to an outfit.

When I thought of colour, one particular designer came to mind; and funnily enough, this name was also raised on the discussion on the facebook group I mentioned earlier, who provided the inspiration for this post.

His name is Ozwald Boateng. A British fashion designer of Ghanaian descent, he is known for his use of bold colours and sleek, streamlined, tailoring, and has his own place in Saville Row, in London. I have always been a fan of Boateng, since first seeing his work in a documentary made about him which I saw whilst at art school. 

Boateng does seem to dress mostly Afro-Caribbean stars, though I have seen him dress men more of Richard's fairer complexion with perfect style too. Here are some of Boteng's looks I think would work perfectly on Richard, with the right colour choices, of course.

Where on the Spectrum?

And so begs the question - "what is the perfect colour choice, for Richard?". It's clear there is one feature of this lovely man which seems to act as a source of inspiration for colour choice. That is, of course, his eyes. They really do sparkle, and I think with the right colours they can be made to sparkle more. Some colours can be used also to bring out tones which are not so obvious, certainly in the eyes.

The colours I think of here are Blues, Greens, Purples. I even think, as splashes of colour, magenta, fuchsia and turquoise would work in complimenting his blue eyes and dark hair. 

I love these iridescent suits as a subtle way of introducing a
bit of colour

Deep purples and earthy greens, as well as
 blues would make a great colour palette for Richard

I can also see Richard pulling off a bit of 'colour-blocking'. A brightly coloured shirt and jacket, with dark, perhaps black-coloured, trousers, would work really well. I think this could provide him with an opportunity to wear what artists call 'complimentary colours', by which is meant; a complimentary opposite shade, like two sides of a coin. I've included a colour wheel below to show you what I mean by this.

Look diagonally opposite the colour of your choice
 to find its complimentary opposite.

So, in practice, Richard could try wearing a green toned suit with an accent of red on/with it, via an accessory. However, I will say here I think I would stay away from dressing Richard in certain shades - mostly citrussy ones -though I think green would work perfectly on him. The case seems for many fairer skinned people, like myself, that yellow and orange shades, even as accessory details, can be a little hit and miss. I think zingy tones could be incorporated into an outfit using more lime green tones, if that effect was desired.

An example of colour-blocking - though I would keep
Richard away from too zesty tones.

I think its also really important to note here how a coloured accessory on/with a neutral suit can work really effectively too. An example of this is seen below, where this gorgeous cream linen suit (which come to think of it, I could also see Richard wearing) is given a little kick by this bold striped tie, very similar to the one Richard wore in his Premiere outfit I mentioned earlier.

A splash of colour really works well here

Just a quick comment on Jackets...

I also thought I could see Richard wearing a double-breasted cut of Jacket - his broad shoulders and 'V' shaped upper body, would look great in a double breasted suit or with a trouser/double breasted suit combo, or so I think. Plus, I love the air of style these kinds of jackets give off, and if anyone could pull that off, Richard could...

And finally... (something even more quirky to get you thinking)...

We all know how good Richard looks in knitwear. But I would really love to see Richard bring back the cool polo-neck hipster-beatnik-type look. Especially now with his magnificent beard, I think he could pull off a well fitted polo neck with total elegance. I can see a dark one sitting quietly and stylishly under a dark suit, like shown here. Now what do you make of that? ;)...

In Reflection...

So, all in all, I learnt quite a bit about Richard from this little project, which, in truth, I probably spent a little more time on than I should have, muahaha ;). I hope by some form of psychic energy Richard is inspired to try wearing even more splashes of colour in his style choice in the near future, or even... dare I wish it... a Boateng suit!

Hope my ideas got you thinking about what you would like to see Richard 'wearing'...

Antigone x


P.S ... Just to say, I'm not a Fashion grad, so I might not use proper fashion terminology, sorry. It's just a bit of fun really... :)

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A Pointy Reckoning - The Crucible (Part Two) - My Stage Door Experience...

So...Let me set the scene...

It was Thursday 11th September. Two days before the end of The Crucible's run. I was still disappointed in myself for not having the chance to try and meet Mr Armitage due to my silly mistake of seeing a matinée performance, but was still buzzing from the experience and how lucky I had been to see him live at all. 

On this day in "Richardember", I was in London to meet a friend. We had planned to meet at Southwark station to go to Tate Modern for the evening. Little did I know that several hours later I would be meeting Richard Armitage... 

So I arrived promptly at the station (I like to be on time, hehe) to meet my friend and waited. And waited. Then I got a text. My friend had cancelled on me! At first I was pretty disappointed, and thought: "what is there to do in this part of town? I'm here, so I might as well do something for a bit". And then it came to me.

Now, those who know London well will know that Southwark station is in Waterloo, and is only several minutes walk from a theatre which was, at the time, was showing a play I was really interested in (do you see where I am going with this? ;) ).

Yes! You got it! I thought to myself "Oh! Why don't you try and get a ticket to see The Crucible again?!". It would be an evening performance. This was my perfect chance to make up for missing the chance to try and meet Richard the first time! So I approached the theatre (it was around 5pm). In all honestly, I was very skeptical I would get a ticket - when I arrived there were already several people lining up for return tickets, and I knew that considering the play was near the end of it's run it would be popular and tickets would be like gold-dust. But I thought to myself, "you have nothing to lose, don't waste this chance again", and so I waited. And waited. And waited. 

An hour and a half passed and still the queue remained stationary. My feet ached a bit but I was feeling determined and positive. I waited some more. At 7pm the queue finally started to move - people were arriving with spare tickets from people who were coming with friends who had cancelled on them, like mine did. 7.10pm - further movement. I was getting closer... was I about to get myself a ticket? ...Then, it happened...

A lady approached - she was a teacher with a school party and had several spare tickets in the Upper Circle, would I like one? And I grabbed my opportunity with both hands and took it! The ticket was very reasonably priced too, but I just considered myself lucky that I was going to get to see it again! I had just enough time for a quick loo visit and to get settled. 

I was much further away this time. But considering the price I had paid for my ticket I was ecstatic, as I could see everything! The theatre was just as electrifying and packed as it had been the last time. I sat next to a woman who was also in the queue with me, we both shared our excitement at lucking out and getting a ticket. I readied myself to enjoy it all again, and it began...

With a different seat, came a different experience. I enjoyed it even better the second time, and in a completely different way. I was less star struck this time. I felt able to actually step back and watch what was going on, and even though things were further away, it somehow felt like I got a better idea of the concept of the play as a whole from this distance. With this, came a different reaction to the piece. I commented, in my last post, on how I was surprised at how lacking in tears I had been. This time was quite different. Though I still wasn't sobbing enough to warrant a tissue, I felt much more angry this time, and much more moved; I admit I did shed a tear in Act Four this time around!

Richard was electrifying and heartbreaking as Proctor

As for Richard? Well.... He had his voice back this time around and seemed much more energised than last time. I wondered whether this was due to it being an evening performance? (actors often say they are "Night Owls" who are at their best at night), or whether, because the play was soon ending, he was just letting everything flow out, all previous anxieties about playing the role having fallen away. By Act Four he was completely wild with sorrow. I'd never heard that tone in his voice, nor such a vulnerability in his demeanour before that point in any of his work. It was simply breathtaking, heartbreaking. "Because it is my Name!" - his voice broke at that moment. 

I remember watching Marlise Boland, of the Anglophile Channel, say that Richard "bore his soul" in his performance when she had seen it. In that harrowing moment, I could see exactly what she meant when she had said that. The video of her account is included here, if you're interested:

The play came to an end, to rapturous applause. Then I realised. It was time...

"Seize the moment!" I told myself as I hurried down the flights of stairs, wriggling my way through the procrastinating crowds piling out of the theatre. "Go to the Stage Door! Even if you just get to glimpse him, that's better than nothing at all".

By the time I reached the Stage Door, there was a queue right the way to the front of the theatre. I was amazed to see this. It couldn't have been more than 5 minutes between the play ending and this crowd forming. It was quite surreal.  I waited nervously at the back, already expecting Richard would rush out and whizz past me in such a flurry I might as well have not bothered. 

In this moment, I noticed a strange tenseness in the air, there was almost a sour feel to it. I felt then, somehow, a little guilty. I had seen photos of early Stage Door experiences; people queuing up politely, Richard being his polite and generous self and signing things, taking plenty of pictures. The atmosphere around me on this night, however, felt more like a crowd waiting for a star at a Red Carpet Premiere. It almost felt like were we vultures, waiting for our opportunity to swoop in and claim our prize. It was not a nice feeling at all. 

Along with this feeling, I was quite overwhelmed by the play emotionally, it was all a mad blur. However, I remained surprisingly calm - I was determined not to waste this moment as I might never get it again. Then, what must have been a further 5 minutes later, I heard things pick up and the front of the crowd, and saw flashing lights. He had come out to say hello!...

What happened next occurred in such a whirlwind I still can hardly believe it; and yet I relive the moment in my head as if it happened over a matter of minutes, not seconds...

The flashes and noise came closer and closer; then I saw him. He wore a blue zip up jacket and "that Nike cap". I could hardly believe it was actually him! He came closer; I remember watching him, probably with my mouth gaping in awe (hehehe), as he posed for a picture for someone. He moved so fast up the line, which I completely understood - I expected him to stop halfway, why wouldn't he when exhausted after such a draining performance? - but he kept coming closer and closer.

It was in that moment I realised I hadn't thought far ahead enough about what I wanted to do or say. I had my ticket and program in my hand and decided instantly that an autograph was the best option. I am not usually that fussed about asking for autographs as I much prefer an interaction with the person (if I can get my words out, lol!). But on this occasion it seemed the only chance I had to see him, even if he managed not to sign anything. He was getting closer. I could hear his voice now - it was hoarse, as expected, but he still said "bless you, thanks" in quick succession as he moved up the line, which I thought was very good of him. I noticed though he kept his head down and moved along the line almost in autopilot mode, squiggling away with his Sharpie, which is why what happened next was just so remarkable and special to me.

He was a metre away now; I readied myself with my ticket for him to sign. Perhaps it was because I was near the back of the crowd, where the people were thinning out, but as he reached out to sign my ticket, I watched his hand... and he seemed to slow down a bit, and gave me a really lovely autograph! As he did so I said "thanks for this". And then (teehee!) he looked up at me, looked me straight in the eyes and said: "Thank You for coming" with a modest, friendly smile. I stared back, in complete shock! I said "Thank you... thank you..." again (as if once wasn't enough, ay?! *rolls eyes*) in a wobbly voice (damn my wobbly nervous voice!) and stepped aside apologetically - I didn't want to keep him any longer than he needed to be - I felt so bad, I wanted him to get home and rest after such a performance. He looked away and moved off down the line. 

I hovered, and watched him move to the end of the line, and then walk back up the line, with his trusty Ola by his side (pictured below).He walked back up towards the Stage Door and into the distance.

#heaintheavyhesmybro

I waved goodbye to The Old Vic, and rushed back to the station to catch the last train (it was 11.30pm by this point!). On my way home I had time to digest what had happened; how I had felt, what I had observed of Richard close up...

What I noticed first was that I thought Richard wasn't half as tall as people say he is, nor interviewers seem to go on about. Not that he was short, but I was expecting to have to crane my neck upwards, but I didn't! There are some great quotes from Richard about the troubles he faces being in the acting profession, in that it seems a great many actors are short. This must truly be the case, because I am only 5"6, of average height for a woman, but from what I remember Richard was not too far from eye level with me. Now, that could be because he was standing on the street and I the curb, or because he was hunched over from lethargy and/or stooping to sign things. But that was just something I noticed and wanted to share.

Richard on issues he faces with his height

I also thought he looked shattered. His eyes were just as sparkly and bright blue as imagined, but his face looked tired, his eyes slightly puffy, still fresh from his emotive performance, and his features looked more angular than ever up close. He still had that gentleness I always liked about him and was very polite and considerate, but I definitely felt like their was a veil in front of him, like I wasn't really meeting "him". In Conversation at the Old Vic, I remember Richard saying he never really left Proctor behind at night after a performance, and I think this is what I sensed here. In a way, I was meeting John Proctor, still being channelled through Richard Armitage, and not Richard himself. This was totally understandable to me, I didn't feel upset about it at all. If anything, I felt more grateful that he had taken the time to work his way all the way up the line at all; I can't imagine how it must feel to give such a performance and then have to come out to all those expectant people wanting to share a moment with you. I thought he dealt with it perfectly; with grace and patience, and he seemed genuinely grateful for us all being there for him.

*waves goodbye to The Old Vic*

As I approached home, I let the day's exciting and unexpected events wash over me and felt completely contented. I had been so annoyed at myself for not booking an evening ticket and trying to see Richard when I saw the play the first time. But I had followed my instincts and look what it had brought me! I could never have imagined, when I rose that morning, how things would unfold! I consider myself extremely lucky, and I am eternally grateful to Richard for taking such time to interact with those who come and show support for him. What an unforgettable day it had been.

Antigone x