394 replies to this topic

[cat123]

I don't SD too much, I'm far too embarassed! I'm hopeless at engaging in conversation too

Having said that, I spent ages outsie the Colliseum today after Cheek to Cheek. I know the dancers from elsewhere though, so that was different!

[Weez]

I feel very awkward going to a stage door. I always feel like no matter how polite the actors are, I'm being a massive imposition and they just want to get rid of the crazed stalker and go home. I suspect I'm just massively insecure, but still can't shake it. XD

[cat123]

That's how I feel too. It puts me off trying so much!!! I saw Ashleigh Gray perform in The Ripper concert thing last saturday and thought she was utterly fantastic. I so wanted to meet her afterwards, away from the Wicked craziness for once, but I didn't. Wish I had!! I saw her on the underground later too, though I wasn't going to pester her then!!

[PaulT]

I feel very awkward going to a stage door. I always feel like no matter how polite the actors are, I'm being a massive imposition and they just want to get rid of the crazed stalker and go home. I suspect I'm just massively insecure, but still can't shake it. XD

I understand what you mean
We first went to a stage door with my Auntie about 7 years ago to speak to Sir Derek Jacobi.  He was so delightful and said to us "Thank YOU for coming to see the play!"
An actor friend of mine says that after a show the cast are often on a high and need to wind down.  Spending time with people at the stage door can be fun for them.
Actors are just like the rest of us - they enjoy being told that their work is good and appreciated.  Many of the people I have met at the stage door seem to genuinely appreciate positive feedback or comments about what they do on stage.  This is very true of Sian Thomas (currently in "Spring Awakening" playing the Adult Women).  She does lots of things to make each person she plays different.  
Richard Cordery (currently in "Spring Awakening" playing Adult Men) has an amazing line to deliver when he is in the role of the school teacher.  He must be fed up of me saying how much I admire his delivery!
Once actors leave the stage door - we leave them alone (so they DON'T feel we are crazed stalkers).

We often walk away from the stage door thinking "what lovely people and it was great to meet them!"

[strallenfan]

The cast of Sound of Music were always lovely and we got to know some of them quite well when Elly was in the show. They all adore the children and are just geniunely lovely people.

[Trekkie_Monster]

A lot of actors seem to like it when people wait at the stage door. I suppose it's a sign of how much people enjoyed the show. If the actors came out and nobody was there they'd probably worry a bit.

[JonnyBoy]

I almost always 'stage door' and am proudly building up a huge collection of signed programmes.  I think it's fine to go to the stage door after you've seen a performance and spend 10-30 seconds speaking to the actor and getting a quick autograph.  It shows your appreciation of the actor's performance whilst not being too drawn out.  What's so annoying is that actors are often faced with freaks who have not seen the show - these are the people who have clip boards with 60 photos of the actor to be signed, a super-zoom lens camera round their neck and a backpack containing merchandise for stage doors of other nearby theatres.  They dominate the stage door and jeopardise my meeting with the actors - they take up the time of the cast and put them in a bad mood before meeting the genuine fans.  At Entertaining Mr Sloane, one of these oddities had a pile of Gavin and Stacey photos for Mat Horne to sign.  Mat signed them all graciously but with increasing annoyance.  As soon as one photo was signed it was removed from the top of the pile to reveal the next photo and this went on for literally 2 minutes, while fans with programmes who had seen the play were waiting for a single autograph.  Aargh - these stage door lurkers really pee me off.

[Leopard]

I almost always 'stage door' and am proudly building up a huge collection of signed programmes. I think it's fine to go to the stage door after you've seen a performance and spend 10-30 seconds speaking to the actor and getting a quick autograph. It shows your appreciation of the actor's performance whilst not being too drawn out. What's so annoying is that actors are often faced with freaks who have not seen the show - these are the people who have clip boards with 60 photos of the actor to be signed, a super-zoom lens camera round their neck and a backpack containing merchandise for stage doors of other nearby theatres. They dominate the stage door and jeopardise my meeting with the actors - they take up the time of the cast and put them in a bad mood before meeting the genuine fans. At Entertaining Mr Sloane, one of these oddities had a pile of Gavin and Stacey photos for Mat Horne to sign. Mat signed them all graciously but with increasing annoyance. As soon as one photo was signed it was removed from the top of the pile to reveal the next photo and this went on for literally 2 minutes, while fans with programmes who had seen the play were waiting for a single autograph. Aargh - these stage door lurkers really pee me off.

Agree totally - I went to Cabaret when it starred Alistair McGowan and Amy Nuttall and watched as they all rather rudely ignored Alistair McGowan when he came out (who is incidentally one of the nicest actors I have ever met - and so talented too!!) and then they all pounced on Amy Nuttall getting her to sign what must have been about 20 pictures each - each one in a greater state of undress than the last!! She seemed genuinely happy when I spoke to her about how good the show was!

[immortal longings]

What's so annoying is that actors are often faced with freaks who have not seen the show - these are the people who have clip boards with 60 photos of the actor to be signed, a super-zoom lens camera round their neck and a backpack containing merchandise for stage doors of other nearby theatres.  They dominate the stage door and jeopardise my meeting with the actors - they take up the time of the cast and put them in a bad mood before meeting the genuine fans.  At Entertaining Mr Sloane, one of these oddities had a pile of Gavin and Stacey photos for Mat Horne to sign.  Mat signed them all graciously but with increasing annoyance.  As soon as one photo was signed it was removed from the top of the pile to reveal the next photo and this went on for literally 2 minutes, while fans with programmes who had seen the play were waiting for a single autograph.  Aargh - these stage door lurkers really pee me off.

I completely agree. This is something I have seen on so many occasions, most recently at Three Days Of Rain. I waited at the stage door for ages to meet James McAvoy (who I've been a huge fan of for years) whilst he signed clipboards full of photographs of himself in his different films, and posed for photographs for people with huge cameras. I don't mind waiting, I never push in and am never ever rude with actors I want to meet at the stage door after a show, but was SO annoyed that these people who hadn't seen the show were taking so much time away from those of us who had seen the show and had been waiting patiently for so long. The same thing happened with Nigel Harman, then they all ran off to grab Alison Steadman at the stage door for Enjoy. So annoying!

I have had some wonderful stage door experiences recently, mostly at the Royal Court. I met Russell Tovey after a performance of A Miracle. He was extremely charming, enthusiastic, chatty and very sweet. I've been a huge fan of his since The History Boys and he w extremely impressed that I was so into Being Human, which was on BBCThree recently. He signed my History Boys play script and my programme for A Miracle then posed for several photos, making sure they all came out ok.
The other RC experience was the Teadaway twins after Over There. Again, I've been a huge fan of both Harry and Luke for a couple of years and they were both charming, polite, enthusiastic, chatty and just adorable. They signed my programme, Luke signed my War Horse play text and they, like Russell posed for several photos checking each one to make sure it had come out ok

[stuman273]

I guess it's going to be some sort of record for someone to set themselves up to be shot down with their fourth post, but here goes:

I don't consider myself a freak, though I have done a bit of stage door lurking so I suppose by your definition that would make me one. For "freak" read "dealer". These people I consider to be scum because, as you say, they will often dominate the door and often cause people not to sign at all. I collect autographs - we all have hobbies - but I only ever get one (or at most two) signed, I'm always polite to the actor and I'm always aware of the people around who have seen the play and try to ive them preference. Not always easy with some of the types around who I've got to know pretty well by sight! My job doesn't always make it easy to get into the West End to see a show, but should that stop me from adding to my collection if I'm polite and respectful to all around me?

*sits back and waits for the onslaught*