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londonspirit · 1 year

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London Love

First day back home and it all feels 'wrong' *sighs wistfully*

Oh well, i had the most wonderful six days in my favorite place with my favorite people so I shouldn't really complain, right?! Still, always harsh to come back to reality after the time away... especially this time. What a trip it’s been!! Didn’t expect all that happened - did NOT expect to see a Kiwi live and in the flesh but that’s London for you - full of surprises!!!

Walked all the ways again (a total of 114(!!!) km's, that's 163621 steps!), saw all the beautiful things; just one play and one reading though and yet my whole being feels nourished and bursting with joy and happiness.

Trip started out a bit worried as my stomach did some weird things, and there was a strange pain on the lower right side (yes, I was instantly thinking appendix, but did the thing and it was fine). Nerves, maybe (it had been a while), I thought, or too much strain from carrying those last few boxes from mom’s place to mine and sis’s, and it did indeed settle a bit once I was over. Still, I felt a tad troubled so got some Ibuprofen and some Paracetamol and self-medicated. It didn’t get worse; got better over the past days but yeah, first day was a tad off.

Still, met with Nic and even tho we were both saying to not do THAT much walking we ended up with almost 28km’s! I love her, we barely see each other and don’t text much at all, but WHEN we met we have ALL THE THINGS to geek out over and it’s always great to catch up with her. I was soo happy I had her all day to myself. Oh, and running into/past the one and only Ali Plumb (sadly on his phone) had me off to a great start!!! *hehe*

Day 2 was the calmest of them all, FINALLY seeing Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms after missing out on them for the past five years was the only booked thing on my agenda that day! And BOY is it worth it!

Soo soo stunning, I went twice!!! You only have two minutes in the room but you can queue again, and on Monday early afternoon it wasn’t that full so that was no biggie at all! After that I was meeting with a friend but she was running late (I knew that, she’s a busy busy bee) so I sat outside her workplace and waited, the sun was out (I had sunscreen on), I had food and wifi, it was perfect.

I was aimlessly scrolling through Twitter when a tweet from Rosie popped up:

And I LOST MY SHIT!!! I mean, that was for like in THREE days!

I did NOT have ‘being able to see RHYS FUCKING DARBY LIVE’ on my bingo card for London AT ALL!

And suddenly there was the chance!!! OF COURSE I TOOK IT!!!

Cue a few freaked out texts to my Sally, a rushed check of earlier trains, and booking a ticket for STAND UP!!! I don’t do standup... unless it’s RHYS FUCKING DARBY!!! So yeah, there I was, cackling to myself like a total lunatic (thankfully Lex is used to me losing my shit (although it’s been a while since she’s witnessed that in person!)) with the prospect of seeing RHYS FUCKING DARBY LIVE!!! (and thankfully I had packed not only my Orange shirt (gotta represent) but also my newly made DJ shirt (which I KNEW could ONLY be appreciated my fellow OFMD fans!!!).

So having that sorted and having calmed down (barely), Lex and I spent the evening catching up until it was time for her to leave for home. Since I didn’t have any plans at all, I had a stroll round town before returning ‘home’.

Tuesday was ‘meeting Jo in Leeds’ Day! Only day it was raining in both cities, which was fine, we spent the day indoors, catching up (it’s been a year since we last saw each other) and just enjoying ourselves! We did see a bit of Leeds, but with it being very wet and very moist, there wasn’t THAT much walking and sightseeing happening! Although I spotted this, which made me laugh:

Starting your pirate BABIES early, I guess *hehe*

Wednesday was the only day with a play!!! Yeah, I know, I have no idea how that happened - too many things to see, too little time. Praised be matinees! Romeo and Juliet at the Almeida (first time there for me), seeing the lovely Toheeb Jimoh on stage, being all dramatic and shit? COUNT ME IN! (even though I’ve had my fair share of Shakespeare before Covid hit).

And since I had the morning to myself I naturally had to check out that Chilean restaurant in Paddington. Yes, THAT one. (And accidentally dressing like the Elizabeth line!) And goodness me, these empanadas are GOOD!! Even at 11 am in the morning (only time I could be there, they close at 4 during the week and as I said, too many things to do and see, not enough time!).

Walked them empanadas off on my way to the theatre, past Abby Road, had a GREAT seat for a VERY small price and managed to catch the darling man after before he was off to lunch. Didn’t know whether he’d do stage door but he did, and BY GOD, that man’s even more lovely in RL! Im soo happy I managed to tell him that (and how brilliant he was on stage, of course!) And he was - he was enjoying himself, and he ‘died’ VERY realistically! It was amazing! And that smile is fucking DEADLY when aimed at you!!!

Got me a Humble Crumble on the way back (SOOO GOOD!) and then it was already time for Elliot Page!

I've NEVER been in a room with this many queer people (aside from Pride marches!) and it was the most amazing thing; you could FEEL the happiness of being there; the reception for the man himself was INSANE and made me actually tear up a bit (he deserves ONLY THE FUCKING BEST (and all the fucking HUGS!)).

There was an energy in the room... can’t even describe it, just felt very special. Not a signing, a talk about the book and q's from the audience (pre-submitted). Elliot felt very shy but also VERY naughty. Loved writing the sex scenes *grins* But by god, he's the happiest he's ever been. I've started reading the book, bit more than halfway through and GOOD LORD, he'd suffered soooo much!!! I can't even relate... which makes my HATE against people wanting to take away gender affirming care even bigger!!! *exhales* Anyhow, it was really good. Very inspiring. Soo soo powerful and soooo deserved!!!!

And then it was KIWI DAY!! God, Im still sooo high on actually seeing him LIVE and SOOO close - even more amazing as I’d NEVER thought I’d ever get to see him (what with him being mainly US or Aotearoa based!)!!! Sometimes the universe works in mysterious and beautiful ways!!!

But first I went to Nottingham to see Sally and Pam! It was beautiful! They took me to Wollaton Hall which is fucking gorgeous, and we just had a lovely wander around the park, seeing deer and blonde ducks, soaking up all the sunshine. After we went into Nottingham itself for some lunch before it was already time to leave again.

I arrived back in London around 6 and went straight into town, wanting to meet up with a friend who I knew back from the MTV awards (I was happy to actually know somebody at the show although I do NOT mind being on my own but it’s always nicer with people who know!)

Well, I totally forgot that the Mission Impossible premiere was happening at the same damn time!! Leicester Square was PACKED (and the Comedy Club is just around the corner!) So naturally I sneaked a peak, saw Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg (on a screen, they’re REALLY locking out normal people these days) but the excitement was too big so I went to the club.

And then the most magical thing happened: I met NEW people!!! (I mean, Ive had that ALL the time back in my old fandoms, but these days it happens so rarely so that made me REALLY happy). They approached me... because of the shirt and in the end we were four people, sticking together to watch the show - three of them with variation of THE Orange shirt!!!

First we sat 2nd row and then nobody wanted the 1st and then we just said, fuck it, we only get this chance ONCE (well, two of us) so we moved to the 1st row!!! God, that was close!! *lol* we weren’t too sure about it as neither of us wanted to get picked out for something - it was stand-up so who knew! But yeah, the thing one does for that kiwi!! *cackles*

It was pretty packed, not sold out but still full enough. And a LOT of OFMD/Rhys fans!!!

Good Lord, I haven’t laughed this much in a VERY long time (and those who know me, know how much this was needed). Every act was different but all hilarious, and yes, everyone got ‘picked’ on, especially the poor guy stage right, he was on his own and by god, they REALLY went to down on him. All in good spirits but yeah, I felt a tad sorry for him in the end!

At one point, Thanyia (Moore), the host/mc started to 'target' us - she was amazing, charming, hilarious as fuck and soo gorgeous. Anyhow, she wanted to know whether we all knew each other (because of the shirts, I guess) and was slightly shocked that in fact, we did NOT know each other prior to the show. And then we told her WHY we were there (pirate show, duh) and she wanted a synopsis ... she got one (GAY pirates) and she made fun of it but she basically summed up our show! (I do NOT know whether or not she knew about it all, i figure she did but not sure!) Still, it was AMAZING!!! (Rhys later sort of went with it as well - asked who did NOT know who he is, and there were like 4 people or so!!! NEVER once mentioned the show tho).

And then it was time! Rhys fucking Darby took the stage!!! God, we were LOUD!!! *lol* And by GOD, that man’s gorgeous that close up!!! I mean, he’s lovely and all but seeing him from like a metre away??? BLOODY HELL!!! That SMILE?!?! GUH!!! And so fucking funny! (never really realized how HARD those sound effects are - his head looked like it wanted to exploded during them, which worried me a tad *hehe*)

There wasn’t anything new, had heard most of it here and there already but still, actually seeing him (THOSE LEGS ARE LETHAL, and THAT ARSE IS ASDFGHJKLÖÄ... dont come at me, he kept waving it into our faces, ‘kay!), almost being able to touch him... yeah, that was quite something!!! I LOVE that fact that he’s enjoying himself soo much as well, kept giggling at his own jokes which I LOVE!!!

It was over way too quickly. My stomach hurt, my face hurt and we floated back out into the night, gathering at the entrance in hopes of being able to see him. Sadly he got whisked away by the wife, but he waved at us in passing (and I feel he especially waved at us in our lovely orange shirts!) And then we all went our separate ways, having exchanged socials to find each other again!!!

I walked back home as I needed to burn that energy in order to get ANY sleep that night (even walked into hoards of people waiting at the back of the cinema for the MI cast).

What a night!!! So sad I couldn’t be there for yesterday or today, but hey, I never in my wildest dreams thought of actually seeing him live at all, so I shan’t complain at all!!!!

Plus, we got these (thanks to the very generous sharer over on Twitter!)!

first row is NOT made for taking sneaky pics so I’ll be forever grateful to them for sharing these!!!

*sighs* And Friday was leaving day... having to say goodbye to my beloved city is never easy but this time around even more so!

BUT I did have the most amazing time, met old and new friends, and once again 6 days felt much much longer!!! My heart is bursting with happiness and joy and it will keep me going until I can come back again - hopefully very soon!!!

#personal #london love #vacation #toheeb jimoh #rhys darby #london #6 days of joy and happiness #elliot page

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rhysdarbinizedarby · 1 year

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New tweet from Rhys Darby last night and more about him below:

Billy T’ Billy: Rhys Darby on finding success in New Zealand and overseas

Rhys Darby has gone from performing in New Zealand to leading his own HBO show, Our Flag Means Death

Rhys Darby is one of New Zealand’s biggest entertainment exports of the last 20 years, going from performing local standup to co-starring in Flight of the Conchords, and now is a regular fixture in Hollywood blockbusters.

He has become such a success story that it’s easy to forget he lost one of New Zealand comedy’s top prizes - twice.

Darby was nominated for the Billy T Award, which recognises rising talent in the New Zealand comedy industry, back in 2001 and 2002, but lost the prize to Jan Maree and Dai Henwood.

Speaking to the Billy T’ Billy podcast from his home in Los Angeles, Darby told host Rhys Mathewson it was something to strive for while young, but not something he wanted to sit around for “waiting for some dude to tick me off on his chart”.

“As soon as you find out in your own head through the power of realisation that awards are not the be-end-all, and in fact, are just a pain in the arse, they’re not the finish line, then you’re gonna do better,” Darby said.

“And I think people are still struggling with that idea today because it gives them some sort of recognition, uh, and then they can get their next step up. But we’ve seen from experiences in the past that it gives you about five minutes’ worth of recognition, and then what are you gonna do?

“The most important thing to do is recognise yourself, not through an award, but through hard work. And a show that has sold out, a show that has reviewed really well, and that will tell you that you are a winner, not some dude with an old gumboot on a bit of wood.”

That’s a reference to the Fred Dagg Award, which goes to the winner of the Best Show award at each year’s festival and is indeed a gumboot on a plank of wood. Darby joked that the accolade does count - after all, he won it in 2012.

Darby said his goal always was to go to the United Kingdom, where he was able to break out and start his international career. He credits the New Zealand International Comedy Festival with helping him get there, as many of the international comics who came over for the festival told him he’d do well on the UK circuit.

Getting into the Comedy Store in Leicester Square in London was when Darby knew he’d made it.

“I had one chance to get in there. And I knew I had to prove myself and you get 15 minutes, or not even that, it might be a 10-minute spot in front of the big cheese. And after that, you’ll come off stage and he’ll bring you into the office and he’ll either say, ‘keep at it’, which means, you’re not there yet, or he’ll do what he did to me and which was, ‘I want to give you a paid weekend and I haven’t really done this with anyone that I’ve only seen for 10 minutes before in a long time’.

“And once you’ve got your spot on a Friday, Saturday night, then the rest of the comedy world knows that you’re a major player, and then you’re getting booked in for all these clubs left, right, and centre.”

Listen to the latest episode of Billy T’ Billy from 40:05 minutes in for more from Rhys Darby on his comedy beginnings and memories of local comedy.

Source: NZ Herald

#rhys darby #ofmd #our flag means death #podcast #comedy #interview

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