James Bond Mania Hits London! Lady Samantha Meets Dame Judi Dench & Ben Whishaw! Along With Success From Helen Mirren! Nathaniel Parker! And James McAvoy Fails! Doh! Autographs! Photos! And More!

Lady Samantha is reporting from London’s west end where it’s Bond Mania!

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Lady Samantha reporting on Bond Mania in London.

Both Ben Whishaw and Dame Judi Dench are appearing in “Peter & Alice” in Londons West End.

The play is excellent having seen it last month. The story is about the children Peter Pan & Alice In Wonderland were based on. This is the 1st time Judi and Ben have met as they didn’t during the making of “Skyfall”.

Anyway, it was also announced that this would be the last role for Dame Judi as she is retiring due to failing eyesight. So I knew I had one last chance at getting any items I needed signed. I have never seen so many people waiting for both of the stars of the play. A lot of adolescent girls for Ben and the more mature theatre goer and collectors for Dame Judi. 

I needed a couple of Bond photos doing for myself and a friend, a Bafta photo, a Cranford photo, 2 theatre books, Marilyn and Me dvd cover and a programme signed by Judi!

After 4 goes I am left with 1 theatre book, 1 dvd cover and a programme still unsigned. The reason being she has virtually stopped signing after the evening performances. Too much for her? Possibly.

Ben on the other hand is still signing away. For me, 3 photos for myself and a friend signed, 1 programme and 1 theatre book.

No photos with either achieved through too many people waiting, Dame Judi exiting via the front and also I have had them done previously over the last 2 years.

Next is the Audience with another Dame, this type Dame Helen Mirren. Another superb play. Dame Helen is not signing anything other than her book or play related items. I managed to get my programme signed, my ticket  signed by handing them to the stage door man to pass to her in her dressing room and 2 photos via mail though. The cast member I did have a photo for was Nathaniel Parker who starred in “Stardust”. He happily signed my photo. I now need to get my programme finished off by the remaining cast and a photo by Edward Fox.

My biggest fanboy fail was James McAvoy. 3 times in total. 1 time he had hurt his hand/eye and the other 2 times had left via the front exit leaving upto 50 people unhappy. But I did get Claire Foy to sign my “Upstairs Downstairs” photo.