our patron? sir mark rylance!

We did something amazing at the end of January. 

For years now Gerald has been telling us how he is freinds with the acclaimed stage actor. Mark Rylance. Obviously we didn't quite believe him and so we referred to him as 'Gerald's Imaginary Friend' and much teasing ensued for many months. He even claimed to have met him and to have had an email exchange where encouragement was apparently forthcoming and we were hoping, perhaps only dreaming, that Mark would agree to being our Patron. Eventually one of the emails requesting his patronage of the company netted the result "I thought I already was". The teasing was over. Mark Rylance is real and Gerald knows him.

Our Patron
Sir Mark (Oscar winning) Rylance

Gerald and his non imaginary friend

We were elated when Mark invited us up to London, to the Harold Pinter Theatre, to perform Little Cuts in one of the bars at the theatre for him. He also generously paid for us all to watch him perform later that evening in Nice Fish.  

January 23rd

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Show time

We did it: the end of the play

We take our bow and thank our musician

Time was limited with the bar staff needing to set up for the theatre's opening. Mark took the time to voice his support of us and praise our performance. Then he invited us to meet him after his performance that evening. 

A quick meal before the main event

Nice Fish

Nice Fish was incredible. We cannot do justice to it here but it was surreal, beautiful, really funny and heart-touchingly poignant. The effects were fantastic and very clever and all of the performances were beyond brilliant. Having just talked to Mark, and seen how kind, self-deprecating and genuine he was, to see him in his element was breath taking and inspirational.  It's moved to New York now as it was near the end of its run when we saw it but if there is anyway you can see it? Do. I cannot recommend it enough.

"Not so imaginary now, huh?"