Catching some fresh air at 7.02pm on Grey Street, outside the Theatre Royal in Newcastle just 28 minutes before I see two of my long time heroes
Ian McKellen and
Patrick Stewart on stage together when I do a double take, as a familiar face walks by.
"It's that guy!" I proclaim to the person I was with, raking my brain as to whether I knew the guy personally or whether he is an actor. She says
"yeah, yeah... here's really famous". So after a little bit of stalking, we work out it's character actor
Simon Callow, who I remember best as the drunk scotsman whose death is the funeral reference in the title of
Four Weddings and a Funeral. I text Simon the news, he tells me he is a Sir. Not actually true, he's a CBE. We got a photo snapped as Callow started to bring some attention outside of the theatre.
I hadn't realised he was in the play too (I thought it was just a two man show) and I was delighted to know another face in the production. Nice chap too.