The BILL NIGHY Experience

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE

________________________________________________________________

The Music Box Theatre in New York City, W. 45th St.		Meeting Bill - A Vertical Experience _________________________________________________________ November 2006: Susan Balée and her son Mark met Bill Nighy after ''the Vertical Hour'' in New York. (text and photos by Susan Balée) It is a fabulous performance by the master. I saw it earlier this week (for the first time -- I'm seeing it two more times). Bill commanded the stage from the first second he appeared. You can tell he is really a stage actor -- he uses all the space on the stage and is always interesting to look at, even when another character is talking. I'm not sure what all the reviews will say about this play (including my own -- because at the moment it seems to me a brilliant play about personal relationships somehow mixed into a didactic play about the war in Iraq and global politics), but I know they will say Bill Nighy deserves a Tony Award. He does!

My son and I also met him afterwards. The stage door is just to the left of the main doors on 46 St. and the actors do, indeed, all leave from it (ditto David Hare, whom we saw coming and going). Bill and Julianne Moore were the last to come out (their big black Mercedes' were waiting at the curb, one for each) and both kindly signed playbills, etc. I was last in the line and told him who I was as he was signing mine. He is incredible. He looked up then, remembered who I was from a letter and commented on it. He also remembered it was Mark's birthday (mentioned in my letter) and shook the boy's hand and wished him well. Dear Bill is not just a great actor, he is an incredibly nice man.	Mark and Susan Balée and the Big Apple (background)

Bill Nighy signing for a fan

However, I can say this. He is very tall, has beautiful hair, and is quite handsome in person. He still had some make-up on his face, which was a bit odd, but probably the norm for actors just getting out of plays all over Midtown Manhattan. He wore his glasses and a blue/white scarf, so not too much of his face was visible. He was wearing a nice jacket, perhaps a raincoat-kind of thing, to go with the scarf and grey trousers.

Of course I was astonished that he knew who I was and remembered that I had written a letter. In fact, he even said, "Oh, I'm so sorry I haven't responded to your letter, it's on my desk, but, as you can imagine, things have been MAD around here." He then threw up his hands, raised his eyebrows, and looked so hilariously Bill that my son began laughing. Mark was pretty amazed, of course, that this great actor remembered his birthday and shook his hand; and Bill also walked over and said hello to the friend I had with me. He thanked us very much for coming, for our support, and shook my hand again before he hopped into his big black car and they drove off.

Bill Nighy is not only the greatest stage actor I have ever seen, he is one hell of a gentleman. He gets my vote as man of the year.....

________________________________________________________________

back