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This is the longer version of the
Share Your Thoughts Section.
The purpose of this page is for
longer messages that do not fit in the other section.
Here, you're able to go more in-depth on whatever subject you choose --
as long as it has something to do with the Dame Judi and / or Michael
Williams Website.
Post a Message
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Name: Michelle
Location: Stockton, CA, USA
Date: June 26, 2007
I think that Dame Judi Dench is one of the most powerful actresses that I
have had the pleasure to see. My grandmother (God rest her soul) passed
away exactly one month(to the date) after her husband Michael,and we use
to watch all the BBC shows that would air over here for us, and A Fine
Romance along with As Time Goes By were two of her favorite shows. I have
always loved Judi Dench ever since I was a youth. I am honored to have
been alive during the same lifetime as Dame Judi Dench, and am able to
still watch shows and movies that have her performing on and/or in. I now
have my son watching As Time Goes By, and I hope that this will be a
tradition that continues on in my family. Keep up the great work Ms.
Dench, and remember that you will always have a loyal fan over here in the
states no matter what adventures, twists or turns life throws your way.
Like my mom use to tell me, "Keep on, keeping on!"
Name: Mary Frances K
Location: Tarpon Springs, FL
Date: May 13, 2007
I wanted to comment on the Winchester Festival in Winchester, England
which Judi is now overseeing as President and John Miller as Artistic
Director. I had the privilege of taking part in the 2001 Winchester
Festival as a member of the featured choir for that year -- The Tampa Bay
Master Chorale. This year's featured choir is The Cambridge Taverner
Choir. If anyone from the United States who frequents the DJD Chronology
Website is thinking of attending the Festival to enjoy the film portion
honoring Judi, I just wanted to let you know that the people and town of
Winchester are so welcoming and kind and the Festival as a whole is
something special, if you are looking for a more intimate English
experience that is not as "overwhelming" as London to participate in this
summer! Wish I could go back this year! Best Wishes to ALL! Mary Frances
Kirkpatrick, Tarpon Springs, FL.
Late Breaking News Page with info on the Winchester
Festival
Name: Sharon B
Location: San Jose California
Date: May 08, 2007
This is a review I wrote for Amazon of an excellent interview between
Charlie Rose and Dame Judi. There are four very good DVD's with these two.
Charlie Rose and Judi Dench, April 15, 2002 This two part DVD is of main
interest to me in the interview with Dame Judi Dench. The first interview
with Norman Ornstin and E.J. Dionne discusses the topic of campaign
finance as it was being dealt with in 2002. Dame Judi Dench has
interviewed with Charlie Rose at least twice before this interview (and
again later on December 6, 2005 with Stephen Frears who was working on THE
QUEEN at that time). So each was very comfortable with the other and the
repartee between the two delightful. This interview focused primarily on
the film IRIS for which Dame Judi had just been nominated for an Oscar.
She spoke of the "exquisite exhilaration of being nominated until you get
smacked in the face when somebody else goes up!" Iris Murdoch was a
heroine for Dench and she has had a fascination with her writing and sees
Murdoch as a great philosopher. Playing her, someone who had just recently
died, presented challenges that could not be compared with playing Queen
Victoria (MRS BROWN) who no one today really knew. She discusses the
various skills she utilized commenting that she had to be careful what
elements she put into "the recipe." Her goal was to play the character so
that she "added up to the sum of her." After the premiere when Dench met,
for the first time, Murdoch's husband, he told her he felt like they (he
and Dench) had been married for years. She was more like Iris in person
than in the film. Indeed Dench noted there were similarities between the
two women. Dench sees the film not as one about the disease of
Alzheimer's, but about "two extraordinary people who happened to find each
other." Rose carefully asked Dame Judi about the recent loss of her
husband, Michael Williams. She talked about going back to work very
quickly after his passing in January of 2001, doing three films one right
after the other (SHIPPING NEWS - with Kevin Spacey "who made me laugh a
lot," IRIS and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST) She said she did it because
"grief produces adrenalin and you can 'use' it and so why ever not use it
to a good purpose - not to say you grieve less." The interview ended with
questions and thoughts on why she works, why she doesn't watch her films,
why she has no desire to do any more directing, why she took on M in the
Bond films and what is the "petrol" that drives her. The final question
was on religion - Dench is a Quaker - and what her religion means to her.
An excellent interview, very insightful about a remarkable actress and
person. Many clips from IRIS are used throughout the interview.
Charlie Rose with Judi Dench; Maggie Smith (August 28, 2002)
Website Online Store -- Interview Section
Name: Glenda P, NC,
USA
Subject: Dame Judi's Portrait in the USA
Date: May 08, 2007
Peggy S from Ohio sent me this link. I thought some of the US citizens
would like to take this opportunity to see the Dame Judi portrait while it
is in our country. What a great treasure.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?node=cityguide/profile&id=1134174&nm=0
"Dame Judi Dench is here as
well. At more than nine feet tall, her 2004 portrait by Alessandro Raho is
a lot taller than she is."
Website's Webpage about this Portrait
Name: Glenda P, NC,
USA
Date: May 02, 2007
Chris: I want to thank you for providing this wonderful site which enables
the fans of Dame Judi to be kept knowledgeable about the current
happenings in Dame Judi's schedule and life. This site also opens
communication between individuals with the same likes and ideals. A year
ago I simply posted a comment on this site asking if tickets for "Fond and
Familiar" were still available. A UK fan named Ms Pauline answered my post
and a wonderful friendship evolved. In less than 1 year, I have traveled
to the UK to see DJD perform and each time met Ms Pauline and enjoyed the
performance together. I have just had the pleasure of entertaining Ms
Pauline and her step daughter and son in law in my home for 11 days. What
a delight these UK guest were. Ms Pauline is close to the age of DJD and
this was her first visit to our country. I filled them full of southern
cooking, seafood, southern hospitality and the sights and sounds of the
North and South Carolina coast. Their friendship is something that my
husband and I will treasure for a life time. This is a photo of Ms
Pauline, myself and her step daughter Judy at the Hard Rock Cafe in Myrtle
Beach, SC.
Click on the link to view a
photo of Glenda and Pauline:
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/7638/paulinesusvisit075nm2.jpg
Again thank you Chris for
making this wonderful friendship possible.
You're welcome, Glenda.
It's always good to hear that this website brings people together from
all over the world whether it's in person or via the internet. Chris
M, Webmistress
Name: Joann
Location: Singapore
Date: May 01, 2007
I absolutely love Judi Dench. She is such a brilliant actress and puts so
much into every role she plays. She also comes across as a lady with a
great sense of humour! Thank you Judi for all the wonderful entertainment
you have provided over the years!
Name: Vikki W
Location: lawton, ok usa
Date: April 25, 2007
i love Dame Judi and i think she is a remarkable actress.... i recently
saw the movie 'Queen' and i feel the acting left a lot to be desired. I
think the Dame Judi would have made a much better Queen... she could give
the role the dignity that it deserved. i agree with the way they portrayed
the queen,, but i feel the acting wasn't very good.. i just wanted to say
that i think no one could do it as well as Dame Judi would have done. love
you Dame judi
Name: Patricia W
Location: Georgetown, Texas
Subject: Notes on a Scandal
Date: April 19, 2007
The commentary done by Director Richard Eyre as the movie plays in the
background is very interesting and gives the viewer a special look into
the characters. This is found in the "Special Features" section on the new
DVD. I think this is a wonderful tribute to the acting career of our
favorite Dame Judi Dench.
Name: Andrew Dench
Location: Elkhart Indiana US
Subject: Are we related
Date: April 17, 2007
Dear Judi, My name is Andrew Dench and I i wondering if we are related. My
brother and Sister say that you are our grandpas cousin but I am not sure
if you are please talk back. We may be relatives. Sincerly, Andrew Dench
Name: Marisetta M
Location: Arizona
Subject: Thoughts on the collection
Date: April 15, 2007
During the past two weeks I have watched most of the DVDs in the
collection. Fascinating to compare the two editions of Cherry Orchard:
definitely Judi beats Peggy Ashcroft as Mme. Ranevsky. "Talking to a
stranger" and "Can you hear me thinking" are my favorite plays in the
collection, Judi is marvelous in both of them. I'm always amazed at her
ability to play such different characters so convincingly, to the point of
even looking like a different person. She can be alternately regal and
impish, raunchy and sentimental, dowdy and sexy, vulgar and classy. As for
one of my favorite scenes, it is in "Mrs. Henderson presents", when she is
having lunch with Lord Cromer in the tent in the park and they discuss the
"midlands", and she bursts out "You mean the pussy"! I think she is
hilarious. However what I never tire of watching are ATGB and AFR.
Name: Sharon Breden
Subject: DVD review on NOAS from TIME Magazine 4/16/07
Date: April 14, 2007
UNMISSABLE Notes on a Scandal On DVD April 17 Star quality, or startling
beauty, can be an affront to the rest of us, stirring envy and rancor.
That may be what drives Barbara (Judi Dench), a drab, old teacher at a
London school, to latch and leech onto a new instructor, the stunning,
vulnerable, morally floundering Sheba (Cate Blanchett). Sad meets bad - or
is it mad? - in this knowing, brutal comedy. Dench has maybe her best-ever
movie role: a queen bee who deals in the honey of treachery.
Name: Glenda P, NC, USA
Location: Wilmington, NC USA
Subject: DJD coming to Stratford soon
Date: March 30, 2007
RSC throws open the doors
by Clare Fitzsimmons 30/03/2007
THE STARS will be out in Stratford to bid a final farewell to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at the RSC's annual Open Day later this month.
The event, on April 29, will be a triple celebration marking the end of its year-long Complete Works Festival, Shakespeare's birthday and the closure of its main house ahead of the £100 million transformation.
To mark the unique point in the RSC’s history, there will be an opportunity to say goodbye to the current RST stage with backstage tours throughout the weekend, as well as a host of events taking place on the actual Open Day.
As well as workshops and events, the RSC will host a specially commissioned musical concert, a Shakespeare quiz, a football match, backstage and star tours. And star names including Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Juliet Stevenson and Patrick Stewart will be involved.
Highlights include RSC artists Sinead Cusack, Antony Sher and Juliet Stevenson sharing their memories of performing on the RST stage, along with RSC Artistic Director, Michael Boyd and former Artistic Directors, Terry Hands, Adrian Noble and Trevor Nunn.
There will also be:
• The RSC In Concert: The RSC Band and RSC Director of Music, John Woolf, presenting music from the company's recent history to commemorate 75 years of the RST.
• Shakespeare: How The Text Helps the Actor: Veteran director John Barton reuniting two of the country’s leading actors, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen, in an exploration of how to make meaning out of text in performance.
• Travelling With Shakespeare: Broadcaster Michael Wood leading a discussion with international directors on how Shakespeare translates across the globe.
• The Great Shakespeare Quiz: Gyles Brandreth as quizmaster leading two teams including Sinead Cusack, Judi Dench, Michael Wood, Ian McKellen, David Warner, Donald Sinden and Juliet Stevenson.
• Match of The Day: Dion Dublin acts as referee as the Yorks and the Lancasters from the current Histories Acting Ensemble battle it out in a football match.
For full details of the day’s programme, times, venues and costs visit www.rsc.org.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0844 800 1110.
Name: Carolyn Taylor
Location: Stratford, England
Subject: RSC Open Day
Date: March 29, 2007
Chris- Judi's next appearance will
be in Stratford. It is the RSC Open Day - a day of workshops,
discussions and events celebrating 75 years of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the close of The Complete Works Festival. At mid-day John Barton talks with Judi and Ian McKellen on how Shakespeare's text helps the actor. In the evening Judi is joined by Sinead Cusack, Ian McKellen, Antony Sher, Donald Sinden, Juliet Stevenson, David Warner and Michael Wood at the Courtyard Theatre for the Great Shakespeare Quiz!
Thought you might like to know that I went to see "The Merchant of Venice" performed by the Theatre for a New Audience based in New York, with F. Murray Abraham playing Shylock. An absolutely brilliant performance with rave reviews.
Name: Liza H.
Location: San Francisco CA
Subject: I Love Judi Dench !!!
Date: March 25, 2007
This evening I had the opportunity to watch Ms. Dench perform in "Notes of
a Scandal" in a tiny San Francisco fine art theatre. I so much enjoyed
watching Judi perform and act as as an older woman. These days it's so
rare to see older women perform on screen. Judi is not only beautiful, but
capable of letting her guard down and "letting it all hang out." I love
Judi. Her performance was brilliant. Me, as a woman in her 30's, I am so
honored to witness Judi Dench act today, portraying an older woman in
moddern society; it's about !@$%# time. Sincerely, Liza H. SF
Name: Glenda P, NC,
USA
Location: Wilmington, NC USA
Subject: DJD Thank You Letter
Date: March 23, 2007
Yesterday I received a Thank You letter from DJD for the "Get Well"
scrapbook. The letter was dated 3-16-07 and reads as follows:
**********************************
Dear Glenda and Michael,
Thank you so much for that magnificent scrapbook of good wishes. I cannot
imagine how long it must have taken you to put it all together, and then
to wrap it so beautifully - and the pink bear is just the icing on the
cake! Thank you so much for your kindness. I hope you can pass on my
thanks and appreciation to all the contributors. With best wishes, Judi
**********************************
The pink bear statement
refers to a small pink teddy bear that I included in the package. A copy
of the letter is posted on the Yahoo Message Board Photo site. You will
find the letter in the DJD Get Well Book folder. It is the last photo.
Again I want to say that it was my pleasure to work on this project. Doing
the project gave me the opportunity to correspond with the most wonderful
people that frequent this site.
Name: Marisetta
Magliocco
Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA
Subject: DJD projects
Date: March 08, 2007
Thanks, Pauline, for your update on DJD health. I have learned from
another message board that she will star in a BBC serial this summer; a
costume drama called "Crawford Chronicles". Any of you heard anything
about it?
Note to
Marisetta: check out the
Current / Recent / Future Projects Page
on this website for the info
Name: Pauline Graves
Location: Leicestershire, England
Subject: Get Well Book
Date: March 08, 2007
I have rung Judi's agent today, to see if the parcel had arrived with the
get well cards....Yes it had arrived today, and will be taken to her very
soon. Asked how Judi was...She is doing very well and is now out of
hospital. Best wishes to all, Pauline UK.
Name: Glenda P, NC,
USA
Location: Wilmington, NC
Subject: DJD Get Well Book
Date: February 26, 2007
I have now finished the "Get Well" book for DJD. I want to thank everyone
who participated. The response was fantastic. Each page was very different
and reflected the personality of the individual fan that submitted it. You
artistic and poetic abilities are wonderful but most of all each page
revealed a deep love, respect and appreciation for this great lady. I hope
you are all happy with the end result. If your page is featured in the
photo album and you want it removed, just let me know. I tried to
photograph a variety of styles submitted to me. Thank you again for
allowing me to do this project.
Glenda P North Carolina
PS Thank you to everyone who
has sent donations to help with the cost. It is truly appreciated.
Note: Thanks to Mary Frances
K. and Glenda P. for organizing the Get Well Message Book
that was sent to Dame Judi on Monday, Feb 26th ... you can view some of
pages submitted by
clicking on this link
Name: Glenda P,
Location: NC, USA
Subject: DJD - Stratford Visit
Date: February 21, 2007
I wanted to share the photos that I took of DJD while in Stratford on Feb
2nd and 3rd to see MWOW. We arrived in Stratford on Friday afternoon and
settled into our hotel, The Shakespeare Hotel which was wonderful. After
eating some lunch we walked around the quaint village and visited the
Teddy Bear Shop. Stratford is like stepping back in time. On Friday
evening around 10 PM we went to the stage door of the RS Theatre to greet
DJD as she exited. There was only a small crowd waiting and since they had
attended the show that evening we stood back and let the paying patrons
greet DJD, make photos and get her autograph first. When she finished with
them she walked up to Mike and I and greeted us. When Mike asked her if
she remembered us coming over from NC last year she said yes she
remembered he was there for his birthday. Her memory must be incredible.
She visited with us about 15 or 20 minutes and she was happy, funny and
very talkative. She asked us to please meet Finty and Sammy as they were
visiting her for the weekend and they were both very sweet and friendly.
We told her we had seen NOAS and Mike commented that she had scared him.
She said the part scared her also. We compared watching her face on screen
very much like watching a person with multiple personalities as you could
see the change of mood or personality before she ever spoke a word. I
teased her and asked if she had considered counseling and she laughed and
said maybe she should. She walked with us to her vehicle and told us to
make sure we came to the stage door on Saturday night after we saw the
show so that she could sign our programs. On Saturday night we attended
the evening performance and it was great. After the show we stood in the
freezing cold for about 1 hour until she came out. The crowd was much
larger and DJD did not have on a heavy coat so when she finished with the
others and walked up to us it was obvious she was exhausted and cold so we
encouraged her to quickly get into her vehicle and go home. There was a
heavy frost on her vehicle so Mike asked if she had a scraper for her
windows so that he could scrape the frost off for her. She laughed and
said that she did not have a scraper so Mike and Finty scraped the windows
with their credit cards while DJD sat inside and laughed and encouraged
them by yelling “oh thank you” and “that is wonderful” and “that is
perfect”. I have included a photo of the window scrapers hard at work with
DJD sitting inside. Sammy was also in the car but because I am not
comfortable showing a child’s photo on the internet, I have cropped him
out. There is also a photo of Jeffrey Dench included. As usual seeing DJD
in person is a wonderful experience. I encourage all her fans to make the
effort to see her in a live production and to meet her. She is a giant
talent housed in a tiny, shy, kind, and lovely being. I am not sure we
have such a celebrity here in the USA.
Click here to view the photos -- you need to be signed in to the DJD /
MW Yahoo Group
If the above
link doesn't work -- go to the
MW / DJD Yahoo Group Message Board
and click
on the Photo Section to the left of the page. Click on Next to go to
the second page of the Section.
Open the Folder named "Stratford February 2nd and 3rd, 2007".
Thanks to Glenda P, USA, for sharing this
Name: Marisetta M.
Location: Arizona, USA
Subject: Judi's brooch
Date: February 23, 2007
Pauline, what a beautiful story!and what a lovely picture of Judi. Thanks
for sharing. You are lucky!
Name: Pauline G.
Location: Leicestershire, England
Subject: Judi's Cameo Brooch
Date: February 23, 2007
For anyone who is interested, Judi's brooch with the ladies head on it. I
was in Stratford at the beginning of February and met Judi at the stage
door. I had a photo of her that I wanted her to sign for me, the one at the
Flower show last year, she was dressed in a black suit with a red scarf
over her shoulder with the cameo brooch on.. Well she said she had never
seen that picture before, and oh look, I am wearing my broooch.. She then
went on to say how much she loved it, it had been her Mothers and her
Grandmothers before that and was passed down the family. It would be
Finty's next. Both Finty and Sammy were with her and they all stayed
chatting for some time. It was wonderful to meet Judi as a Mum and Granny,
not just the as the best actress ever. A night to remember always. Pauline
Click here to see the photo of Dame Judi at the
Chelsea Flower Show
Click here to see another photo of Dame Judi wearing
the brooch
Click here for a close up of a pin the Suzie M.
made for me using that photo
Name: Cydny B
Location: Lanc.
Subject: Judi Dench
Date: February 19, 2007
My mother showed me Judi Dench one night while visiting her home and I
have loved her since she is an excellent actress and so beautiful at
heart. I will watch anything with her in. Wonderful actress.
Name: Mary Frances K.
Location: Tarpon Springs, FL
Subject: Seven Last Words
Date: February 19, 2007
Just wanted to thank Carolyn for her comments on Judi and Jeffrey's
performance in "The Seven Last Words." My Husband and I were in Stratford
from Jan 24 -Jan 31 and I was sorry that we had to miss it and was
wondering how it turned out. But you are so correct Carolyn, Judi Dench is
such a wonderful, down to earth person and she makes time for her fans.
She is so "unhollywood" if that's a word. When I saw her in her English
surroundings, especially Stratford, where she and Michael spend so many
years, then I understood. It's a very peaceful life there. And the English
people are wonderful. We met so many friends in just the short time we
were there! It will be a while before we go back but we will be back to
England -- and it will be to see Judi again I'm sure in what ever she's
doing on stage!
Name: Carolyn T.
Location: Stratford, England
Subject: DJD - an amazing lady
Date: February 17, 2007
I read your note Chris, and although I have nothing more to add to the
latest news I thought that you might like to hear just how amazing the
lady is, whom we all admire so much I have been living in Stratford since
October and from the beginning of December I've so enjoyed seeing Judi
flash by in her "flash car" often with the roof down. We've had an
incredible mild winter here! As well as 8 performances a week her schedule
for public appearances and interviews for the press and TV have been
incredible. And I'm sure I know only half of it!! I went to the Word and
Music Festival-The Seven Last Words- on Sunday evening February 4th. Judi
and brother Jeffrey and fellow actor Jamie Glover read extracts from a
play by David Hare. Dennis Potter, Shakespeare, John Donne and the
Bible, as well as others being included. Some serious and many amusing
pieces which brought laughter to a packed Civic Hall. In between the words
the string quartet played Haydn. Altogether a beautifully constructed
programme. Before the concert Judi had been asked to open the new box
office at the Civic Hall with all the dignitaries attending. On Tuesday
evening after the evening performance the cast of MWofW put on a late
night cabaret to raise money in aid of the spire and tower appeal for the
Church where Shakespeare is buried. On Saturday the 10th saw the final two
performances of MWofW. Anybody who has seen the musical will know that the
part of Mistress Quickly is physically demanding. However the next
night Judi was back in London attending the BAFTA ceremony! And the
following day at the Berlin Film Festival! Makes me feel exhausted
just thinking about it-and all this with a very painful swollen knee!
Truly amazing! Chris I don't know whether you want to go "public" with
this - that's up to you. I just wanted to let you know why I admire this
lady so much! Hope the snow has melted!
Thanks to Carolyn T, UK, who "inspired" me to
start this section ;-)
Name:
Chris M, Webmistress
Location: Illinois, USA
Subject: Contributions to the Website
Date: February 16, 2007
I always try to
make a point of giving the people who contribute items to this website the
credit they so
deserve but after making the additions to the website today, that just
doesn't seem good enough. For
someone like me who is stuck in the sub-zero snow-covered boonies of the
US Midwest to be able to
watch these videos and see the photos of Dame Judi "in action" so to speak
is a very special treat.
So -- when I say a "Very Special Thank You"
-- I really mean it. Without people like Anke, Lisa
and Marie (to name just a few), this website would be pretty darn boring
...
Thanks for
Sharing !
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