Upcoming U.S. TV appearances of Judi Dench

COMMENTS

Here's an interview with Geoffrey Palmer that ran on The Ernie Almond Show: Three Counties Radio.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 6:25 (PDT)

Hi Bonnie, We love your site, look in on it daily for news of the ATGB cast and what they are up to these days. Just read Sue from Portland's comment about Doc Martin, I agree it's a great show. She didn't mention that Stephanie Cole [Diana from Waiting for God] plays his aunt so I thought I'd add that bit of info. MUCH LOVE TO YA! NOTE FROM BONNIE: Even better! She's one of my favorites. UPDATE: Thanks to Sue and LiseMarie for recommending Doc Martin. I just finished watching Episode 1 (which also featured Celia Imrie -- in her only appearance on the show) and I enjoyed both the show and the wonderfully scenic location shots. I'll watch the rest of the episodes in the next few days. It was a nice gift to myself.

LiseMarie
USA -- Monday, August 30, 2010 at 6:08 (PDT)

CLARE DANES WINS FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES -- Unfortunately, Judi was up against tough competition tonight in the form of Clare Danes for her work in Temple Grandin. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, this was a once-in-a-lifetime role and Danes should be congratulated on her well-deserved win.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, August 29, 2010 at 20:10 (PDT)

My husband and I have just discovered another wonderful British comedy, called Doc Martin. It stars Martin Clunes, who plays a brilliant country doctor with ashberger traits, who saves a life in each episode while putting up with the quirks of the locals and falling in love with a beautiful school teacher. I haven't laughed so often since ATGB. NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for the recommendation, Sue. This is not the first time Martin Clunes has been mentioned in these pages. He was also in a series called William and Mary.

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Friday, August 24, 2010 at 21:10 (PDT)

Note that although this article references Judi's expected appearance in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, I have yet to see that this deal has been finalized.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, August 27, 2010 at 8:35 (PDT)

I have only just discovered your website -- after being a dedicated fan of ATGB for well over a decade. I wish I'd known about it when I was in the UK last month. Having just returned from London, it will probably be a year at least before I can visit again to try and find the exact location of Jean's House in Holland Park.

One of your readers named Carolyn from Peoria in Illinois writes on June 27, 2010, that she was able to find most of the locations in Holland Park including Jean's House. I searched in vain for Jean's House and asked several passers-by in Holland Park for help, but they all looked at me as if I was from Mars! Do you think you (or Carolyn) could let me know the exact name of the street in Holland Park that was used as the location of her home? I'd really appreciate it very much.

I look forward to hearing from you and thank you so much for the superb job you are doing in keeping all ATGB fans connected. I had no idea there was such a devout fan-following out there. Thought I was the only nutter!

Take care and stay well.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Sorry to have taken so long to post this comment, but I have been on vacation this past week and, for once, decided not to bring my computer. I did have access to my email, though, and wrote this response to Rochelle earlier in the week:

Since you are new to the website I'm sure you don't know that yours is the most frequently asked question and it is one that I will never answer. I have promised the producers I would not direct people to that location and, frankly, it would never have occurred to me to do so. People actually live there and I can understand why they would not want this [their address] posted. There is some scary stuff going on out there, for sure. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if someone wanted to walk up the stairs and have their picture taken in front of "the door." I wouldn't want to be responsible for that. That's my opinion, anyway, and I will not keep this subject alive by posting reactions to this policy.

Rochelle
Southport, CT USA -- Monday, August 23, 2010 at 11:08 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 9:03 (PDT)

The 2010 Creative Arts Emmys were awarded on Saturday night. Return to Cranford won in two of four nominated categories: Cinematography and Costumes. The categories of Art Direction and Hairstyling were won by The Pacific and Emma, respectively.

And a reminder that the Primetime Emmy Awards will be televised Sunday, August 29 on NBC (8 p.m. EDT). Return to Cranford will be vying for three awards: Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Made for TV Movie (Judi Dench), Supporting Actor... (Jonathan Price), and Miniseries.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 20:58 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 11:20 (PDT)

This 8 part video of The Browning Version is also new to YouTube. The description: The Browning Version (1985) Starring Judi Dench and Ian Holme (sic) was broadcast on British TV and was nominated for the 1986 BAFTA TV Award for Best Single Drama. The Terence Rattigan play has been produced several times and this version is perhaps the most obscure. Directed by Michael A. Simpson, it tells the story of Andrew Crocker-Harris, an embittered and disliked teacher of Greek and Latin at a British prep school. After nearly 20 years of service, he is being forced to retire on the pretext of his health, and perhaps may not even be given a pension. The boys regard him as overly strict, with some justification. His wife Laura (Judi Dench) is unfaithful, and lives to wound him any way she can. Andrew must come to terms with his failed life and regain at least his own self-respect. This recording is nearly complete and has survived since broadcast in 1985 on video tape. That was, of course, Ian Holm who starred in the production and I don't know what it means when the uploader says "this recording is nearly complete."

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 14:01 (PDT)

This 7 part video of Love in a Cold Climate is new to YouTube . Based on two novels, "The Pursuit of Love" and "Love in a Cold Climate" by Nancy Mitford it stars Judi Dench (and Michael Williams). This 1980 production is about 90 minutes long, so set aside a block of time and go directly to the link so that you can watch it in sequence.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 14:46 (PDT)

Mary Michel
Louisiana, USA -- Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at 17:21 (PDT)

Matthew Gladney
Champaign-Urbana, IL USA -- Monday, August 2, 2010 at 8:29 (PDT)

Click Photo to Play

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, August 1, 2010 at 12:53 (PDT)

Here's an article from BBC News retracing the events of last night's Prom 19. Judi really gave a masterful performance right down to the tear in her eye at the end of the performance. I think I got goosebumps when she first walked in and it truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be there for the live performance. I think most people, up until the beginning of the week, did not expect to see her there and had their tickets in hand before it was ever announced. What a great surprise! She said she was nervous, but she certainly remained focused during the performance and it was fun to watch her try to settle herself down during that loving and well-deserved ovation that preceded her song. It would have been hard for her not to react to such a show of emotion from the audience. I wanted to thank Marian for sending me the clip of the final song, Side by Side (from Company) and the appearance of Stephen Sondheim, who was clearly moved. I'm not sure why some of the video is wavy, but you'll be able to see what happened and the parts with Judi are clear. I will post the picture of Judi about to embrace Stephen and the link to the video above.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, August 1, 2010 at 10:00 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 2:50 (PDT)

I should have mentioned that the opening credits sequence for Activision's James Bond 007: Blood Stone was recently released and features a song written and performed by Joss Stone. The game also features an all-star cast of voice talent, including current Bond guy Daniel Craig, as well as Judi Dench (as 'M'). I really don't know one game system from the other, but I know that Goldeneye will be coming out in November for DS and you can read more about Blood Stone and Goldeneye here.

Judi, as is her custom, attended Sandringham again this year and right there with her was Maggie Smith. Frankly, I have yet to find a flattering picture of the pair of them and so I'll just let you know she's keeping herself busy. Particularly tonight. You can listen to the Sondheim at 80 Prom 19 on Radio 3. Video will not be available in the US on the BBC player.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 10:57 (PDT)

Another thank you to Phil Watson for letting me know that Harry No. 2 -- Daniel Ryan -- is scheduled to appear in a new TV comedy called Just William.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 11:22 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 1l:15 (PDT)

Thanks to Nancy for alerting me to the audio recording Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde: In Aid of the Royal Theatrical Fund [Unabridged]. For those in the U.S. here is a link to Amazon which offers several different formats so be sure to order the one you want. I've also posted it in the Atgbcentral Amazon U.S. store. For those in the U.K., details on obtaining the recording are available at Marc Sinden Productions website.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, July 26, 2010 at 17:17 (PDT)

Sondheim's birthday was in March and it has been celebrated many times since. The tribute will be this Saturday at the Royal Albert Hall.

This particular show is part of Proms 2010 The World's Greatest Classical Music Festival (July 16 to September 11). The linked article does not mention that Judi will actually be singing, but this one does -- so your guesses based on these articles are as good as mine. In any case there will be a live broadcast and the link for listen again is on the page, but not yet clickable.

Other than that performance there is not too much else going on. Judi has been involved with her various charities and promotions. She opened a 116-bedroom hotel -- the Marriott Lingfield Park Hotel and Country Club which is built trackside and adjacent to the 18-hole Surrey championship golf course: she donated the grey Armani suit she wore while starring in Bond film Casino Royale to Alder Hey's Imagine Appeal -- it will be auctioned alongside other clothes at Alder Hey's Clothes Throw event in October and she has been given another Honorary Degree (this time at Nottingham Trent University along with Billy Connolly and Sir David Attenborough). And the rumors seem to be getting hotter about Judi's involvement in the "Marigold Hotel" project with Maggie Smith and John Madden, but nothing has been finalized.

Geoffrey recently opened a charity art exhibition in Amersham. The exhibition has ended. Thanks to Phil for letting me know that Executive Stress is available from Amazon UK. IF YOU CLICK ON THIS LINK IT WILL LEAD YOU TO THE DVD WHICH IS PLAYABLE IN REGION 2, SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE REQUIRED EQUIPMENT. It is also posted in the Atgbcentral Amazon UK store link (above). It is not available in Region 1 format at this time.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, July 26, 2010 at 8:17 (PDT)

I hope this finds you well and that you are enjoying your summer!

Christopher Toth
St. Louis, Missouri USA -- Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 23:07(PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Monday, July 12, 2010 at 10:26 (PDT)

You can read all about An Evening of Poetry with Geoffrey Palmer. Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust's reserve at Warburg was the perfect setting on a warm sunny evening as guests listened to the Butterflies actor Geoffrey Palmer read poetry and prose in tribute to the Chilterns countryside. I tried to find out when this event was held, but I really don't know just how recently it was held. In any case, it's over now. The web site mentioned "Butterflies" and yesterday I happened to find this photo of Geoffrey and Carla Lane (the writer of Butterflies), so I'll post that right here. The linked site has some photos of the event, but they are pretty small.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, July 11, 2010 at 11:01 (PDT)

By the way, the presentation tonight is "Murder" on the Orient Express.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for catching that, Joan. I corrected it in the comment below.

Joan in PA
USA -- Sunday, July 11, 2010 at 8:43 (PDT)

And speaking of William Chubb, I've been told by our anonymous contributor that he was in two plays recently with Judi Dench; he was in Hay Fever in 2007 at the Theatre Royal Haymarket playing Richard Greatham, a diplomat invited down for the weekend by Judith Bliss and in 2010 he was in A Midsummer Night's Dream playing both Egeus, Hermia's father, and then Robin Starveling, one of the Mechanicals who played Moonshine in Pyramus and Thisbe.

And while I'm sort of on the subject, there is a new Poirot (Poirot X) on Masterpiece Mystery tonight. Actually it is a reworking of Murder on the Orient Express starring David Suchet. There was a one hour special on PBS this last week showing David Suchet making the trip on and showing off the Orient Express. I'm not sure if it will be repeated, but I just checked and found it online and it will be available until August 6, 2010. Here's the description:

Celebrated actor David Suchet sets aside his alter ego Hercule Poirot to step aboard one of the world's most iconic trains in the documentary David Suchet on the Orient Express: A Masterpiece Special. From London, Suchet travels to Calais in northern France to board the Venice Simplon Orient Express, and begins his 2,000-mile journey through six countries, with a breathtaking stop in Venice on the way to Prague. The delightful Suchet revels in the artistry and beauty of the train, and explores its attraction for Agatha Christie, who used it as the setting for one of her most recognized novels. With the incisive inquisitiveness of Poirot, Suchet also traces the history of the Orient Express from its elegant beginnings to its tumultuous final days, and how its legacy has lived on. Come aboard for a charming and insightful view of the timeless Orient Express.

Joan in PA
USA -- Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 14:55 (PDT)

	NOTE FROM BONNIE: According to the IMDB the name of the man who played the hotel manager in 2 episodes was William Chubb and he also appeared in one episode of Poirot as "Blake" in "The Double Clue" in 1991. Maybe you saw this episode last week. He was in the cast list for episodes 2 and 5 of ATGB in the year 1992 and that's a screenshot of William Chubb on the left.

Joan in PA
USA -- Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 12:11 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 8:59 (PDT)

You have two more days to listen to all episodes of Mark Tavener's High Table, Lower Orders, Series One so if you have a chance to listen today , you should probably take it. High Table, Lower Orders is a BBC Radio 4 comedy-drama murder mystery written by the late Mark Tavener and set in a fictional Cambridge college in crisis. The title refers to the custom of High Table and the murder and skullduggery that occurs in the series. Peter Devanti, a notorious TV populariser of history, dies after being the college's guest at High Table. The apparent cause is eating nuts despite a known allergy. However the college's Master suspects foul play. He invites Simon Harrison, a formerly brilliant student who is condemned to work in the Health and Safety Executive, to investigate the death. The plot thickens as the Master himself dies, and the various fellows, including the Machiavellian Gilbert, compete to be his replacement. Meanwhile the list of people who might have wanted Peter Devanti dead keeps growing. Billed as a comedy drama, this six part radio play is an outstanding example of the form. You can read a chapter by chapter breakdown here.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 8:49 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Friday, July 9, 2010 at 13:51 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: I remember that I knew those words were on the headstone. When I was going to post it I searched for a long time to find them on my site and when I wasn't able to find them I went through the Curiosities section (particularly on Pages 32 and 33) to see if I could find the context of the quote. It was enjoyable to revisit those links (including the one of Michael's reading of Valentine). I was still unable to find a link. Oddly enough I was going to quit at that because the search box should find the word "bereft" wherever it is on my site and it was not found. It occurred to me that it might not find it on the comments page and while I was writing this reaction to your comment I decided to do a search on this page and, sure enough, that's where I found all the information I have. You can search on this page for "bereft" and it will lead you to an interesting comment I wrote on May 29, 2008. I think the memories of Trevor Nunn are probably what you were thinking about, Sue. Anyway, thanks for helping me resolve this issue of how I came across this knowledge, and perhaps you are right about how it came to be quoted on the headstone.

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Friday, July 9, 2010 at 11:15 (PDT)

Thank goodness there were no outstanding women competing against Judi in the Pacific, which will probably win for Best Miniseries. From what I can see, those two titles are the only two in the miniseries competion and they really are apples and oranges. The only other performance I saw in Judi's category was Clare Danes' in Temple Grandin and she was wonderful in that once-in-a-lifetime role. I think that Judi really does have a shot at it this year, but it is not a snap. Thanks to those of you whose comments alerted me to this morning's announcement.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 10:20 (PDT)

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 9:36 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 9:23 (PDT)

As many may already be aware, the Primetime Emmy nominations were announced this morning. Return to Cranford received 7 nominations, including Outstanding Miniseries (up against only one other nomination: The Pacific). Judi was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (amongst the other four nominees was Maggie Smith for Capturing Mary). Jonathan Pryce was also nominated as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his role as Mr. Buxton in Return to Cranford.

This is Judi's third Emmy nomination (with no awards), having previously received the nod for Cranford and Last of the Blonde Bombshells. Perhaps she'll come out on top this time.

While watching the announcements this morning, I found it a bit curious that Judi was referred to as "Dame Judi Dench", but Maggie Smith wasn't afforded the same courtesy.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 8:20 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: PBS is constantly reminding us of the high cost of ATGB. I would think they'd save a lot of money by buying a program that does not have as large a catalog and has a potential for attracting viewers who have come to know more about Judi Dench over the years. Judi and Michael both look so comfortable playing off each other and I'm really enjoying this second viewing.

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 10:15 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 10:09 (PDT)

A rose inspired by Dame Judi Dench is set to be the hit of the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The sale of these roses will benefit the Sheringham Theatre. Getting your hands on one of these roses is not as easy as it may appear to be. And they do not ship to the US. I looked around the website, but wasn't able to find information regarding drama queen or Sheringham roses. You may have better luck or you can call them directly to find out when these roses will ship -- according to the website they ship during the rose's dormant period. Read about our experiences with Dr. Dave's Judi Dench roses.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 10:09 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Apparently you missed it when I first mentioned it on this page on December 15, 2009. Scroll down to that date to read several obits and scroll up for quite a few comments made by our readers after that announcement. You were probably busy with the holidays.

I read the newsletter and was saddened to have the Dawn French/Lenny Henry split confirmed after a long period of speculation.

Joan in PA
USA -- Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 14:09 (PDT)

I thought I had previously posted this photo of Michael William's headstone, but I can't find it at the moment and so I'm posting it now for those of you who write to me looking for places to see when in the UK. Michael is buried at St. Leonard's Church Charlecote, Warwickshire. For 12 years, Dench and Michael Williams lived six miles outside Stratford at a converted stables in the village of Charlecote. The line in the epitaph was spoken by Bassanio in "Merchant of Venice." . . . but wait, I also found the line in Troilus and Cressida, spoken by Troilus. Both quotes are directed at a lady. Since my schooldays are over, I'll leave it to the Shakespeare scholars to quibble over meaning.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 9:09 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, July 2, 2010 at 17:34 (PDT)

Paul McCartney and Kevin Spacey sang a duet to "Hey Jude" and dedicated it to Judi Dench. Read more about what went on at the star-packed event.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, July 2, 2010 at 7:15 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Thursday, July 1, 2010 at 10:15 (PDT)

Thank you again for this great website and for keeping us all informed about these wonderful actors.

I am just back from London and on your site I saw that Finty Williams was performing in, 'Bedroom Farce'. I was fortunate to see an afternoon show (after flying all night). It was worth losing the sleep. Finty looks very much like her mother.

I also spent some days looking for filming locations for ATGB. I had a good day in the Holland Park area and was able to find most locations there. I found Type For You, Type For You 2, The Hilton revolving door, Lionel's flat, Holland Park gardens, looked for but never found the butcher shop, and did find Jean's house. The lady next door to Jean's house was just coming out when I was taking a picture. She said she lived there many years and was there for all the filming. She offered to take my picture and said she must take it twice because she wanted to get as she said, "THE DOOR" and she missed it in the first picture.

I also spent some other days looking for locations. I had coffee at Julie's Bar, visited the roof garden and El Metro, Tapas Bar. Another day I had lunch at The Manor, found the police station, the store where Lionel looked for a suit and the psychiatrist office. I was able to find Lionel's custard tarts that he loved so much,

Each time I toasted the actors and the staff of ATGB and thanked them for making this wonderful series. This was my own small pilgrimage to places that are so familar to all of us and I loved every minute of it. I did do other things, met up with old friends and attended a three day convention. We still get ATGB every Saturday evening and of course I have the DVDs.

Thanks again Bonnie for keeping all of us who love ATGB informed and having this site to share our experiences.

Carolyn
Peoria, IL, USA -- Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 8:16 (PDT)

Here's Part One of another Grumpy Guide (the first one I mentioned was the Grumpy Guide to Christmas) narrated by Geoffrey Palmer. When it is over, click on the "The Grumpy Guide to Class" to bring up the link to part two at YouTube. This is a three part, 30 minute video which was made in response to David Frost's funny classic, The Frost Report - An Understanding of Class.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 12:30 (PDT)

Hi Bonnie and everyone else. I don't think I've seen this on the site before. I'm sorry I didn't do a better job with it but wasn't thinking about sending it when I took it. I am in London at the moment and stopped in at the new London Film Museum (or Movieum -- they don't seem to have decided yet what they're calling it). This is Judi's plaque there. It's in the old County Hall at the end of the Westminster Bridge.

Larry Lain
Dayton, OH, USA -- Monday, June 21, 2010 at 4:28 (PDT)

I look forward to reading the memoirs of the Great Dame - the title is pure DJD, but half my brain hears her berating poor Lionel "and furthermore", at machine-gun speed, but the other half hears her 'ticking-off' Sally Curtis "and, furthermore" (in regal tones)with a comma inserted between the two words. Now I think of it, I can't remember anyone but Judi Dench using the word "furthermore". I just hope it doesn't develop into the latest buzz word - "absolutely" was the word a year or two ago, particularly by politicians.

Cheers,

Ross
Australia -- Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 22:17 (PDT)

I imagine that most of you have already seen this YouTube clip since it, along with the ATGB Bloopers are included in the ATGB DVD collection. It was nice to see it again.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 6:50 (PDT)

Thanks,

Roger Jones
Texas, USA -- Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 5:17 (PDT)

What a great cover photo on Judi's autobiography! It should be available for pre-order any time now.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for pointing that out, Marla. You'd think I'd pay more attention to my own website, wouldn't you?

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 3:11 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, June 18, 2010 at 7:03 (PDT)

Thank you,

Dan
Hometown Unknown -- Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 15:18 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 12:01 (PDT)

Activision has officially announced its remake of 1997's bestselling James Bond game, GoldenEye on Nintendo Wii. Click the link to read the press release. According to this website "This re-imagined GoldenEye will see Daniel Craig step into Pierce Brosnan's shoes as agent 007. Dame Judi Dench will also star." A website for the game, featuring a trailer, screenshots and concept art, has launched at Goldeneyegame.com. Additional references can be found at the M16 website.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 8:24 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 7:07 (PDT)

"I believe the jacket that Lionel wore in the honeymoon episode was a Barbour wax jacket. I'm not sure exactly which one but I'm pretty sure it's a Barbour."

Another of our readers thinks he might have been referring to a jacket that Lionel wears often and suggests it may be an off-the-rack Harris Tweed. I just Googled "Harris Tweed Hunting Jacket" and came up with The Harris Tweed Shop. Maybe it will help.

As I said, the "honeymoon jacket" is the only one I remember anyone ever commenting about. Thanks to our contributors for the help.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 6:47 (PDT)

Thank you for creating and maintaining such a wonderful web site. My whole family enjoys watching ATGB every Saturday evening. It is an even bigger treat when our local PBS station brings one or more of the actors to Chicago during pledge drives. It's like seeing old friends!

I have a rather arcane question which I hope is not too much bother: In a few of the later episodes, Geoffrey Palmer's character wears what look like a tweed shooting jacket. I was wondering if you might know what kind of jacket it is and the brand? It looks great!

Keep up your great work!

NOTE FROM BONNIE: The only jacket I remembered was the one that Lionel wore on their honeymoon in Season 4, Episode 9 and I believe some people commented about how nice it was, but I don't think that's the one you mean and no-one ever posted a brand name or source for it. If you can be more specific about the episode I might be able to take a screen shot and see if anyone else knows anything about it.

Thank you.

Glenn Longacre
Plainfield, IL USA -- Monday, June 14, 2010 at 1:15 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: I was disappointed to see that the last night's Britcoms were replaced for the second week in a row. I don't mind seeing the same sitcoms again and again, but the Funny Ladies of Comedy and Ed Sullivan are just not special enough to hold my attention.

You are, of course, the perfect candidate for the DVDs. The likelihood of there being new episodes or cast discussions was remote five years ago and with the passing of three major castmembers, becomes even more remote now. Thanks to Judi and what we know about her, there are probably plenty of bloopers available, but as we all know -- them Blooper shows don't just make themselves. I think all of us hope that someone will step in and honor this show in the same way that Fawlty Towers, Keeping Up Appearances, Vicar of Dibley, Are You Being Served and so many others have been memorialized.

Marita
Skokie, IL USA -- Sunday, June 13, 2010 at 6:25 (PDT)

Mt. Emmy: At Base Camp:
ABOUT DAME TIME: Dame Judi Dench has won an Oscar, a Tony, Golden Globes and more, but never an Emmy. She was nominated two years ago for PBS' "Cranford" but lost. Now she's got another shot for her reprise as a sweet spinster in the sequel, "Return to Cranford."

My comment: I am married to a member of the Television Academy. We have been deluged with DVDs including the latest "Cranford." However, that's all the publicity I have seen so far. Some of the other companies have packaged their DVDs in ridiculously expensive covers, other clever packaging, and even a pop up set for "The Big Bang Theory," which really doesn't need more publicity. Some of the shows have sponsored nights at the Academy honoring their product. I'm not inclined to think she will even get nominated much less win, but one can only hope. At least she got a mention.

NOTE FROM BONNIE:I don't find it odd that Judi Dench is seldom mentioned in the U.S. press unless it is in connection with a project she has done for this market and I don't find it odd that she has never won an Emmy. It is almost like being surprised that she hasn't won a Grammy for having done the Soundtrack of Nine. She was nominated in 2001 for a rather average performance in the Last of the Blonde Bombshells and again, years later, for Cranford. I don't know of anything in between for which she could have been nominated. I would find it surprising if she is not nominated again for Cranford. I think her performance in Return to Cranford was much better than the original.

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 9:19 (PDT)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: These are two archive BBC radio programmes in which Judi Dench and Michael Williams, accompanied by friends John Moffatt and Alec McCowen, read a cornucopia of poetry and prose. In this enchanting pair of programmes from 1991 and 1996, Dame Judi Dench and husband Michael Williams shared an eclectic selection of pieces that they loved, admired or simply found entertaining. "With Great Pleasure" saw Judi Dench and Michael Williams joined by fellow actor Alec McCowen to read some of the literature that shaped their lives. Among the poems included are Sylvia Plath's "Morning Song", "Fern Hill" by Dylan Thomas and Charlotte Mitchell's "Just in Case", and there are extracts from Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra", Alan Bennett's "The Lady in the Van" and Alec McCowen's "Young Gemini". "Fond and Familiar" was a true variety show featuring Dench, Williams and acclaimed actor John Moffatt. Together they performed verses, ballads, limericks, stories, nursery rhymes and epitaphs ranging from the comic to the deeply moving. Featuring old favourites such as "The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God", "Mandalay" and "Billy's Rose" as well as less well-known gems that are nonetheless remembered with affection, this collection of 'party pieces' will surprise, inspire and delight.

Thank you to the person who generally wishes to remain anonymous for sending me this information. It not yet available in the Amazon US store, but I posted it already and you can make that purchase as soon as that option is available. The publication date is listed as July 8, 2010. You can pre-order in the UK and Canadian stores now.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, June 6, 2010 at 2:21 (PDT)

THE LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE I know it's not theatre, but I couldn't let this pass without comment: the long-running sitcom "Last of the Summer Wine" will finish this year. It started in 1973 and has run for more than thirty series, in addition to a number of Christmas specials and a prequel, "First of the Summer Wine". Every single episode has been written by Roy Clarke OBE and it is the longest running sitcom in the world. The series survived the deaths of a number of its stars - Michael Bates (Blamire) in 1978, John Comer (Sid) in 1984 and Joe Gladwyn (Wally) in 1987 - because of the strength of two of the changing central trio, Bill Owen and Peter Sallis. However, for me the series lost a lot with the death of Bill Owen in 1999. But Clarke had created such a range of delightful characters that it continued for a further eleven years. Gradually well established members of the cast passed away - Gordon Wharmby (Wesley) in 2002, Thora Hird (Edie) in 2003, Kathy Staff (Nora) in 2008 - and the series never regained the heights of its glory days, when the trio was Compo (Owen), Clegg (Sallis) and Foggy (Brian Wilde), although the interregnum between two doses of Foggy with Michael Aldridge (who died in 1994) was pretty good. To be honest, the series passed its sell-by date some years ago, but it's been a British comedy institution for 37 years and still continues to delight with re-runs of all its early series on satellite channel GOLD. And when you get to my age, Bill Owen's Compo Simmonite becomes something of a role model!

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 9:58 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, June 4, 2010 at 7:07 (PDT)

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 10:57 (PDT)

	Here's hoping Geoffrey Palmer has a most wonderful birthday on Friday, June 4. If my calculations are correct, he'll be 83 years young. May he be blessed with good health and the companionship of family and friends.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 8:39 (PDT)

Looks like Philip Bretherton has Hay Fever!! Here's some pics from rehearsals.

Dee
GO HAWKS!!!
Chicago, IL USA -- Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 5:01 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 11:06 (PDT)

It is truly awesome that there are people who are willing to share with others all great stuff that wouldn't be available otherwise for those of us living in non-English speaking world :) Watching the show in a very gloomy and rainy night really lift my spirit up and I'm more than grateful... Judi is so vulnerable, prankish, sweet, touching and charming in the same time.

Thanks again!

Is the 1995 show available anywhere? Would be great to watch it as well.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Not that I know of -- probably in bits and pieces.

Mymra
Warsaw, Poland -- Monday, May 31, 2010 at 0:33 (PDT)

	I received a lovely gift from one of our long-time visitors from the United Kingdom who wanted to remain anonymous, but asked that I share this with everyone. So relax, set aside a few minutes and enjoy the show.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, May 30, 2010 at 9:31 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 8:06 (PDT)

In an interview that appeared in last night's Daily Mail (UK), Archery Instructor to the stars, Steve Ralphs, says the following about Judi: Women tend to be better. 'I think it's because they actually listen. You should have seen Judi.' Judi Dench? "Oh yes. I trained her for the Importance Of Being Earnest. She was superb. I had probably 15 or 20 minutes with her and she got it [he clicks his fingers dramatically] like that!" 'She just draws up and --- Whap! --- straight in the bull's eye. And the next one --- Whap! into the bull's eye. And she turns round and says: "Oh goodness, this is such fun, why didn't I do this years ago?" and --- Whap, a third goes straight in the bull's eye. "She's standing there and doing the dialogue and casually powering them in, one by one, and everyone else's still fiddling about with their arrows." Gosh, good old Judi.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 9:31 (PDT)

I just got a classic from "ATGB Central Amazon UK" called "On The Up" starring Dennis Waterman, Sam Kelly and JOAN SIMS -- she is great in this series. It only ran 3 years -- 1990 to 1992. It was also written by Bob Larbey. There are a total of 19 episodes, you can find the description on this website in "ATGB Central Amazon UK Store", and it was on sale when I bought it for 12.43 pounds -- that equaled $19.17 including shipping and handling and arrived within 7 days, regular mail.

Check out the Amazon UK website, and remember that a pound is more than a dollar (value changes from day to day). And a Multi-Region DVD player (sometimes referred to as region Free or Code Free) is moderately priced -- buy a name brand and you won't have any problems (always read the customer feedback) -- they are listed in the ATGB Central Amazon US Store, and, of course they will play Region 1 DVD's as well.

[Bonnie -- if this sounds too much like a commercial for the ATGB Amazon Stores, sorry -- but I've spent countless hours watching shows I have never seen, and watched favorites that take forever to come out in Region 1 format. I can remember ordering ATGB one series at a time until I finally collected the whole set -- that took years -- of course they came out in a less expensive boxed set after that.]

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks very much for testimonial, which I appreciate. I often buy PAL format for things I just can't get here and I know I can play them on the multi-region players, but I think most of the newer computers will allow you to play PAL, too, with a little tinkering in your setup.

Joe in Indiana
USA -- Friday, May 21, 2010 at 4:11 (PDT)

As a side note, I will be getting a hip replacement on Monday so I probably won't be able to update the site if there is a video available. I say "probably" because I understand that there will be a computer in the room. I found that to be rather amazing and if things go smoothly I hope to be able to update before I get back home.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 12:08 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: You sure don't have to convince me - I always thought he was responsible for some of the funniest moments in the series and I hear he's really an affable guy.

Joan in PA
USA -- Friday, May 7, 2010 at 6:42 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, May 3, 2010 at 9:21 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Just so no-one gets confused -- Marisetta is obviously talking about the caricatures of Judi that I mentioned yesterday morning.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 10:36 (PDT)

The CD is described as follows: Three classic Alan Bennett adaptations, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and released on CD for the first time. "A Visit from Miss Prothero": Since Mr Dodsworth retired, he has had all the time in the world. Then he has a visitor from his old firm - Miss Prothero, who is eager to tell him all the news..."Say Something Happened": A naive, inexperienced social worker calls on an elderly couple - but does she need more help than they do? "Two in Torquay": A middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman engage in polite conversation in a hotel on the Cornish Riviera. But neither is quite who they appear to be. Who is deceiving whom? Amusing, ironic and affectionate, these three adaptations feature Hugh Lloyd, Patricia Routledge, Judi Dench, Thora Hird, Brian Wilde, Imelda Staunton and Alan Bennett himself. Note that there are only two left in stock at Amazon in the U.S. but more are on the way.

TWO IN TORQUAY -- 2003 A middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman talk politely in a Torquay hotel. But neither of them is quite whom they appear to be. With Judi Dench as Miss Plunkett and Alan Bennett as Mr. Mortimer. Directed by Gordon House. This short play was originally written in 1998 for Judi Dench and her late husband Michael Williams; they performed it at the National Theatre. It has not been broadcast before.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 16:37 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 10:15 (PDT)

I just read an item online that because of financial problems, the next James Bond has been put on hold indefinitely. That sounds ominous, doesn't it?

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Yes, the internet has been crazy with rumors about this. Last week I received lots of alerts about this next Bond's being her last (which I didn't believe she would do voluntarily) and this week there are many stories about the future of the franchise and the hold on the production. Those rumors have merit. You can find many, many references if you do a search for "Bond 23" in any search engine, including the Google box above. Here's one to get you started.

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Tuesday, Arpil 20, 2010 at 8:22 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 3:22 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, April 16 2010 at 6:30 (PDT)

Many thanks to Jan M. for sending this fine picture of Finty, who is staring in Bedroom Farce at the Duke of York's Theatre in London. You might recall several references to this play when she performed it at the Rose Theatre. Do a search on this page for "Bedroom Farce" to revisit those links.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, April 5, 2010 at 16:21 (PDT)

Speaking of YouTube, I spent last night downloading the videos for Geoffrey Palmer's featured role in Executive Stress and then putting them together so they can be watched at once. Geoffrey only did the role for the first seven episodes and he co-starred with Penelope Keith, who continued on with Geoffrey's replacement, Peter Bowles. Peter also co-starred with Penelope in To the Manor Born. The link above is to the first episode and you can follow the related videos to watch them all.

I also noticed that Clatterford (aka Jam & Jerusalem) has had a total of three series, only one of which has been seen in the US (as far as I know). Clatterford 2 is on sale at Amazon, but I don't think Clatterford 3 has been released. I was able all of the episodes on YouTube.

And speaking of Amazon, don't forget to order Nine -- it should be released in less than a month.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, April 5, 2010 at 11:22 (PDT)

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Thursday, April 1, 2010 at 13:34 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 12:51 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 7:44 (PDT)

I am so happy that Connie E., from Los Angeles, had an extra copy of the program for Midsummer Night's Dream at the Rose. Happier still that she chose to share it with me. The photo above is of the cover of the program and if you click on the photo you can see a bit of what is inside.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 15:24 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: While we're recommending non-ATGB items, I was reminded this morning that there is a new Hetty Wainthropp starring our Hyacinth, Patricia Routledge. You might want to click on the link to the complete collection just to get an overview of the series, which is quite different from Keeping Up Appearances.

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 8:11 (PDT)

As the United Nations declares 2010 the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), which serves as the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute (ITI-US), invites all theatres, individual artists, government institutions and audience to celebrate World Theatre Day (WTD) on March 27, 2010. Each year, a renowned theatre artist is asked to create an International Message for World Theatre Day. This year, ITI Worldwide, headquartered in Paris, asked Dame Judi Dench, renowned English stage, film, and television actor, to write the International World Theatre Day Message. Dench's statement will be translated into more than 20 languages, distributed to tens of thousands of audiences prior to performances and printed in hundreds of daily newspapers. What follows is the text of Judi's statement:

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 15:28 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 13:07 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Monday, March 15, 2010 at 6:51 (PDT)

LESSONS IN LOVE FROM THE LONDON STAGE LONDON -- To watch Judi Dench fall in love these days is to fall in love all over again with Judi Dench. True, the object of her affection may be -- not to put too fine a point on it -- an ass. But playing Titania in Peter Hall's hit production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Rose Theater in Kingston in West Sussex, Ms. Dench makes it clear that in acting, what really counts isn't whom one loves but how one loves. Titania, as you may know, is the queen of the fairies in Shakespeare's comedy of love run riot in the woods of Athens, the lady who is bewitched into falling hard for Bottom, the guy with the donkeyÕs head. It's usually a part played with distinctly un-regal, uncomfortable, undulating lust. But Ms. Dench, who first portrayed this role professionally almost half a century ago, glows with a joy that embraces but also far transcends the carnal. "I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again," says Titania, as Bottom (Oliver Chris) emits a nerve-mangling bray, and the expression on her face is of unconditional delight. Even as she strokes Bottom's ears and speaks of leading him to her bower, Ms. Dench is free of smut or vulgarity. Instead, she's transported, transfigured and translated by love into some higher, purer realm of being. Shame is sure to follow eventually. But for now she's a walking endorphin rush, and we only wish we could feel that way, too. Come to think of it, in her company, we do. Several paragraphs have been omitted here. Mr. Hall's "Midsummer Night's Dream" is, for the most part, jolly, straightforward and pleasantly predictable. But Ms. Dench is on another level and confers a feeling of high altitudes to the whole enterprise. She is dressed as Elizabeth I (whom she played in an Oscar-winning turn in the film "Shakespeare in Love"), and the show is structured (sort of) as a masque performed for the Virgin Queen. But what makes the performance a marvel has nothing to do with Elizabethan history. It is Ms. Dench's ability to suggest the span of an entire love affair via Titania's incongruous relationship with Bottom. This Titania isn't just sexually attracted; she's in the clouds, and she adores the view, because everything about the guy looks beautiful to her. So she tries to bray like he does and accept his strange taste in foods (hay and dried peas) and scratch him between the ears just the way he likes. Did I mention that Ms. Dench is 75? That's irrelevant here, except in the sense that more than 50 years of performing have given this actress the authoritative craft, as well as the natural genius, to achieve the illusion of pure emotional transparency, which in this case shimmers with moonlight. "Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind," another character in the play says. Ms. Dench isn't just the queen of the enchanted forest here; she's the queen of the mind's eye.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 17:27 (PDT)

UPDATE: Nine is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com in the U.S. It will be released on May 4, 2010. Additional material is also available for the Blue Ray capable players, so be sure to order the appropriate version. There is also different cover art for the US DVD (or the original cover has been replaced). In any case there is still no picture of Judi on any cover I've seen.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 20:16 (PDT)

If you're interested in reading about, watching, listening to and seeing more pictures of Judi's day at the British Wildlife Center go to to Nick Wallis' Breakfast Show Blog. Be sure to see Andy Newbold's Photos of the event. Allthough the link provided in the blog was not yet active for his interview with Judi (at the time I first looked at it) I was able to listen to it elsewhere. I heard him ask Judi some questions about the Wildlife Center and the future of ATGB, among other things. (Note that the last comments he made at the end of this audio refer to the blog to which I just linked (above). Clearly you don't have to write him an email to see the blog.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 4:21 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Yes, she is and thanks for reminding us. Speaking of Finty, here's an interview I found at Surrey Life Online during the play's run at the Rose in Kingston.

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 2:12 (PDT)

Read about her experience while opening a walk-through red squirrel enclosure yesterday at the British Wildlife Center in Lingfield. In addition to releasing the squirrels Judi personally adopted an otter named Minnie (pictured above). I'm not quite sure just when Judi finds the time to write -- I read a while back that Jane Eyre, directed by Cary Fukunaga, will start shooting in March (and later that it would be shooting next week) . . .

This [Judi's upcoming autobiography] has been listed on Amazon for a few months now. It's listed just as an autobiography by Dame Judi Dench and has a publish date of September 16, 2010.

I've enjoyed atgbcentral for quite some time now - thank you!

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks, Jane. As with the items mentioned below, Amazon is posting selections which are too early to pre-order. but they do indicate (at least in the US and Canada) that you can submit your email address if you wish to be notified that when is available. Since there are ISBN numbers attached to it I posted the items in the Atgbcentral Stores. I'm surprised that the number of pages is listed so early in the year, but not surprised that, as yet, there is no cover art on Amazoon. Please, if you are notified that it is available, come back here and click thru one of the stores on the site to order it. Also note when you click on an item to order keep in mind that I'm only going to list one version and once you get to the page you can always order another. Remember that, for example, Blue Ray versions often have additional features and DVDs can be standard or widescreen and books often come in audio, hardbound and paperback.

Jane
Madison, WI USA -- Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 7:18 (PDT)

Here are the covers for the DVD of Nine. As you can see from the photos above Judi didn't make it to the cover of either the US or UK editions. The UK version is available for pre-order (it will be released on April 12, 2010) at the Atgbcentral UK store. If you click on the Amazon.com Atgbcentral store you will see it listed as unavailable. You can go directly to the store to put your name on the list for notification when more details are known. In any case remember that, as always, I'll notify you in plenty of time to pre-order in the U.S. and Canada.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 8:49 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Monday, March 8, 2010 at 3:58 (PDT)

This information has been floating around the internet for the past month or so, but now there's actually a title attached to the book so I'm thinking that this is really a pretty done deal. I'll let you know more when it is actually time to pre-order.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, March 8, 2010 at 9:35 (PDT)

While I'm updating the site I thought let you know that there is a new book called Peter Hall's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by Roger Warren that I've posted in the atgbcentral stores. It has not yet been released, but I found out a little more about it today. You can pre-order in the UK and Canadian stores right now or click on Amazon.com to put your name on this list to be notified when the book becomes available here in the U.S. (it shows in the store that it is unavailable at this time.) I know very little about the book, except that it is a paperback that I believe will be released in the UK on May 1, 2010. I found a blurb about it today that this is what it said: PETER HALL'S 'A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM' ROGER WARREN Illustrated throughout with photographs An inside look at putting on one of the most anticipated productions in many years This 'behind the scenes' publication will reveal secrets, surprises, anecdotes and gossip Set in Elizabethan England, Peter Hall's new production of A Midsummer Night's Dream presents Titania, the Fairy Queen, as a portrait of the aging Queen Elizabeth I, echoing Judi Dench's Oscar-winning performance in Shakespeare in Love. This production reunites Hall and Dench in an enduring theatrical partnership that has lasted some fifty years. Dench first played Titania for Hall with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1962. Sitting throughout rehearsals will be Roger Warren, who has written this book as n count of what it is like to put on a major production -- the trials and tribulations and the highs and lows.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, March 4, 2010 at 12:11 (PDT)

Your website patrons may want to check their local tv listings for the "More Funny Ladies of British Comedy" program. It will be shown on my local PBS stations (KET & KET2) on Saturday, March 6 at 9 pm EST and on Sunday, March 7 at 7 pm EST. Among the actresses spotlighted are Judi Dench (As Time Goes By), Dawn French (Vicar of Dibley), Mollie Sugden (Are You Being Served?) and Patricia Routledge (Keeping Up Appearances).

On another note...has the Poirot episode (The Clocks) with Geoffrey Palmer been aired yet?

Best wishes,

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks so much for the heads up, Margaret. I just finished setting the recorder and, of course, I'm happy to post this so that everyone else can, too. My local PBS webpage sums it up as follows: More Funny Ladies of British Comedy will celebrate many of the great women of British comedy by showcasing clips of their funniest moments. And who better to host a second look at great British comediennes than the original host, Penelope Keith, best known as "Margo Leadbetter" from The Good Neighbors, and more recently as "Audrey Forbes Hamilton" from To the Manor Born."

As for "The Clocks", according to the IMDB, this episode (the first episode of Season 12 of Agatha Christie's Poirot) appeared on December 30, 2009. I'm pretty sure that is in the UK because it certainly did not appear on my PBS station.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Friday, March 5, 2010 at 8:08 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, February 22, 2010 at 10:38 (PDT)

Stephaine Perry
Arcadia, CA USA -- Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 11:10 (PDT)

Speaking of flattering pictures of Dame Judi: these are from her performance as the Countess of Rousillon in All's Well That Ends Well. The play opened in late 2003 at Stratford (24 years after she last appeared on that stage).

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, February 22, 2010 at 10:38 (PDT)

On March 17th of this year, you can spend some time with Dame Judi if you happen to be at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. The picture above is the cover of the Rose Theatre Season Brochure, which you can download at the Rose Theatre home page. Thanks to Connie E., from Los Angeles for sharing with me the latest email she received with the announcement of Judi's talk. There is also a conversation between Peter Hall and Stephen Unwin on February 22nd. Be sure to check the website for further events relating to the production.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 11:03 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 9:05 (PDT)

A flattering picture of Judi in Midsummer Night's Dream Caroline Jowett at Express UK and Benedict Nightengale of the Times Online (notice the link to the 1962 review of the play at the website), Charles Spencer of the Telegraph and Mark Shenton at Stage -- all seem to be in agreement with all the other reviewers. Photos of last night's after-party are at What's On Stage.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 7:55 (PDT)

The reviews are coming in and they are looking good: Read Michael Billington's review of Midsummer Night's Dreamin tomorrow's Guardian (UK) and another by Paul Taylor in tomorrow's Independent.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, February 15, 2010 at 7:31 (PDT)

Judi Dench and Peter Hall play tug of love By Lesley White These old friends are reuniting after 48 years to give Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream a delightful surprise twist. An audience with the royals is always nerve-wracking, but at least there is usually a butler on hand with a stiff drink. Today, alas, there is only sad-looking guacamole in a tub for lunch, and a loudspeaker intoning: "Fifteen-minute call for Gentlemen of Verona." Then again, we are visiting arts royalty, unsubsidised, egalitarian, concerned with the classical canon and the common good, curtsey not expected. Dame Judi Dench and Sir Peter Hall are enthroned but determinedly ungrand, stars who prefer to see themselves as troupers, busy as bees with plans for the future (he as director emeritus at the Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames; she with her late-flowering movie career, including another M in next year's Bond), but, given half a chance, relaxing into their shared past as into a warm bath. This month, Dench opens as Titania in Hall's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, 48 years after they staged it for the RSC at Stratford -- the oldest fairy on the block, although not, thankfully, with a diaphanous frock and gossamer wings. When Hall called to offer her the role, he didn't pause for breath in case she thought he'd gone mad, explaining that he wanted her to play the queen of the forest as Elizabeth I, in a play within a play. "There was a slight pause after I'd finished my spiel, and she said, 'Right, I'll do it.'" "Just like that with us, isn't it?" Dench smiles. "It tends to be," he replies. "Yes, it is. It's very nice." They are like a clever, doting old married couple, finishing each other's sentences, mildly disagreeing on dates, forgetting names, happy in their jokey reminiscence. In a tiny dressing room at the Rose, we huddle before the bulb-lit mirrors, although between these two home-grown legends, the twinkle factor almost requires sunglasses. He is 80 in November, bearded and wry and hacking pitifully this morning. "The cough has come back," he wails. "Oh, it hasn't," she soothes, as if to a little boy. "Did you get cold yesterday?" She is four years younger, swathed in elegant cream layers, petite, soft, cuddly (not that you'd ever dare) and utterly rigorous: a few years ago, he offered her the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet and she told him "where to get off". Her speciality is being adored -- however much she curses her national-treasure status -- and Hall seems as susceptible as the next man. Close up, she can look shockingly old, but only if, like me, you have come fresh from viewing her near-naked appearance as Titania in Hall's 1968 film of AMND. Diana Rigg played Helena and Helen Mirren Hermia, but neither of those feted sex kittens is half as alluring as the 33-year-old Dench, daubed a foresty green, with fig leaves to cover not much of her modesty and fired with such wanton lust for the donkey-headed Bottom that she gives Equus a run for its money. She has never seen the film, but remembers the costume all too well. "It was just ivy," she chuckles naughtily. "I got in in the morning, and it was stuck on. I was painted green and wore wellingtons. I was meant to have clothes, but Peter thought they didn't look right against a real background, so gradually the clothes got eroded." She had no misgivings about disrobing in a chilly November location, only about the wildlife: spotted snakes with double tongues would have posed no problem, but the earthworms wriggling beneath her bare body were suddenly too much to bear. "I was frightened of worms. We were lying in the bower, and, just as we were about to start filming, I leapt up and everything went up in the air. I was screaming." She beams a late apology at the director, who seems to have forgiven her. Partly, Dench agreed to the new production to help Hall draw audiences to a local theatre considered unworthy of funding by the Arts Council -- "Who regard southwest London as having enough theaters," he says. In the mood for a blockbuster, he worked out what Shakespeare parts were left to "the Dame", and it appeared she'd done the lot. "Some of them several times," he laughs, and his leading fairy shoots him a mock-surprised look. "Elizabeth was a keen theatre patron who often had Shakespeare's company to the palace, and A Midsummer Night's Dream was in the repertory. There were plays in which the court participated. She was a great dancer and musician, so we thought, 'Why couldn't the queen play Titania?'" Dench has serious, award-winning form playing queens: Victoria in Mrs Brown, the performance that impelled Harvey Weinstein to make her a movie star at 62, and the ageing but mischievous Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love, which won her an Oscar and a Bafta. What difference to the role of the beauteous Titania does the pock-marked monarch make? The actress looks stricken for a moment. "Oh, I can't answer that at the moment. . .", but, as she likes to scare herself, we can assume that the slight panic is part of her equipment. It helps that she knows the role by heart. "I know all the parts. . . they stay in there." She first played Titania at the Mount, a Quaker boarding school in York. "It was a huge thing to have been chosen," she says, still proud. After drama school, she played both the first fairy and Hermia, and Hall's 1959 Dream, with Charles Laughton as Bottom, was one of the first productions she saw at Stratford. Before that, she had watched Michael Redgrave's Lear on a school-holiday trip with her parents, while ordinary aircraftman Hall was stationed down the road with the RAF Education Corps, doing his national service, taking the bus to the theatre and standing at the back for two shillings. Hall set up the RSC in 1960; Dench arrived to join his troupe in 1962. Their original Dream, with Ian Richardson as Oberon and Ian Holm as Puck, opened at the Aldwych, he recalls. Dench corrects him gently. "No, no, we started at Stratford." "Are you sure?" "Yes, then it went to the Aldwych, where I wasn't in it, but Michael [Williams, her late husband] was. We weren't married then. You see. . ." She looks momentarily forlorn. "This play is so entwined with my family. It was a beautiful production at the Aldwych, with a big tree. Mikey and Ian Richardson set up a little bar inside it, and had a stiff vodka before the very end of the play." Dench lives with her daughter, Finty, and 12-year-old grandson in Surrey, but has always talked of her second "family" -- of the theatre companies, the camaraderie of the ensemble. Since Williams's death in 2001, after 30 years of marriage, its ties have been her security and her comfort. "I couldn't do anything on my own," she says flatly. Her private and personal realms merge seamlessly: Finty was directed by Hall at the Rose in Bedroom Farce last year; her friend Diana Rigg's daughter, Rachael Stirling, plays Helena in the new Dream. Much as Pete and Jude dote on each other, however, a memory-lane venture like this could be swamped in melancholy; and Dench is thinking of her husband through much of our conversation. For all her film triumphs (Iris, Notes on a Scandal, Rob Marshall's musical Nine and, of course, the Bonds, in which her acerbic M is more indispensable than the latest six-pack lead), classical theatre is her home and history. It is also a sustaining connection with Williams and the life they shared: domesticity, acclaim, a very English sort of stardom and, in the best of times, a stage. In 1972, they both appeared in the RSC's London Assurance. "I was hugely pregnant in it, too," she laughs, "and it was very unsuitable. I had this wonderful part of a virgin in a Gloucestershire garden and, before Sinead Cusack took over, Janet Whiteside was saying over my huge stomach, 'Do you feel nothing stirring?'" Of her nine collaborations with Hall, it is not their Dream she remembers most affectionately, but their 1987 Antony and Cleopatra, with Anthony Hopkins, at the National Theatre. Hall was a taskmaster at times; if she is the famous, bigger-earning star, he is still the boss. "Nobody misses anything out with Peter. There's no cheating. No mis-scans." When she and Miranda Foster were called to rehearse the death of Cleopatra, they thought it would take half an hour. "Three hours later, Peter's still standing there with a lectern, making everybody speak the verse properly. And Miranda got up and went [she imitates Foster's cheeky, over emphasised rhythm]: 'Our roy-al lady's dead.' I was in hysterics. And there was a moment. And Peter said: 'Thank Christ!'" Hall looks bemused. "Really? I have no memory of that at all." "Oh, yes," Dench says firmly. "And we had a picnic each night inside the monument. They asked us for our favourite food, and we said it was seafood and a glass of champagne. And on the last night, there it was. You'd never have known from the front." "In 1962, at the end of the Dream," Hall recalls, looking at his leading lady, "I said to this one, 'One day, you'll play Cleopatra.' And she said, 'Don't be ridiculous! A little runt like me? I couldn't possibly. And I said, 'Well, just bear in mind, when the time comes for you to play her, that I'm first in the queue.' Twenty years later, the phone rings and it's Dame Judi, saying, 'Hello. I've been asked by Stratford to go and do Cleopatra. Will you do it?' And I said, 'How long have I got?' And she said, 'Oh, about a week.'" The night before we met, Dench was watching Sir Ian McKellen in Waiting for Godot with her old friend Roger Rees, an assistant set painter in the Stratford of her youth who ended up playing Hamlet there, an apprenticeship whose demise she mourns. "There just isn't the opportunity for that to happen now, for young actors to learn," she says. "When I went to the Vic between 1957 and 1960, I never left the side of the stage. Dame Peggy [Ashcroft] was fantastic to me when we did The Cherry Orchard. . ." Hall cuts in: "I only had reason to reprimand Dame Peggy once, and that was at the height of the Wars of the Roses [his 1964 cycle of Shakespeare histories]. At the matinee, it was reported to me that she was listening to the cricket on a tiny radio affixed to her helmet. A lot of junior actors who were cast as soldiers were coming for the latest score. She was passionate for cricket. . ." Despite their grumbles about long-lost repertory companies and stingy arts funding, neither veteran is gloomy about the state of the modern theatre. Hall points to the fact that his Stratford season ran from spring to autumn, but it now "trots on all round the clock". What keeps him going is the next play: "I don't like not to be in rehearsal." As for the venerable queen who hates her wrinkles but cherishes her unnatural energy, what sustains her is work, doing the crossword, learning something new each day, the buzz of the undisclosed movie for which she has just signed up, beginning four days after the Dream closes. "I will lie down for four days, I think." More meaningful than any of that, though, is her misty-eyed pride about taking her grandson -- "my Sammy" -- to see Brendan O'Hea's Cymbeline. She also took him to All's Well That Ends Well -- 'Three times!" -- and Jude Law's Hamlet. 'His attention span is normally short, but he sat throughout it without moving. If it's interesting enough, you see, they will."

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 15:52 (PDT)

If your special person is located in the UK and has a cell phone which is capable of receiving an MMS message you might be interested in sending a Valentine's Day Poem read by Judi Dench (or one of several other personalities). Click on the link for further information. Notice (on the order page) that you have an option to contact the Poetry Archive by email if you are located elsewhere and you can make arrangements to send the message to other areas.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, February 12, 2010 at 7:31 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 15:15 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 14:01 (PDT)

This photo of Judi in Midsummer Night's Dream was at the Playbill website. Click on the link to see others. Click here to go elsewhere on this site to see a couple of photos of Judy and Paul Rogers as Bottom and Titania in a much earlier version of this play. Most of us are aware that Melvin Bragg interviewed Judi on the South Bank Show back in 1995. He is doing a series of new shows (retitled The South Bank Show Revisited) which will be a collection of "New interviews with an outstanding array of subjects from past South Bank Shows." I would be grateful if those of you in the UK would keep an eye on the schedule and let me know when it will be aired. I found a website on which you can register to view the series online, -- it is at the bottom of the page -- but it apparently is not open to visitors from many countries -- UK, Sweden, Norway and Denmark seem to qualify. There's also a reference to BFI which can provide more information. Lastly, according to Reuter's, which got it from the Hollywood Reporter at the Berlin Film Festivel, Judi is in talks to play Mrs. Fairfax in a production of Jane Eyre for BBC Films and Focus Features. Everyone is buzzing about it but it all comes back to the same tiny snippet. Rumors....

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 11:51 (PDT)

Thanks very much to Connie E. from Los Angeles, CA for reminding me that Midsummer Night's Dream begins tonight at the Rose Theatre, Kingston. Connie sent along an email that came from Rose Theatre and it provides the same information as the web page in the link. Read an article about the production in Playbill.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 9:00 (PDT)

Now -- finally -- is the time to pre-order the final season of Waiting for God. As always you have a price-drop guarantee and if the price drops between now and May 25th, you'll get the lower price.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 9:27 (PDT)

I am a HUGE fan of ATGB. I now have purchased the complete series 1 to 9 and the 2 reunion specials. I have been watching them over and over again and just love it. I have gone into the "atgbcental.com" web page and have enjoyed reading the reviews and stories. I did, however, read that this show may not continue on but that the team hasn't given up. It would be wonderful if possible to make a couple more episodes of this delightful show. I never get sick of it and find myself either in tears or laughing a lot. I can see so many parallels in my life with the lives of Jean and Lionel. I would just like to encourage the writer Bob Larbey if possible, to put pen to paper again for one last time to bring into our lounge rooms just one or two more episodes of this fantastic show.

I am from Newcastle in New South Wales Australia.

Dame Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer and the rest of the cast are just fabulous.

Greetings to you all.

Regards

Elizabeth Pusey
Newcastle, New South Wales, AU -- Monday, February 1, 2010 at 21:34 (PDT)

Carol Willadsen
Santa Rosa, CA USA -- Thursday, January 29, 2010 at 23:22 (PDT)

Almost positive that the actress in the photo with Philip Bretherton is Barbara Marten. She's probably best known in the UK for her time on the long running series 'Casualty' but she's appeared in many TV and theatre shows. The picture is from 'Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf' I believe. You can see other pictures from that production here. NOTE FROM BONNIE: After having looked at the pictures at the linked page, I'd be inclined to agree with you. Thanks very much for responding to the question I asked. Based on your previous contributions to this website I know that you are familiar with theatre in the UK.

Lisa
UK -- Monday, January 24, 2010 at 17:34 (PDT)

I welcome this input.

I actually did find a lot of references when I did a search on "Life After Scandal" and "Hampstead Theatre" and all of them indicated Geraldine Fitzgerald was part of the cast, so I never had any doubts about that. After I wrote what I wrote, though, I thought about the fact that she is, after all, an actor. People in that particular profession are often made -- with wigs and makeup -- to look as though they are aging within the span of a play or a movie. I guess the number of years that pass between plays could be irrelevant. I also checked the cast list and could find no other woman mentioned. And the point about the head shots is certainly a good one: we've often seen pictures of Judi that were taken years ago and they are all quite different and reflect the variety of the roles she's taken.

On another note, I had a question this morning about ATGB Locations. I tried to find Joan Street's web site and saw that my link was out of date so here's a new one that you might enjoy visiting either again or for the first time. Those of you who are considering writing and asking me to provide addresses of the locations used in the show; don't bother. Out of respect those who are currently living and working in these areas, I never give out this information.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, January 25, 2010 at 8:32 (PDT)

At any rate I did manage to catch the elusive Mr. Bretherton for an autograph after the play (also Caroline Quentin, who is not the mystery lady). He came out of the theatre talking on his mobile, which made him appear to be very like Alistair. Both were very gracious. I do wish he worked more often on TV or in London!

NOTE FROM BONNIE: She looks awfully familiar to me -- a bit like Cloris Leachman. Anyway, after a lot of searching I managed to find a picture of her and it doesn't look as though it is the same person. Things do change over the years, but I don't think this woman is the right age and only two years separate these two productions.

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 17:34 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 17:53 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 18:09 (PDT)

I love this caricature of Geoffrey that I found on an iphone application. I was unable to find the URL or name of the artist, though and the same is true for this photo of Philip Bretherton. If someone knows the name of the actress with Philip or the name of the production, let me know. Since last we spoke I saw the second half of Cranford and I'd have to say that I enjoyed the presentation a lot more than I did the first. Nine, which seems to be dropping almost out of site, won nothing at the Critics Choice Award show or the Golden Globes last weekend. Now let's see what happens with it tomorrow night when the SAG awards are presented on TNT.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, January 22, 2010 at 18:25 (PDT)

Don't forget to tune in for the second half of Cranford on Sunday evening. Also you might want to see the VH1 Critics Choice Awards (which will be on in a few minutes) and the Golden Globes, which is on NBC Sunday night. Nine is, of course, nominated in several categories for both awards (none for Judi.)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, January 15, 2010 at 17:45 (PDT)

Thanks to Ridge for sending me this link from the LA Times to an article about Return to Cranford. There's also a "RELATED" link just below the picture to read another article. There's also an article in the Sunday Times Online which declares Judi's upcoming stint as Titania "one of the "Hottest Tickets of the Year." Plan accordingly.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 16:02 (PDT)

By the way: I am the very same person who wrote for a chain of neighborhood newspapers in the Western Suburbs of Chicago and I really knocked The Simpsons because (and I quote): "in the end, it is just a cartoon."

In the interest of fairness I also quote from the Wikipedia article about the Simpsons:

Since its debut on December 17, 1989 the show has broadcast 450 episodes and the twenty-first season began airing on September 27, 2009. . . . The Simpsons Movie, a feature-length film, was released in theaters worldwide on July 26 and July 27, 2007, and grossed US$ 527 million worldwide.

The Simpsons has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 25 Primetime Emmy Awards, 26 Annie Awards and a Peabody Award. Time magazine's December 31, 1999 issue named it the 20th century's best television series, and on January 14, 2000 the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Simpsons is the longest-running American sitcom, the longest-running American animated program, and in 2009 it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest running American primetime entertainment series.

Since the day I wrote the review, which was right after its premiere episode, I have only seen it one time and that was the episode starring Ricky Gervais, who makes me laugh out loud.

I guess that alone makes me not mainstream.

One more thing: Don't forget about Return to Cranford, which will air this Sunday on Masterpiece Classics (check the TV Schedule in your area.) My recommendation, if you want to watch it on your computer, is that --after the episodes air --you go to pbs.org where (for a limited time) you can watch quality encore presentations online in full. I'd stay away from YouTube on this one, unless you are able to merge the files and make your own DVD. I saw it and enjoyed it and don't think any of Judi's fans will be disappointed.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 11:54(PDT)

Bonnie . . . thank you for the lovely picture of Jenny. And, a Happy New Year to you and your world-wide readers of this wonderful site. Best wishes...

NOTE FROM BONNIE: The same wishes go back out to you, Evelyn and to everyone who visits this site. I'm glad to have found a good picture of Jenny and this morning I found a couple of pictures of Geoffrey, at least one of which I've not seen before. The pictures shown above as well as some biographical facts were obtained from this Peter Pan-related website. Also Judi confirms in the Daily Mail Online that "as spymaster 'M', she shoots the next Bond film in 2011, but for now [she] has no other firm plans aside from A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Evelyn
San Diego CA USA -- Friday, January 1, 2010 at 11:49 (PDT)

"Hamlet" Broadway Opening Night - After Party October 6, 2009 - Gotham Hall, New York City

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 11:34 (PDT)

Mary
Baton Rouge, LA USA -- Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 17:37 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 12:12 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 8:38 (PDT)

Bonnie, can you tell me if the Nine advertised on Amazon is the DVD or just the CD? I definitely want to buy the DVD. I loved the film and encourage everybody to see it.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for sharing your opinion with us, Marisetta. The Soundtrack CD is what is currently available at Amazon. The DVD of the Movie will not be available for pre-order for several months -- at this moment I don't know the exact release date, but I will post it as soon as I do.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Monday, December 28, 2009 at 17:22 (PDT)

The YouTube clip above is from a Christmas special run on BBC last week. Those of us in the US are currently unable to see anything "official" because we are outside of their territory. If you are in their viewing area you can see the whole program by clicking on the link. That's not to say it won't pop up somewhere in the coming days. I know several personalities are involved and I'm not sure how big a role Geoffrey as the narrator has.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, December 28, 2009 at 9:02 (PDT)

Perhaps others will enjoy reading this article I found regarding the new Cranford episodes.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 16:20 (PDT)

I checked my DVR and found it at 1:30 on the West Coast; but at any rate, if you get that cable/satellite channel you might want to check it out for new content.

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 11:23 (PDT)

Thanks to you for another year of providing all of us ATGB diehards with information on our favorite cast of characters. I too was saddened to learn of the passing of Moyra Fraser, as its just another reminder of how fast life seems to pass along.

Merry Christmas to you and to those who visit your site...

John Roy
Acushnet, MA USA -- Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 8:11 (PDT)

I wish a very happy holiday season to all of the visitors who have been here over the past 11 years. Thank you for coming and thank you for supporting this site with your Amazon purchases, particularly when I know that you could have gone to many other places instead to place your orders. To celebrate the season I am re-posting the audio version of With Great Pleasure. It originally aired on Radio 4 on Christmas Day, 2007 and it featured Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer along with host Alan Titchmarsh. I loved it then and decided to go into my old backups to retrieve it. To listen to it click on the picture above. This should open up another window and you can minimize and continue on with your computing.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 6:13 (PDT)

Mary Bentley
Cullman, AL USA -- Monday, December 21, 2009 at 12:39 (PDT)

Happy Holidays to you and all the fans!

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Sunday, December 20, 2009 at 8:37 (PDT)

Happy Holiday to you and to all fans of ATGB!

Christopher Toth
St. Louis, MO USA -- Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 10:53 (PDT)

Here's the video of Judi's appearance on last night's Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. It ran just a bit over the allowable limit for YouTube so I chose to cut the film clip that was shown just before he introduced her -- it was the yes, no, yes, no clip we've seen over and over and over and over and now it just makes it. After I saw this clip I realized that this was indeed shot several weeks ago and the running joke on this show was that it was not really December 18th.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 7:45 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 7:45 (PDT)

Again, I must say that I don't know how Judi does it -- gets her appointments straight, that is. I was under the impression that Judi would be in LA tonight for the Premiere of Nine. I have no idea where Judi is right now, but I'm hoping she's at home relaxing. Turns out the actual Premiere event in Los Angeles was held on December 9th and it just seemed to go over my head because the coverage suggested that the only major cast-members who seem to have been there were Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Fergie.

I know she was in LA last month and I thought maybe it was during the time of the premiere, but it was actually at the SAG screening. I think I remember Connie suggested that the Craig Ferguson show might have been taped during this time, but still I had my fingers crossed, hoping that somehow she'd be live and even make it to see Charlie Rose. I'm still willing to be surprised.

The show is now playing in LA and New York City and will open across the nation on December 25th, so maybe someone has finally blown the whistle on the publicity train.

If you want to read some of the reviews of Nine, go over to Rotten Tomatoes where you will find at least 70 of them. Considering that it hasn't really opened big-time that's an awful lot of opinion.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 18, 2009 at 16:11 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 18, 2009 at 16:11 (PDT)

I haven't found a similar widget for upcoming radio programs, but you should be sure to check the BBC Radio sites and when you are on their individual sites sign up for their newsletters for a heads up to their programming. BBC 7 will present The Wizard of EarthSea in two parts beginning on Christmas Day. A bit off-topic but speaking of Christmas Day, I was searching around for things on the radio and I noticed that Alexander McCall Smith's recent #1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel, Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, will be dramatized in two parts on that day and presented on BBC Radio 4. I already have the audiobook, but when I pre-ordered this dramatization I got a notice that it would not be available. If there is anyone else who loves these novels, be aware of this special presentation.

Also speaking of Christmas Day, I am reminded to wish everyone a Happy Holiday season no matter what it is that is being celebrated. I hope everyone has a healthy, happy and safe New Year.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, December 18, 2009 at 9:10 (PDT)

It's enlightening to read the comments as well and maybe it had best be saved for re-reading after you actually see the movie. And I warn you that Judi's song was not well-received by the reviewer.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 17:24 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 8:29 (PDT)

I don't know deep down why I love the show so -- my feelings on it are hard to describe. There's many reasons I could tell you that you have probably heard before, but the best thing I can tell you is that I watch the show and wish/pretend I am a part of Jean and Lionel's family. I could go further into the dynamics of the earlier episodes, and how they make me feel but there are not enough MegaBytes in this e-mail for all of them. LOL. Anyway thanks for any help you can give about the songs and the radio casts.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: I have never heard of any website that ever posted radio broadcasts of the As Time Goes By series. Only a few of the total episodes were ever made specifically for radio and, as far as I know, the BBC recordings were out of print. I'm sure anyone who ever decides to post the episodes would be guilty of violating copyright regulations. I'm afraid that the best I can do for you with regard to Joe Fagin is to post the picture above which is the first I've found claiming to be taken from a single record sleeve. The website I found it on seems no longer to be maintained, but has a mini-biography as follows: "Joe Fagin has one of the most recogniseable voices ever to be heard on record, television and film. Best known for performing the theme songs from the first and second series of the comedy drama "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet", he has enjoyed success in the UK, Europe and the USA with hit singles such as "Why Don't We Spend the Night" and "Younger Days". He has recorded a wide range of music styles, from the light hearted pop/rock style of "That's Livin' Alright", the witty lyrics of "Savin' Face" (from the Bob Geldof film "Number One"), the gentle, sentimental "As Time Goes By" to the theatrical sounds of the contemporary opera "Paris". Fagin has also demonstrated acting talent, both on television and in the theatre, from performing in the Bob Hoskins movie "The Long Good Friday", the cult comedy "Blott on the Landscape" with David Suchet, and the theatre with an adaptation of the childrens classic "Wind in the Willows", and most recently the contemporary opera "Paris". He also appeared as a country singer in "The Barbara Taylor Bradford Mystery - To Be the Best"." What I would suggest you do since you have the Box Set is get some recording software and make yourself an audio version of the individual episodes as well as the theme by Joe Fagin. I believe there is one episode in which he sings the longer version of the song. There is plenty of information on the internet that can tell you how to do this. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Daniel
Hagerstown, MD US -- Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 20:48 (PDT)

I, too, am a bit annoyed at the interviewers who, whether intentional or not, choose to omit Judi from any mention of the "Nine" cast. Granted, she doesn't play the central character in the film, but her role is just as important as any other. Many of the cast members have been quoted as saying the project was a 'company' effort. In my humble opinion, DJD deserves equal billing. How many other films can boast a Brit portraying a Parisienne (complete with accent!) directed by an American in an Italian setting? Without a doubt, she's one talented Dame! And didn't she look great at the NYC premiere of "Nine", in the black outfit with black/red/gold scarf? Quite festive!

In closing, let me join others in expressing sadness for the passing of Moyra Fraser. May her family and friends be comforted by the knowledge that she brought much pleasure to those of us who enjoyed her interaction with Stephen, Lionel, 'poor' Jean and the entire ATGB family.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and blessed holiday season.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 19:17 (PDT)

It was so sad to hear of Moyra Fraser's passing . I didn't realize that she was 86 years old I really thought she was still in her 70's. I had the pleasure of meeting Moyra a few times when visiting London in the past ten years. She was always a delight to talk with and a classy lady like Judi. She will be sorely missed.

Now on to Judi's New York TV appearances, I think the NY hosts hardly gave her any time at all. I also think she looked very tired today on the Regis Philbin show and why wouldn't she after doing the premier last night with the party afterwards. In order to be on time for the shows this morning, she would have to be up at the crack of dawn so is it any wonder she looked tired and worn out for what, a few minutes on American TV. She now has to go on to all the hoop de la in Los Angles. I realize that all this is a part of the game but she should be more respected by the media for the actress that she is.

Emma
New York, USA -- Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 19:07 (PDT)

I add my expressions of sorrow for the death of "aunt Penny". She was indeed a very good comic actress.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 14:36 (PDT)

There are, of course, many more videos at YouTube -- including the Larry King broadcast from yesterday evening and the Today Show from this morning. She must hate having to answer the same old questions every single interview, but I'm sure the parties more than make up for it. There was an after-party after the premiere and it was held at the M2 Ultra Lounge in New York. Meanwhile there was a short video on the always fair, always balanced New York Fox affiliate online, but I won't post it because it never mentioned or featured Judi Dench. I suppose I can understand their not mentioning Sophia Loren because she was not at the event, but the omission of Judi is particularly annoying. Sorry for the lousy video, but I'm pretty sure a better one will be uploaded in just a few minutes, in which case I'll remove mine. By the way, thanks to Stephanie for telling me that a stoat is a small mammal (AKA a short-tailed weasel or ermine) which is "famous" for its ability to freeze a rabbit with its glare. Oh, and Judi was NOT nominated for a Golden Globe for Nine.

Meanwhile, I add my condolences to those of Marla with respect to Moyra Fraser. Just last week Matthew stopped by to mark her birthday and brought a smile to my face. She and Paul Chapman provided wonderful comic relief to an already successful and established comedy, much the same as Lilith and Frasier did in Cheers and I always found myself looking forward to their appearances.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:37 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 4:01 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 19:33 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 19:05 (PDT)

Judi is back in the United States for another round of publicity for Nine, which will open on both coasts this week. The New York Nine premiere will be held tonight at the Ziegfeld Theater, 141 W 54th Street, NYC, at 7:30 p.m., with the red carpet opening at 6:45 p.m. I'm sure the festivities will be all over YouTube by morning. The picture at the left was taken yesterday at the luncheon for the cast which was held in NYC at Per Se. You can find more pictures and read a short description of the event here. You read about yesterday's special screening of Nine You can see pictures of the cast by clicking on the link. Obviously Judi has been caught up in a whirlwind schedule and it really doesn't appear to let up until the LA opening on Friday. So . . . HERE ARE A FEW REMINDERS REGARDING JUDI'S UPCOMING APPEARANCES: Judi is scheduled to appear on Larry King Live tonight, on Regis and Kelly tomorrow, 12/16 The Today Show tomorrow, 12/16 and late late Friday night (otherwise known as Saturday early early morning) on the Craig Ferguson Show. Check your local listings to confirm date and time details. If you miss any of these shows, be sure to check the links for replays. They should all be available shortly after the original air date, but not for long. For those who do not know it, Larry King's show has a free podcast on Itunes to which you can subscribe.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 8:06 (PDT)

To go behind the scenes with its screenwriter, Heidi Thomas, during the making of Cranford then click on the picture above.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, December 14, 2009 at 9:50 (PDT)

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO PRE-ORDER THE SOUNDTRACK FROM AMAZON.COM
or click on the ATGBCentral Store in your area

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 8:32 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 7:55 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 7:28 (PDT)

I saw the short feature by the Weinstein Company called "The Making of Nine." It was on this morning on the WE Network and I was thinking about posting it to YouTube, but was concerned about the copyright. Fortunately I found most of it was already posted in the form of individual clips, so I'll just put them up on the site and let someone else worry about the copyright. The full film runs 22 minutes, so this is a good chunk of it.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 20:13 (PDT)

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Friday, December 11, 2009 at 10:08 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, December 11, 2009 at 7:46 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 19:30 (PDT)

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA USA -- Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 14:39 (PDT)

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 10:09 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 9:28 (PDT)

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 09: Actors Dame Judi Dench, Daniel Day Lewis, director Rob Marshall and actors Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz during a video message at the Opening Night during day one of the 6th Annual Dubai International Film Festival held at the Madinat Jumeriah Complex on December 9, 2009 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. MSNBC has released a review of Nine: Read it here.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 17:38 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 8:29 (PDT)

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 09: Actors Dame Judi Dench, Daniel Day Lewis, director Rob Marshall and actors Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz during a video message at the Opening Night during day one of the 6th Annual Dubai International Film Festival held at the Madinat Jumeriah Complex on December 9, 2009 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. MSNBC has released a review of Nine: Read it here.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 17:38 (PDT)

That left us with about one-third of the visitors actually participating. Of these, one out of every three people looked at the survey and chose to answer no questions. This left us with only 54 people who shared their opinions. Given that this survey was held on a website heavily loaded with confirmed fans, the "results" were not unexpected.

I posted the survey on Saturday evening and there have been only 3 responses since Monday morning. The survey was written to allow one "vote" per computer, so if you went back you were not allowed to give your opinion again. I think the sample was so small that I wouldn't dare draw any conclusions and I'll give you the following statistics, such as they are, just because I said I would.

The first question had to do with whether or not the dress itself was attractive and 57 per cent of the responders thought it was. The second question asked whether or not it was flattering on Judi and 52 per cent felt it was. There was also a space for individual comments and they were all over the place: quite a few of the comments had to do with the idea that there was nothing that would ever be unflattering on Judi and that anyone that looked that good at that age is amazing on the face of it. There were a few negative comments made about the color and cut of the dress, and several people thought that Judi looked uncomfortable but, on the whole, those who answered the question felt that Judi stole the show.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 16:55 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Funny you should mention it. . .

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 13:49 (PDT)

Those of you in the UK might want to click on this link for Amazon UK's 12 Days of Christmas promotion. Each link there will be valid for only 24 hours and the promotion begins on December 26th. Note that it seems to require that you sign up for email alerts and I'm not sure whether or not you need to be a UK resident to participate.

I'm posting this once more because so much has been posted since Saturday evening that the original has been pushed so far down that newcomers may not see it: I've asked three questions regarding Judi's Dress. You may access the survey here. I will leave the link up for a brief period of time and get back to you with the results. There will be no way I can identify any respondents and you will be completely anonymous. I'm just about ready to post the results, but I'll let it go longer just to make sure it has been seen.

Also remember please, if you go to these links and actually want to buy something from Amazon, go back to my website to do it. There is still time to complete the survey

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 9:10 (PDT) My thoughts and warm wishes go today to Dame Judi, on her 75th birthday. May she live many more years enjoying what she loves most: working. She is still looking fabulous!

And, Bonnie, thanks always to you and your wonderful work in keeping us fans so well informed.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 9:56 (PDT)

	Go to ABC News for photos more behind the scenes photos with the cast of Nine . . . And click on Nightline (News) and you might see the full episode tomorrow night.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 9:10 (PDT)

I'd like to join with others in wishing Dame Judi the most happiest of birthdays, with many more to follow. May she be blessed with good health, good humour, and the knowledge that she is admired and loved by many.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Yes, her 75th Birthday is tomorrow and I'm sure that what you said so well speaks for all of us.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 20:58 (PDT)

Mary
Baton Rouge, LA USA -- Monday, December 7, 2009 at 20:25 (PDT)

The all-star cast of the upcoming film, "Nine" -- Sophia Loren, Dame Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Penelope Cruz, Stacy Ferguson (Fergie), Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard -- sit down together with "Nightline's" Cynthia McFadden to discuss their new film inspired by the Tony-award winning musical. In the only network television interview with all nine actors, McFadden has the cast dishing about their favorite moments during filming, the surprising details they learned about themselves and each other in the process, and their opinions of the film's award winning director, Rob Marshall.

Cynthia McFadden's interview with the cast of "Nine" airs on ABC News "Nightline" Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 11:35pm (ET/PT).

"Nightline" is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran, and Martin Bashir. James Goldston is the executive producer.

"Nightline" airs at 11:35 p.m. (ET/PT) weeknights on the ABC Television Network.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, December 7, 2009 at 14:00 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, December 7, 2009 at 11:43 (PDT)

SOME MORE TIDBITS: Here's a link to this year's Christmas Issue of Radio Times. It features several articles on the upcoming Return to Cranford. It's also referred to in the following article, which appeared today on the Telegraph (UK) -- it's about the women of Cranford. Just as a side note, it's time for the viewers in the Vegas area to pick which show they'd like to see in the Britcom Saturday Night Line-Up. They showed examples of the contenders last night and, among them was a show called The Old Guys. The leads on that show were Clive Swift (who played Richard, the long suffering husband of Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances) and Roger Lloyd Pack (who played the animal lover, Owen in Vicar of Dibley). I enjoyed seeing them again. The survey is doing surprisingly well and, if things keep going as they are, you may be surprised by the results. I'm having a lot of fun reading the comments and will try to provide a summary when it is over, but I know a lot more people check in on Monday, so I'm not ready to stop it now.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 15:20 (PDT)

I enjoy your website, Bonnie, keep it up.

Frayda Glass
Canton, MA USA -- Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 7:46 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 21:13 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 14:20 (PDT)

I'm still wondering about the color of her lovely dress at the London premiere. In some photos it looks like a fairly pure bright yellow but has a greenish cast to it in others. At any rate it is so rare to see her in anything but neutral colors. I have been to many personal appearances. At one of them one of her fans was taking bets among us as to what she would be wearing when it started. As it was in the daytime we were mostly guessing beige or white. We were all correct as she was wearing a beige and white outfit. I wonder why that is. Does it just make it easier for everything to match? She looks beautiful in whatever she wears, but I was just wondering if anyone has a guess for the reason.

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 14:26 (PDT)

According to the Sun (UK) Judi and Stacy Ferguson, her co-star in Nine and a member of the Peas, have agreed to "work their diaries" so that Judi can be in the next video. If the report is to be believed, Judi specifically requested that her appearance be on the video for Meet Me Halfway. I guess there's no telling how many "official videos" will exist. Have a look at the one that claims to be official -- one can only imagine.

Despite the report, official confirmation is yet to be made by either Fergie or Black-Eyed Peas on which music video Judi will star in. Besides, none of the parties mentioned in the story has confirmed on when they will start working with Judi.

The same article in the Sun has Judi "getting down" on the dance floor all night at the after-party at Claridges.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 8:07(PDT)

Also, for those followers of DJD who have young children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren, you may wish to consider "Angelina Ballerina" for Christmas, Hanukah (a little late) or birthdays. I recorded them in early 2000s on tape, but they are now on DVDs. Last month I bought 5 of them for my great-granddaughter & she loves them. They are delightful stories just long enough to hold the attention of 3 year olds & older. Judi & Finty are the two main characters. (And, of course, I did my purchasing from your site).

Many thanks, again.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks, Evelyn, and I appreciate what you have done for me as well. These are great suggestions and, frankly, I'm too embarrassed to make them myself so I'm glad you made it unnecessary for me.

Evelyn Eisenberg
San Diego CA USA -- Friday, December 4, 2009 at 3:08 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, December 4, 2009 at 12:25 (PDT)

Hope you are doing well.

Take care,

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Great to hear from you Matthew. I was so tired of Nine-hunting that I shut the computer off early last night. Sorry I couldn't post this in time. I'm sure Moyra would be appreciative and, if she knew you, would (as I do) wish you an equally Happy Birthday in a couple of weeks.

Matthew Gladney
Champaign-Urbana, IL USA -- Friday, December 4, 2009 at 8:02 (PDT)

There is a three part video which just filmed the proceedings and it looks sort of like all of my home videos, with a lot of dead time, camera movement and particularly crowd noise. The second video of the series was the one which, right at the 46 second mark and for a couple of minutes thereafter, found Judi signing autographs. I found it to be particularly agonizing to watch, but, as I said before, it is something I would have taken had I been there. I couldn't bring myself to watch video three, which I assume was shot after Judi was inside.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, December 4, 2009 at 6:36(PDT)

And you can read the "first review" of Nine (by Baz Bamigboye) also at the Daily Mail. He says Star-studded musical Nine is a sparkling ten. Baz' review claims to be the first, but here's another one from TimesOnline. Not a perfect 10, that one.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 16:33 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: You're welcome. And thank YOU -- I hope everyone else will follow your lead.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 13:06 (PDT)

Let's get a look at the whole outfit.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 11:50 (PDT)

The stars of Nine gather at the premiere, which began today at 4 p.m. London Time.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 11:50 (PDT)

FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE U.S. -- Don't forget to pre-order Return to Cranford from Amazon in the US. It will be released on January 19, 2010 They have been added to the U.S and U.K. Atgbcentral stores, but as of now there is no release date shown for Amazon Canada. If you don't buy it through the store, be careful to click on the appropriate direct link for your region.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 10:47(PDT)

FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE UK: pre-order Return to Cranford from Amazon UK. It will be released on December 28, 2009. Here's the description: Welcome to Cranford, where all changes and all remains the same. Miss Matty's house is full of life and bustle. Her dream of having a child in the house has been realised in the birth of Tilly, daughter of her maid Martha and carpenter Jem. The shadow of the railway still looms but, to the relief of Matty and the Amazons, the line has been halted five miles outside of Cranford because of Lady Ludlow's refusal to sell her land. Elsewhere Miss Matty's friend Mr Buxton returns to town with his son, William, and his niece, Erminia. Miss Matty decides to introduce them to Peggy Bell, a young woman who lives in an isolated cottage with her mother and domineering brother, Edward, in the hope of building friendships. But, when tragedy strikes, she comes to believe that she has opened Pandora's box and fears Cranford will never recover.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 10:47(PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 7:02 (PDT)

According to his email to me:

The format is the guest sits there during many filmed inserts on a variety of subjects and chats about them, and plugs their latest project, which is why the audio is so disjointed. It's a 30 minute programme & Judi was on it for about 9. The format enabled Geoffrey to put forward his political views, when he was on it recently, about the US/UK involvement in Iraq/Afghanistan - he's against it (surprise, surprise).

Subjects included dangerous dogs, her god-dog (think god-child), algebra, nerves, Bond films, high diving, Nine, falling-over on stage, driving, Kevin Spacey, Jame Doody, wartime as a child, Christmas, and next year's play.

Judi was often ill at ease and tongue tied, and the host's slip of the tongue in calling her Jame Doody didn't help.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 13:34(PDT)

According to Contactmusic: [The] actress recently filmed reprised her role as Matty Jenkins in UK TV drama 'Cranford' and said she offered to lend her voice to an alternative, more unusual, part.

She explained: "Watch out for the scenes in 'Cranford' featuring a parrot. When you hear him squawking and making those clicking noises in his throat, it's me. I happened to be in the editing suite and I said, 'I'm sure I can do it, I'll be a lot cheaper'."

While filming the drama, Judi admitted she wished she had tried out some of her other skills because she was so cold wearing period costume. She said: "We begged for more mittens - for new mittens - but we didn't get our way. They're woollen mittens and if you wear them for a long while, they stretch. So consequently, between takes, you find yourself picking at them and then they stretch.

"I could have knitted or crocheted a couple of pairs, now I come to think of it!"

Anyway, expect to see a lot of Judi on Youtube in the next several days. I read that she will be at the New York premiere, which was listed as being held on December 15th or 18th, depending on the source. The Los Angeles premiere also shown as being on the 18th, but I'm guessing she will not be attending both premieres and maybe won't be at the New York premiere at all. Who knows? Just a simple search at any of the photo sites (like Wireimage, Getty, Rex, etc.) will generate lots of photos, so you can be on the lookout for them. I'm really selective about the pictures I post so you can be sure that I've seen them all.

She also got a "message" that she will be in the upcoming Bond film, but won't film for more than a year. Frankly they'd be foolish not to want her to continue to play "M" so no real news there.

Judi was a guest on the One Show yesterday and you can still go online and watch the show IF you are in the UK. You may not see the show (or you may be able to see it,) but everyone can read the comments about it. I'm not sure if it is available in other areas, but it is only available in the US if you pay a lot for the service and arrange to get an address that makes it look as though you are in the UK. It will be available until December 8th for those who are able to receive it and the site says "Dame Judi Dench joins the programme to talk musicals, secondhand cars and the beauty of maths."

This is the picture I get in my neck of the woods:

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 10:00(PDT)

Always thanks for this great site.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Me, too, Evelyn. She certainly sounds thrilled to be connected to the project.

Evelyn E.
San Diego CA USA -- Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 18:30(PDT)

Was Judi happy to star in Nine? What do you think?

By the way, the nominations came out for the Golden Satellite. They are one of the earliest indicators of nominations to come (although this article seems to suggest that they are not particularly well-respected within the industry.) Judi was "among those whose efforts were politely given the press-group equivalent of the finger", but still you may be interested in seeing the results.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, November 30, 2009 at 18:00(PDT)

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Monday, November 30, 2009 at 9:17 (PDT)

Judi talks about the upcoming "Return to Cranford"

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 11:04 (PDT)

Meanwhile, according to The Envelope, which was discussing possible Oscar nominations:

"Mystery also surrounds the derby fate of "Nine" after it received mixed responses at early screenings. Audiences went wild for it at SAG nom com Q&As. But was that largely because they were blinded by the star wattage in attendance, including past Oscar champs Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench and Marion Cotillard? Lou Lumenick of the New York Post witnessed so much negativity at a different industry screening he attended that he removed "Nine" entirely from his list of potential best-picture nominees at The Envelope's Buzzmeter."

If you want to watch Ladies in Lavender on YouTube you can do it before it is removed for copywriter violations. It's all there right now.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 10:54(PDT)

You are right, Connie. Here are some of the of the on camera interviews that were already in the can by the time Judi landed at Heathrow.

One from YouTube. And another from Broadway TV.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 7:50(PDT)

I talked with someone who was at the SAG nominating committee screening. He said that they had to turn away people who had reservations. So there were no seats offered to the rest of SAG at that screening. (Sob!)

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Monday, November 23, 2009 at 16:38 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, November 23, 2009 at 10:25(PDT)

Mary
Baton Rouge, La. USA -- Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 20:54 (PDT)

A poster to another social site I frequent alerted members to a product at Amazon.com. Here's the link. It appears DJD has already written, or is in the process of writing, a memoir. It's scheduled to be released in hardback on September 15, 2010, with the paperback version appearing on shelves in September, 2011.

Those of us interested in the book can register to be notified when the book becomes available.

Happy Thanksgiving to all on this side of the pond!

NOTE FROM BONNIE: As you know, I have my own Amazon Stores, so I certainly don't want to post any links for which I don't get credit, because the money I make from the sale of products at Amazon helps to defray the cost of running the site. Every time I receive notice that something will be sold -- like Return to Cranford, for example, I put a link in the stores and I put links on the website and I do this far enough in advance so that this items can be pre-ordered. If I were to post the link that you sent me a person's name would sit there at Amazon, Amazon would send out an email in 8 or 9 months, the recipient would click on a link to order the product and no-one would get paid for sending people to Amazon -- it would just be considered a direct sale. Ordinarily I wouldn't even post this comment, but since there seems to be an ISBN number already assigned, it might be creditable. I would ask though, that if you sign up to be informed when there actually is such a product, that you first come here and click on one of my links to order it.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 14:36 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Siera Vista, AZ USA -- Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 22:02 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: She travelled all the way from London to attend quite a few events which were specifically arranged to publicize the film. If she refused to be a part of it she'd have simply stayed home. She is probably contractually obligated to promote the film. As for the Vogue shots, they looked like they were done in the LA area and neither she nor Sophia were anywhere near there during the shooting, much of which was done on a beach. I know that some actors don't like the intrusions of the press which it comes to gossip and tabloid fare, but I don't think most of them refuse to publicize something that will bring the project to the attention of a wider audience. Just from what I know about Judi she loves her visits to LA and to New York and it would surprise me if she didn't want to be a part of it. I know she can refuse to give an interview to someone, but she doesn't seem to be the type of person who would do it. I'd have to agree with you, though, this photo of Dame Judi landing in her homeland might be the happiest I've seen her look all week.

Marisetta Magliocco
Siera Vista, AZ USA -- Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 18:12 (PDT)

Dame Judi arrives home after the whirlwind publicity tour. For those of you who are really curious I've also posted a picture of her luggage. I know how happy she'll be to read that Nicole Kidman said that she "plans to be acting well into old age like her 'Nine' co-star Dame Judi Dench." I hope that was not an actual quote.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 7:43 (PDT)

Mary
Baton Rouge, LA USA -- Friday, November 20, 2009 at 19:33 (PDT)

Nine was screened before members of the SAG nominating committee at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening. Afterwards there was a Q&A to which you can listen at this site. The picture at the left has nothing to do with the event, but I just happened to find it on the net and liked it and thought someone else might like it too.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, November 20, 2009 at 18:16(PDT)

Bonnie, I'd just like to thank you again for all that you do to keep us all connected. You're the best.

Peggy in Ohio
Friday, November 20, 2009 at 18:11 (PDT)

T Dankosky
Warner Robins, GA USA -- Friday, November 20, 2009 at 8:50 (PDT)

And thanks to Bonnie for posting that lovely pictures of Dame Judi arriving at LAX.

Marisetta Magliocco
Siera Vista, AZ USA -- Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 18:13 (PDT)

Here's a picture of Judi at LAX getting ready for another round of publicity.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 21:46(PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: I'm so dumb I misunderstood my own message and thought they were going to be on Oprah again today. So that's what I taped. Instead they had some male make-overs or something else that I deleted. I hope this explains the very weird answer I gave yesterday when Connie said that the Ladies from Nine would be on the show.

Marisetta Magliocco
Siera Vista, AZ USA -- Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 18:13 (PDT)

The Ferguson listing was on the part of his website after you click to get tickets. This way you know that you're going to a taping of someone you want to see. I would have gone had I not had two things on today that I couldn't skip. Meanwhile I'm living in front of email in case a screening comes up where she will attend. Sometimes if they have a screening for the SAG nominating committee and have seats left they will offer them up to the first SAG members to RSVP (I am wife of SAG member). It's hard to track email without a web enabled phone. The screening with a personal appearance by Brad Pitt was full by the time I got home.

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 17:31 (PDT)

Here's the link for a nice article re: "Nine" in the Telegraph.

The more I read about this movie, and based on the trailers I've seen, it wouldn't surprise me if this movie was nominated for, and won, several awards...for the actors and production.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 17:20 (PDT)

Connie E., from Los Angeles, C.A. says: According to the Craig Ferguson website, Judi is taping his show today along with Ben Foster and Rosanne Cash. It won't hurt to check it out. The Craig Ferguson site I went to lists the guests tonight as Sandra Bullock and Ben Foster (as does the website which normally lists guests on all late-night shows.) Now there is also an indication that Variety will hold a Nine Press Screening Q&A in Los Angeles (at ArcLight Hollywood for members), so there is no telling where Judi is at any given moment. Speaking of rumors, which I normally am not inclined to post, the artwork for Return to Cranford has already been leaked and Glenda Pryor, from Wilmington, N.C., sent the link to this picture at the left. The website speculated that it will be released sometime in the Spring in the U.S. As soon as it is available in the US, Canadian and UK ATGBCentral stores, I will post it for pre-order and hope, as always, that those of you who intend to purchase the DVD will wait until an announcement is officially made. I have no way of knowing how accurate this artwork is or what country's version it represents -- it looks like a Region 2 DVD, which quite often looks nothing like the other Regional DVDs. Lastly, I got an email today from PBS saying "Starting December 20th, see an encore presentation of Cranford before the premiere of the all-new Return to Cranford on January 10, 2010."

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 12:14 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Sorry, I turned the computer off early yesterday and didn't get this until Thursday morning. Hope everyone gets a chance to see Judi if she gets to do the show. It doesn't say anything about such an appearance on Oprah's site, but it won't hurt to check it out.

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 11:30 (PDT)

Judi Dench (on November 17) leaving the Peninsula Hotel in New York City headed for a waiting car.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 11:07 (PDT)

Also, I read that the Variety Screening Q&A was postponed from the original date, but that it has been held already. It said that all of the major stars with the exception of Sophia Loren were in attendance.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 16:59 (PDT)

Click to see some photos of the participants at the Nine Press Conferences at the Waldorf. Apparently there were two conferences -- one held on the 14th and and the other on the 15th. Once you have gotten to the page, click on the photos on the page to enlarge them somewhat.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 11:07 (PDT)

This picture below shows Judi and Daniel Day-Lewis arriving at the Hotel.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, November 16, 2009 at 7:03 (PDT)

However, if you have the time, check out the posts by "lf1234" at the following link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0875034/board/nest/151383803?p=1 Supposedly, this person participated in an advance screening of the movie. With regard to DJD's role, the poster opined that she 'owns' the Follies Bergere number and 'kicked a$$'.

There are also several references to the cast members' appearance on Oprah's show.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: While you are at IMDB have a look at the other entries about the movie (click just below the IMDB logo at the upper left part of the screen -- on the words Board: Nine (2009). You'll find lots more references and links to photo sites. I'll post just a few pictures of Judi at the press conference which was given on November 14th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. There are many more of her and the rest of the cast at Rex Features and WireImage.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Monday, November 16, 2009 at 7:20 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: If you are interested in seeing something else that doesn't feature either Judi or Sophia, have a look at this Video of the Vogue cover shoot

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 10:01 (PDT)

I noticed that someone on the staff posted this at the site: The provocative new musical Nine features an all-star lineup of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard and Kate Hudson -- and they're all here! Don't miss Oprah talking to the impressive cast of the highly acclaimed musical that's bringing the magic of Broadway to the big screen.

That does sound as though those people who were pictured on the page that is linked might have been the only castmembers in the studio. If anyone was at the taping or learns anything more specific, send me an email and I'll be happy to share. Otherwise, just set your recorders.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 18:21 (PDT)

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Friday, November 13, 2009 at 10:00 (PDT)

While reading the latest comment from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, I couldn't help but wonder how many different countries and states in the USA are represented by your website visitors. Have you ever tried to count/track such information? It's a true indication of the wide reach of ATGB and your website! Keep up the great work...those of us who visit this site frequently can't adequately demonstrate our appreciation for your efforts.

On another note...the more I hear and see about the movie "Nine", the more excited I become. I can't wait for it to be released. Apparently, DJD's role will be much more active than I originally thought.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Yes, I do have tracking for where visitors come from. What I can say is that between 8/2000 and today (the website was actually begun in 1998, so the tracking doesn't go all the way back to the beginning) 54 per cent of the visitors come from a .com web site in the U.S. The numbers are broken down based on the domain from which the reader enters the website (.com, .uk, .ca, .fr, etc.). There are also domains that end in .gov and that is in a separate category from .com, but most, if not all, are in the US. Anyway, at this moment there are over 150 different entities represented. Canada and the United States, for example, are single "entities", but within that listing are all the different states (all are represented) and provinces and that, of course, is true of many such entities. There are so many places represented and it is clear that ATGB has a wide appeal. The top four areas from which our visitors come are the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, Japan, the Netherlands and Spain round out the top ten.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 12:39 (PDT)

I would like to thank you for your website and all the work that you do. :-) ... keep it up! And I would like to say that I loved Dame Judi in Cranford, she captured her character's personality so well, quite a change from the roles that I am used to seeing her play.

Thank you once again,

Zainab Khan
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia -- Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 8:55 (PDT)

Connie E.
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 11:12 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 17:29 (PDT)

For those of you who haven't been to the Space Earth ride at Epcot and who want to watch of video of Judi, take a look at this. In my opinion it is a bit hard to watch because it was obviously recorded on the ride and the sound is not as good as all that. Aside from the video and audio quality, it will give you some idea of what to expect if ever you get a chance to be at Disney World for the "real" experience.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, November 6, 2009 at 10:00 (PDT)

Click to bid on tickets to the Rose Theatre for a time with Judi

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:55 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Monday, November 2, 2009 at 11:50 (PDT)

More great change is set for the small Cheshire town of Cranford in Cranford 2, a 3-hour program featuring many of the beloved original cast including Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Francesca Annis and Julia McKenzie. Cranford 2 picks up the story in 1844. New faces coming to the close-knit town include Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean), Tom Hiddleston (Wallander), and Tim Curry (Spamalot). Based on the novels by Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford 2 is written by Heidi Thomas (I Capture the Castle, Madame Bovary).

"Our viewers have been clamoring for more Jane Austen and more Judi Dench," said Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton "These new productions add up to a very strong Masterpiece classic season in 2010."

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, November 2, 2009 at 9:11 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 15:30 (PDT)

And someone must have been thinking exactly what Aaron Gregson was thinking because here is an 8 minute segment from the BBC BREAKFAST SHOW that made it to YouTube. I'm not sure if that is the one to which Aaron was referring. Please, if you DO decide to order the Collection, order from the link below so this site receives the credit. Or you can click on the Atgbcentral UK link above, click on the category "Geoffrey, Jenny, Philip, Joan" on the left and the item is first on the page. If you're in the UK the item should ship for free.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 17:58 (PDT)

Click here to visit Nine's website

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 17:12 (PDT)

Aaron Gregson
Redditch, UK -- Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 15:35 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 10:20 (PDT)

I haven't visited the website very much, of late - but, when I did to-day, I was somewhat surprised to see that the last comments were dated 2007. Has the website been closed down?

The reason I felt impelled to have a look at the website to-day was that I've just finished a delightful book - "The World According To Bertie", by Alexander McCall Smith. I've read a couple of his books now, but the ones about 44 Scotland Street, Edinburgh, have a fairly central character Domenica MacDonald, a freelance anthropologist. The way Domenica speaks reminds me so much of Judi Dench, that I hope that, should the series ever be filmed, they plump for DJD. And perhaps Geoffrey Palmer could be cast as Angus Lordie, a portrait artist, who has a dog called Cyril, who has a gold tooth. A wonderful tale!

My wife & I celebrated our 50 years of wedded bliss earlier this month, &, after much thought, decided that the complete series of "A Fine Romance" would be our gift to each other, rather than anything else. By coincidence, "As Time Goes By" is being re-played on UK-TV, here in Australia, & it's still enjoyable, even after 11 0r 12 viewings, plus having it all on video, (which we must convert to DVD.)

I hope you can tell me that the website is still going strong.

Kind regards,

NOTE FROM BONNIE: First, Ross, let me assure you that the site is alive and as current as I can make it, except for my glaring failure to do any sort of profile of the new Harry (Daniel Ryan). Congratulations on reaching the Fifty Year mark.

When you want to read the comments section it is best to go thru the home page at atgbcentral.com and click on the blue (latest news) link. That should resolve the problem. Or you can refresh the page. (I wrote a personal reply to Ross explaining this so he should be able to see it now. I am including this response in my reply in case this happens to someone else).

It occurs to me that you might not have intended this not as a comment (so I didn't post your whole name), but it went to the comments mailbox anyway (because of the subject line) and I'd really like to share it with the readers of the section and with those of you who might be able to influence Judi's career. I'm quite excited at the thought that Judi could actually be doing something that suits her. Alexander McCall Smith is a prolific writer, possibly best known for The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series of books, but there are quite a few developed lead characters in his works. The World According to Bertie is available at Amazon. If you click on the link you can read the beginning of the book (click on the picture of the book) and there is also a link to a page with a short biography. He has won many prizes in his lifetime and I found it interesting to note that "He lives in Scotland, where in his spare time he is a bassoonist in the RTO (Really Terrible Orchestra)."

Ross
Sunshine Coast, Australia -- Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 11:07 (PDT)

For the moment that's all I know -- and, obviously, that covers what will happen only in the U.S. You can look around the Masterpiece Classics site and see if you find anything more specific, but I really wouldn't think you'll be giving the video to anyone this Christmas. Right now Masterpiece Contemporary will be running, but I'll keep watching for more news. And, by the way, I also read that the only two people "attached" to the next Bond Film (Number 23) are Daniel Craig and Judi Dench. I'm not sure I know what that means. Lots of rumors.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, October 26, 2009 at 9:49 (PDT)

Many thanks to Margaret LaFontaine for sending me the latest newsletter of the Rose Theatre, which is much too large to post, but from it I got the following information regarding the latest play of which Finty Williams is a part. Here is a short trailer for Bedroom Farce. THE SUMMARY: Four couples, three bedrooms, two celebrations and an illicit kiss (or two). Peter Hall directs a major revival of Alan Ayckbourn's legendary 1970's comedy which shines a brilliant spotlight onto the trials and tribulations of suburban marriage.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, October 26, 2009 at 7:16 (PDT)

Nil disputandum de gustibus is the Latin for it, and A chacun de gout is the French - certainly not meant as a put-down but as a recognition that the wide variety of personalities among the human race will result in differing attitudes towards art, events, etc.

Although I admire Judi's performances, there were some movies that were not to my taste and I doubt if I will see Nine or Rage but can understand that some fans wouldn't miss any of her movies.

I admire Bonnie's consistent presentations of Judi's (and the rest of the ATGB cast) activities which are offered to her readers as information with an open ended invitation to judge for ourselves and always remember that Judi is NOT Jean. It's just another amazing performance of a character, not a real rendition of the actress herself. M.P.Butterfield
Boston, MA USA -- Monday, October 26, 2009 at 6:38 (PDT)

Thank you for sharing "The Pig of Happiness". We can never share enough smiles! While viewing the video, I couldn't help but recall the episode of ATGB when Jean accompanies Lionel to buy a new suit for the book launch. After they left the store, Lionel got a bit silly and kept smiling that 'weird' smile...just like the pigs in the video.

Best wishes,

Margaret
Clearfield, KY USA -- Sunday, October 25, 2009 at 17:55 (PDT)

Beth, it could only be taken as a put-down by someone who really doesn't "know and understand" Bonnie. We both could be wrong, but we doubt very much if Sue interpreted it in that way.

Bonnie's use of these words was simply a reference to earlier use and discussion of the phrase (and various translations of it) in several letters that pre-date the letters in question. Bonnie emphasized this fact by prefacing her reply with the word "BECAUSE," ~ i.e. "Because you can't account for taste."

The large group of us who were privileged to meet Bonnie in New York City to see "Amy's View" together more than ten years ago, and who know her well after all these years, understand that Bonnie would not make such a remark as a "put-down" to anyone.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: What I actually said in response to Sue was "Because you you can't account for taste, those are all legitimate reasons for liking a film." (We had discussed the origin of that expression the week before and I just assumed that was a given for someone who had been following the conversation.) I have used this expression quite often, both in my personal life as well as in the comments section in relation to many, many things other than Rage. In fact, over the years, there have been several thought-provoking discussions about taste, all of which I encourage. There's nothing I like more than free speech. Thank you, ladies, for knowing that. I even went back into the archives and found that I said it to you once, Emma, in relation to a joke made at the Academy Awards that triggered lots of discussion. In the end, it doesn't matter at all if people agree or disagree with what I have to say. And, of course, it is never my intention to be nasty to anyone.

Meggie and Emma
Parts East, USA -- Sunday, October 25, 2009 at 9:02 (PDT)

Evelyn
San Diego CA USA -- Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 1:47 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 9:27 (PDT)

I must say I was totally prepared to hate it. I am a "period drama" addict --- so, this movie was totally out of my comfort zone.

It was so different --- I found the concept interesting and quite creative. I appreciated Sally Potter's endeavor to do something so "out there" and unique. I admire people who are willing to think out of the box and try something different Dame Judi is known for this, so I think this was perfect for her. She was fabulous --- as were Jude Law and Steve Buscemi.

As I watched the movie, I felt like I was watching ART.

I commend Sally Potter and her creative team and the actors for having the inspiration and courage to try and bring something like this to the big screen.

Mary Bentley
Cullman, AL USA -- Thursday, October 23, 2009 at 12:48 (PDT)

Bonnie,

I was just reading the reviews that you and Sue wrote about the film Rage. I preface with I have not seen the film.

What I am writing about is your response to Sue's disagreeing with you about the film. The way you started your comment "There is no accounting for taste", could be taken as a put down to her.

. . .My honest opinion is that a review is what one person thinks about the film. I don't let a review tell me whether I can or should see a film or not. If I want to see a film I will go to it and make my own decision. From what I read about Rage I am not interested in seeing it, even though Judi is in it.

Maybe you didn't mean the line the way I interpreted it. But, if I interpreted it the way I said in the beginning others may have too.

Also, as I said a review is the opinion of the person writing it. Taking a person's word as gospel about how good a film is or isn't to me is for lack of a better explanation ridiculous. I think another way to put it is the right to choose. Used differently than the way we all hear that phrase used today. We all have the right to choose and I feel the right should be respected. I am not talking about the way the phrase is more commonly used today. (I am trying to not go in a different direction).

Bonnie, I am sorry if you don't like this. If you don't print it, is up to you. I am just responding to the way I interpreted what you wrote in response to Sue's opinion of the film.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: I fully support the right to choose always. What I said was not an opinion; it was a fact: there is no accounting for taste -- including mine. You are entitled to your opinions and I am more than happy to allow you to express them.

Beth
Lakewood, NJ USA -- Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 16:44 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 8:03 (PDT)

A while back I talked about a Radio 4 program called Beauty of Britain. A review of this show listed Geoffrey Palmer as a featured player. I've been following these shows for the last 3 episodes (there are 6 in all) and this week's episode, entitled Girl With A Polycotton Tabard finally featured Geoffrey as Mr. Clark. I looked ahead at Episode 4 and noticed that his is not listed in the cast so I really don't know whether or not there will be more of him in the coming weeks, but if you want to investigate, click the link.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, October 19, 2009 at 16:56 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 11:04 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for letting us know, Connie. I found a clearer picture of the duck at eBay, so I'll post it here for those of you who will not have one of your own. I found them doing a search for Judi duck. I saw two on sale (one a "Buy it now"), but there may be more under a different search. Good hunting.

Connie
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 8:13 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, October 16, 2009 at 11:04 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 11:00 (PDT)

And although, this subject has pretty much been exhausted, in the interest of keeping you informed about Judi's recent activities here's article from the Guardian and another video from the Times online.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 8:21 (PDT)

My feeling is that her fall took more out of her than she thought but "The Show Must Go On" !!

My photo (not brilliant) can be seen here :-

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thank you so much for sending this comment -- we all appreciate it.

Aaron Gregson
Location Unknown -- Monday, October 12, 2009 at 11:34 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, October 12, 2009 at 9:14 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Yes, it was the first thing that crossed my mind.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Saturday, October 11, 2009 at 19:51 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 12:37(PDT)

Thanks to the folks at BBC 7's Listen Again you have seven days to Listen to Judi The Importance of Being Earnest.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 10:58(PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: And I will treasure the duck!

Evelyn
Clemson, SC USA -- Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 13:07 (PDT)

A short time ago I told you about the Limited-Edition "Judi" duck that Judi designed in order to raise money for Cancer Research UK's latest campaign. I'd like to thank Evelyn Goodman, who has been a long time visitor to these pages. She bought a couple of these ducks and was kind enough to send me one of them. You should have seen my dog's face when I opened it and squeaked the duck. She's not used to having toy-like things around that do not belong to her, but she'll never get close to this one again. Thank you so much Evelyn.

AND TWO MORE THINGS: You can click on the headline below to read a story about Nine. Also I neglected to mention that the photographs of the cast in the picture below below were shot by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue Magazine -- and here's a side article about that.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, October 9, 2009 at 15:15(PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, October 9, 2009 at 13:25(PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, October 9, 2009 at 8:18(PDT)

Thanksgiving or Christmas? Your guess is as good as mine. I imagine that whenever it opens it won't be in the Las Vegas area any time soon.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 16:54(PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 10:59(PDT)

Jim Sarber
Oklahoma City, OK USA -- Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 12:00 (PDT)

Just to let everyone know -- Philip Bretherton has kindly hand signed a As Time Goes By DVDs for a competition on his Official website and a couple of signed ATGB DVD's which will be auctioned a bit later in the month for charity. Plus updates and news about current and future TV projects and he has also answered some questions from fans. Please go over to visit the site at www.philipbretherton.co.uk.

Thanks,

Sarah
London, UK -- Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 13:07 (PDT)

And while I'm posting information on Judi's doings -- here's where you can get information about next year's appearance at Kingston in Midsummer Night's Dream. She'll be appearing February 9 - March 20, 2010. The play will be directed by Peter Hall.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 8:28(PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, October 2, 2009 at 16:02(PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Friday, October 2, 2009 at 11:44(PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, October 2, 2009 at 9:10 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 18:19 (PDT)

Jan M.
Bend, OR USA -- Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 11:06(PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: When I want to read the opinions of reviewers I often go to Rotten Tomatoes or Imdb and you can click on these links to get some feedback about Rage. On the whole I haven't read many of them and, actually, there haven't been many of them. I guess people either really like it or really don't like it. Maybe, once it has been available in the U.S., it might engender more reviews, but I don't know that there's too much to say about it once you've discussed the obvious style of it.

This morning I mentioned the Yoko Ono film and I talked with a friend of mine who told me that he believed the "actor" in the film (which he thought was simply called "Smile") was John Lennon and that the whole film was played in slow motion over that long period of time, so that the acting itself was accomplished quickly. I found it on IMDB -- it was also called No. 5 -- and John and Yoko were both given credit as Writers and Directors of this 51 minute film. There was one review, which reminded me of most reviews given to Rage.

As for the Philip Seymour Hoffman film it got marvelous reviews which I am still reading and many of the reviewers, who admit to being confused by it, have indicated that they feel it must be seen many times before coming to an understanding of what it represents. That was my initial feeling because it held me captive for just over 2 hours. I could have shut it off, but I didn't because I sensed that I was watching something worthwhile and that I should reserve judgement until at least I saw it a second time. That was never a feeling I felt while looking at Rage. I struggled to keep myself seated for the entire length of the film, and I know a second, third or fourth viewing would not have changed my mind. I really understood very little about it and I don't understand the references to Marmalade and/or Irony. It did not seem very clear to me at all.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 11:06(PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Because you you can't account for taste, those are all legitimate reasons for liking a film. Each one of those actors you mentioned would be on my list of favorites. It is my opinion that nothing in this film was about the actors. To me it was a self-indulgent salute to style by Sally Potter. I remember the 60s and the phenomenon of the happening. I remember being in the theatre watching a film by Yoko Ono and my memory surely is hazy, but it went something like this: there was a single shot of a person, maybe John Lennon, close up and staring at the camera. The film went on for a long, long time -- maybe an hour -- and this was the premise: he smiled. So if you walked in at the beginning there was no smile and in the middle he was starting to smile and at the end he was full on smiling. The weird thing was that nothing else was going on, so one by one, or two by two people slowly started walking on stage doing odd things, like tap dancing, in front of the screen. I might have stayed throughout the "film" and I might have enjoyed myself and I'm sure I told others about it, but I was never moved to see another Yoko Ono film.

I love Eddie Izzard -- I have most of his comic performances on DVD and I'm so sorry that The Riches was taken off the air. I watched Five Days with David Oyelowo and I was absolutely transfixed by his performance. Dianne Weist almost always turns in outstanding performances from Hannah and her Sisters to In Treatment. Coincidentally, I saw a movie just two days ago that I'm not sure I know how to describe. It featured Dianne Weist along with the wonderful Philip Seymour Hoffman as well as many other award winning and nominated players and, I've got to say, it certainly made me feel (as an audience member) that someone was having a laugh at my expense. It was a bizarre film called Synecdoche, N.Y. and I had read somewhere that it was great. It, like Rage, seemed to come straight out of the sixties, but at least I think there were some wonderful, challenging performances and it offered a lot to talk about -- at least in my household. It was about a movie director who lived in New York (in a real town which is an anagram of the title) and in it there are several realities which often overlap. I've been meaning to go online and read other reviews. It's quite possible I'm in the minority about that one. I have no idea. But at least I know there was a great deal of thought put into it and it was quite an elaborate plot. I'm sure that if I read more reviews I will get a better understanding of this film, which at times made sense and at other times made none. At least it made me want to know more about it. Once again, I would say that there is no accounting for taste. Sorry for the rambling, but I really see a comparison there.

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 7:20 (PDT)

After its premiere on Mobile, RAGE is now coming online. Starting on Monday September 28, watch RAGE: Day 1-Episode 1 The next episode will be live on Thursday October 1. The following episodes will arrive online next week. (Monday and Thursday)

Sally Potter's star-studded ode to the fashion world, RAGE is the world's first feature film to debut on mobile phones. This unique mobile premiere links directly with Sally Potter's vision for the film, as RAGE tells the story of a New York fashion show through a series of intimate interviews, as if shot by a college student on his mobile phone over a seven-day period.

I'm sorry about the mistake, but I think the link is still correct to get the rest of the movie. If not, it should be easy to find.

Here's an interview with Sally Potter during which she answers ten questions that shed more light on the movie.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 7:37 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: It IS funny and . . . a small world. I had a friend who used that expression all the time but he said it like this: "non gustibus disputandum" (which he said meant "there's no accounting for taste") and over the years I have used it often in situations such as this. Viva la difference. . .

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Monday, September 28, 2009 at 19:17 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, September 28, 2009 at 11:55 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, September 28, 2009 at 12:10 (PDT)

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 10:37 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thank you very much for the support. I also received my copy a few days ago and plan to watch it straight through tonight.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Friday, September 25, 2009 at 22:33 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 16:41 (PDT)

	Thanks to Glenda for letting me know about the upcoming event called Swing on a Star, of which Judi is a part. It is being held, according to the invitation, at the Bloomsbury Theatre. Click for pictures from the event, which was last held in 2007 at the Almeida Theatre or read the story about 2007's event here. For ticket information email The Friends United Network

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 3:55 (PDT)

Oh, I know I said I'd shut up already about Rage, but I guess it is pretty historic to have the movie debut on mobile phones. Here are some screen shots of what it actually looks like on the screen (as for the movie itself, I'm sure that those of you who are interested have already seen previews which have been online for quite a while. Well, that's what it looks like on the Iphone too, only smaller.) I watched episode one while I was computing and, frankly, I don't think Judi was in it yet, but if you want to see a good review for Judi, check out this site. I did not see episodes 2 or 3 as yet, but I did order the DVD as most die-hard fans did (thank you, if you ordered it from my site) and I might just wait to watch it all at once.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 9:32 (PDT)

Jenny Funnell, as I mentioned earlier, is making her Broadway debut in Hamlet. The show is in previews now and will run through December 6th. Go to this website and click on Hamlet to get ticket information. I'm not sure whether or not Jenny will be seen on on Live with Regis & Kelly on this coming Friday, September 25, but Jude Law will be featured.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 8:08 (PDT)

Evalynn Christiansen
Houston, TX USA -- Monday, September 21, 2009 at 7:40 (PDT)

ATTENTION JUDI DENCH ARTIFACT COLLECTORS: The Rage DVD will be available at Amazon US on Tuesday, September 22 and at Amazon UK on Monday, September 28. Click either link to pre-order. One last reminder: the movie will be shown at Babelgum.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 17:54 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 17:48 (PDT)

I just was watching ET and saw a sort of montage of NINE. Looks good. They said November 26 date of release.

Beth
Lakewood, NJ USA -- Friday, September 18, 2009 at 17:30(PDT)

These photos were taken yesterday evening at the Collars and Cuffs Ball in London which was held at the Royal Opera House. Sitting next to Judi is her daughter, Finty. The charity raises money to help abandoned animals find new homes.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, September 18, 2009 at 17:04 (PDT)

The good news appears to be that there will be another comedy featuring Geoffrey called Beauty of Britain which will begin on October 5. I don't know that this will make up for my not mentioning Maltby 3, but it might prove to be interesting and there is plenty of time to mark your calendar if you are a big Geoffrey fan.

Here's a brief biography of Geoffrey that I found online. There's more about him in the main pages (Curiosities, p.30 and on):

Geoffrey Palmer is a master of deadpan drollery. His hangdog countenance and understated comedic style are two of the main reasons that his TV situation comedies are popular not only in Britain but also in America. Among the best-loved of his sitcoms -- which enjoy a long afterlife in the rerun market -- are The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin and As Time Goes By. In the latter sitcom, Palmer co-stars with one of the U.K.'s most esteemed actresses, Judi Dench. They play old flames reunited after 40 years. Palmer has also performed in other popular TV comedies, including Fawlty Towers, Executive Stress, Fairly Secret Army, Hot Metal, Butterflies, and Whoops Apocalypse. In addition, his finespun wit and waggery has enlivened many a film production, such as Rat, A Fish Called Wanda, and The Madness of King George.

Palmer was born in London on June 4, 1927. After a brief career in business, he discovered his acting talent in amateur theater, then became a stage manager and eventually a full-time performer. Like so many other outstanding British actors, he studied and acted in plays written by the greatest popularizer of situation comedies, William Shakespeare. His role as Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream is well known to fans of BBC Shakespeare productions. However, Palmer has not limited himself to comedies; he has also performed in productions in other genres, such as Mrs. Brown (a drama about Queen Victoria as a widow), Tomorrow Never Dies (a James Bond adventure), and Anna and the King (a historical/costume epic about an Englishwoman's relationship with the King of Siam). Thanks to his resonant voice, Palmer has also obtained work doing TV commercials, selling everything from veal to varooming cars.

In his leisure time, he enjoys foraying into nature with his wife, Sally, who introduced him to trout and salmon fishing. They have two children.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, September 17, 2009 at 8:38 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 7:49 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 13:33 (PDT)

Here's a story which has been kicked back and forth over the years and it sounds as though it is nearing a resolution. The Shakespeare in Love set is slated to be reborn as a theatre. Read about it and then get Michael Billington's take on the situation.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, September 14, 2009 at 12:28 (PDT)

Here are a couple of interesting things I found in my email this morning. At left is an example of a photograph called The Half by Simon Annand. You can click the link and get a bit of background on his new book, which is available at Amazon in the UK. If you want to buy the book I'd rather you click on this link for my Amazon UK store and get it there than to click the link in the article. If the article makes you want to know more about Annand's works, and you happen to be in the Salford area in the UK you might want to visit his upcoming exhibit -- it starts Saturday and ends just after the new year. A reminder: Rage premieres on the Iphone's Babelgum application a week from today. There are many clips already available on the web as well as on the Iphone. This morning I got an email announcing a draw for free tickets, which says in part: THE DRAW FOR FREE TICKETS TO THE EVENT AT LONDON'S BFI SOUTHBANK WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK. RUNNERS-UP WILL BE OFFERED THE CHOICE OF TICKETS TO RAGE AT THEIR NEAREST CINEMA OR A DVD. PLEASE VISIT WWW.RAGETHEMOVIE.COM/SCREENINGS AND SEND US AN E-MAIL WITH THE NAME OF YOUR NEAREST CINEMA SHOWING THE RAGE PREMIERE. OR TELL US IF YOU WOULD PREFER A DVD. There are lots of things to see at the website to which the email refers, including a link to Itunes music store where you can obtain your copy of Babelgum (for which you need the Iphone or Ipod touch).

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, September 14, 2009 at 7:56 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 7:46 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Friday, September 11, 2009 at 22:48 (PDT)

In a small room in a large hotel in London, a woman often described as our greatest national treasure -- the actress who once beat the Queen into second place as Britain's most liked and respected person -- is sounding off about modern life. She isn't holding back. As she has grown older, Dame Judi Dench says, grey eyes sparkling with laughter, she has become more and more angry.

"I hear myself saying things that I know old people say. Like when I want to ring up about something," her voice lowers dramatically, "and I get that fucking recorded message which tells me to press one, two, three or four, and then you press four and there are two more recorded messages and YOU CANNOT TALK TO ANYBODY! It makes me absolutely mad." What happens when she finally gets through and the operator realises to whom they're speaking? "I don't give them a chance to comment. I just give them an absolute mouthful and ring off." She chuckles.

Dench is not at all what I expected. On the one hand, I am used to reading that she is saintly, sweet and suburban. This is clearly not the case. She wears her anger with twinkling pride. On the other, based on her recent parts -- including a pair of queens, Lady Bracknell and a borderline psychopath -- I was imagining someone grand, slightly terrifying.

That last expectation increased after seeing her latest film, Rage, a strange, experimental project that features 14 actors playing fictional figures in and around the fashion world, who give monologues before a plain backdrop. There's Jude Law as a self-absorbed model; Eddie Izzard as a slick mogul; then, as fashion critic Mona Carvell, Dench looms on screen, her mouth a bloody slash, eye sockets lined with kohl. Carvell is a skull of a woman, much given to haughty pronouncements: "Fashion is not an art form -- if it's anything at all, it's pornography." She is tough, steel-eyed, sour.

The woman who plays her is none of these. Well, tough, possibly. But rather than seeming grand or intimidating, Dench is actressy in the best way: spirited, playful, her ring-heavy hands gesturing expressively, touching wood, miming a memory. I ask what she thinks of Rage, and she says she hasn't seen it, and motions to the poster, "I'm reading the cast list for the first time now!" She was attracted to working with British arthouse director Sally Potter, and the fact that it was unlike anything she'd done before. "I like to do something that's not expected, or predictable. I had to learn to smoke a joint, and I set my trousers alight. I've never been good with cigarettes."

Rage is the latest twist in a surprising late film career. Dench is 74, and just over a decade ago -- at an age when most actresses are bemoaning the lost limelight -- she began a path to six Oscar nominations. "It's all very surprising," she says, "because it came so accidentally. It came because Harvey [Weinstein, the producer] saw Mrs Brown, which had been made for television, and said it should be a film." Weinstein's company, Miramax, went on to distribute Iris, Chocolat and Mrs Henderson Presents; Dench has joked that, "Harvey's name [is] tattooed on my bum."

Her film career seems even more unlikely when you consider that, as a young actress, Dench was told that she had "everything wrong" with her face. She doesn't seem to have been bothered. "I didn't think I'd have a film career at all, but theatre's what I love most, anyway. If you'd said to me 49 years ago that I'd come to enjoy the process of filming, I wouldn't have believed you."

Dench's love of acting stretches back to childhood, and a junior school performance as a snail. She grew up with a GP father, Reginald -- official doctor to the Theatre Royal, York -- a passionate Irish mother, Olave, and two older brothers. The family were keen amateur actors; in the 50s, father, mother and a teenage Judi appeared in the York mystery plays. By this time, Dench had abandoned her plan to be a ballerina -- "My Dad said, 'You do know that if you're a dancer, you will probably have to give up when you're about 40'" -- and after a brief dalliance with theatre design, she followed her brother Jeffery to study acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

She left with a first-class degree, then pitched headlong into a high-profile role as Ophelia opposite John Neville as Hamlet at the Old Vic. Expectations were high; the reviews were bad. "She trips over her own publicity and falls flat on her pretty face," wrote one critic. Dench found the attention difficult. "Kenneth Tynan gave me a very good notice, and so did Milton Shulman, so I clung to those two like a man with a piece of straw. It was very hard, but maybe it's good when you get a hammering so soon."

She seems to have been fueled by insecurity ever since. Has she had any period out of work, I ask, and she slams her glass on the table and grasps the wood for luck. Should I not even have asked? She shakes her head, tight-lipped, eyes darting nervously. "I'm not going to answer!" she says finally. "I've always been very, very insecure about where the next job is coming from."

But surely she can rest on her laurels? "No," she says quickly. Is she a workaholic? "Yes," comes even quicker. She has just filmed the musical Nine, and says that when she was cast, "I was absolutely overcome. I don't take any of it for granted, ever."

It often seems Dench has spent her life trying to recreate the theatrical family that surrounded her as a child. Her happiest times are in a company, and she sticks up vociferously for workmates. With Cranford, she felt the crew were "worked to the utmost limit to get it done. And they did it beautifully. I wrote to Mark Thompson [director general of the BBC] and said that it's impossible to do that amount of work in less time than that. I also mentioned that intensely irritating thing, that the moment a programme is over, the cast list flashes by, then the credits are moved to the side of the screen and you can't see the crew. Well, I heard subsequently that they said, 'Oh, only people's mothers complain about that.' But in actual fact a lot of people complain about it. I quite like when I've seen a thing to know who's best boy and who's the gaffer. I still don't know who directed Bleak House. It's people's careers, and somebody watching it might think, 'God, that's beautifully done.' Well, good luck if they want to find out who did it."

As a young actress, Dench loved being in rep, where you could "make mistakes, and have a go at playing some terribly old person when you were 23. Ideally, what I'd like is to be in a company and not be doing the same play every night." She harks back to Stratford in the 70s, when she "was doing Macbeth, and Comedy Of Errors, and Much Ado, and King Lear. I was asked once, 'But when you're playing Lady Macbeth, that must take over your entire day?' And I said, 'Well, it can't because in the evening I've got to play Beatrice in Much Ado. So it's a quick slough off at tea time.'"

It was around this time that her status as a national treasure began to build, and over the years this has inspired some quotes that, even if jokey, are nauseating. Stephen Fry said, "Railings should be built around [Dench] so that all may admire her in an orderly and respectful fashion"; Kate Winslet said she "would work with Judi if I had to be a tea lady hovering in the back of frame"; and Ian McKellen was moved to suggest that "one of the great joys of being alive in England in the 21st century is being around when Judi Dench is".

McKellen starred with Dench in Macbeth, and has implied that, whatever role she plays, the audience fall in love with her. "Crap!" she says. "Crap. He's talking through a hole in his arse." I ask how she feels about being designated a national treasure, and she makes a face. "I don't like that very much, I'm afraid. That sounds pretty dusty to me. It's Alan Bennett and I behind glass in some forgotten old cupboard. I don't like it at all."

Is there any role that could banish that reputation? She points to Barbara Covett, her character in Notes On A Scandal, a creepy, conniving, deluded woman. "I think that gave it a bit of a boot." She was upset a few months back when the British Board of Film Classification published its annual report, which said that every film she swears in prompts complaints from the public. "That upset me terribly, because I thought, in a way, that cancelled out the last 52 years. I thought 'Does nobody ever believe anything I do? Can't they for a minute think that I am playing another person, in another world, with another personality? Must they write and complain that it came out of my mouth?' I was very depressed about it."

Dench's reputation does seem strange -- after all, contemporaries such as Maggie Smith and Vanessa Redgrave don't inspire the same expectations of sweetness. And it's not as though she has shied away from risk. In the 70s, she starred in the BBC play, Langrishe Go Down, in which she had to appear nude. "Well, I was allowed to wear espadrilles and a wig and earrings. And I had the most wonderful dresser called Lizzie. I was terribly nervous, and I had to run across a meadow to this bush, where Lizzie was hiding, and she said, 'Judi, you look like a lovely birthday card!'"

She thinks her saintly reputation may stem from the fact that she has appeared "in situation comedies, so I'm in people's sitting rooms a lot", and it probably is the breadth of her career that inspires such wide-reaching devotion. For lovers of high art, there are her Shakespearean roles. For musicals fans, there are performances in A Little Night Music, and as Sally Bowles in the first London production of Cabaret (Hal Prince, who directed her, considered Dench "the most effective of all the people who played the part"). Those who like costume drama are rewarded with Cranford; those who like sitcom get A Fine Romance and As Time Goes By. There are the credible films, such as Notes On A Scandal, and less credible ones, such as The Chronicles Of Riddick. Then there are the Bond films. Did she enjoy coming in as Bond's boss, M, to break up the boys' club of those films? "You bet. Give them a bit of a ticking off, yes." Is she a feminist? "No, I wouldn't call myself a feminist at all, really. I don't know what a feminist is. I believe in women having a say."

Is she political in other ways? She says she's "very, very angry about Iraq. And I'm very angry that we seem to be in such a mess and [all the politicians] take 16 weeks' holiday. That makes me despair." Does she think the country would be in better shape if the Tories came in? "No," she says, "I just think that it would be better if. . . . I don't know. I just remember dancing in the streets when Labour got in." She once went on a Ban The Bomb march with Vanessa Redgrave: "I think Van was arrested, but she had a matinee," so they let her off. Redgrave was a contemporary of Dench's at drama school, and once wrote they were all envious of her natural ease. I put this to Dench, and she shrieks. "We were all very envious of Vanessa! At drama school, they would say, 'Now, it's prologues', and all of us were completely, totally inept, except Vanessa." Are they still friends? "Yes! Yes we are."

She is great friends with Maggie Smith, too -- she has always been surrounded by actors, even away from the stage. Her brother Jeffery still acts, as does her daughter, Finty Williams, who has just been cast in a production of Bedroom Farce, directed by Sir Peter Hall. But the shadow of Dench's success hasn't always been easy for others: Finty has talked of times when she thought, "I'm never going to live up to this woman's image." And Geoffrey Palmer has said of the actor Michael Williams, to whom Dench was happily married for 30 years, that "the fact that all his married life he was Mr Judi Dench, that's difficult for any man".

Michael died of cancer in 2001, and Dench says she hopes her success wasn't a problem for him. "It shouldn't have been, because he was such a good actor, and has done such marvellous things. I think it's only if other people's attitude towards you is rather selective" -- if they single you out -- "and you're with your family. I don't like that. It's bad manners on other people's parts."

She has always liked to live with extended family, and her daughter still comes to stay during the week; they share the house with five cats, a dog and two fish, "one of which I saved from drowning by giving him the kiss of life". He used to be called Rhubarb. Now he's called Lazarus.

Terry Hands, a director at the RSC in the 70s, once said that "at least half the company was in love with [Dench]. She was a pin-up for many young men." Does she still get a lot of propositions? "No! No, you don't get any propositions when you're rising 75." She laughs. "I have a lot of very, very good friends." There is a long pause, and I ask if she's lonely. "Sometimes I get quite lonely, yes. Well, I'm not good at my own company. So, um, of course it would be." She stops briefly, and thinks, her eyes misting up. Then she gets firm with herself. "Oh no, I'm not even going to go there. But, um, yes. . . ." There is another long pause. "Anybody who's had a very happy marriage must feel the same. On the one side, you feel fantastically lucky you had what we had -- we knew each other 39 years and were married for 30. And yet, when the person is not there, you suddenly think, oof, it's not wonderful." She pauses, then spits out her next words. "That's rather a stupid reply." Not at all. She looks wrung out. "It is."

Still, work makes her happy, and she has no plans for retirement -- the idea is anathema. Does she get a kick out of every new job? "I certainly do. I've never got through a job without suddenly having a problem come up in front of me that I have no idea how to tackle." Is that what keeps her going? "Yes, I like that. I love it."

While I'm mentioning new things, here's an article which tells you what Philip Bretherton has been up to. He'll be playing the role of Professor Higgins in a new production of Pygmalian.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, September 11, 2009 at 5:58 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 14:53 (PDT)

An interview describing the touring production (without Geoffrey) can be seen here.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, September 4, 2009 at 8:16 (PDT)

Ira Steinberg
Congers, NY USA -- Friday, September 4, 2009 at 7:24 (PDT)

Mary
Baton Rouge, LA USA -- Monday, August 31, 2009 at 12:03 (PDT)

Thank you for posting my comment so quickly and for the welcome. I'm sorry Judi has never been to the south, especially Mississippi. I think she would enjoy a visit as ATGB fans down here would show her true southern hospitality.

Angela
Collinsville, MS USA -- Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 16:48 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 19:18 (PDT)

I have been reading the tribute page for quite some time, but this is the first time I have ever written. I, too, LOVE ATGB. The PBS station here only shows ATGB on Saturday nights. I wish it were more as I enjoy watching it tremendously.

Question: Has Judi ever been to the deep south?

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Welcome Angela. I'm glad you decided to post. Normally I'm pretty quick about posting comments, but I was so disgusted after seeing that the Cubs were losing 15-5 in the 8th inning that I just shut down the computer early last night.

As for your question, I can't say I'm 100 pct certain, but I really doubt that Judi's been in the South; if she has, I've never seen it mentioned. I know she's been to New York and Los Angeles, but I don't think she even came here to Las Vegas when she was honored by ShoWest in 2001. She seems to have loved the time she spent in New York City because she talks about it all the time.

Angela
Collinsville, MS USA -- Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 18:48 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Monday, August 24, 2009 at 8:09 (PDT)

Connie
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 9:00 (PDT)

UPDATE: Plans for an ecotown in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, appear to have been put on hold.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 7:54 (PDT)

As for Dame Judi playing Titania again, I am sure that between Peter Hall and Dame Judi they will strike the right note and make a tasteful, albeit aged, fairy! It shall be interesting.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 19:11 (PDT)

This is the page on my site which carried the original story and the text of the poems that were read by Dame Judi and I extracted the video and put a link to it in the first paragraph.

And, in other news, Judi apparently feels that it's never to late to be a fairy.

Prof Stanley Wells, the chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, says: "I have never heard of someone in their seventies playing Titania before, but there is something ageless about Judi."

Read more about this at the Telegraph.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 15:00 (PDT)

Mary Bentley
Cullman, Alabama USA -- Friday, August 14, 2009 at 11:25 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Friday, August 14, 2009 at 8:31 (PDT)

According to the article linked above: "The production will begin performances at the Rose Theatre, Kingston (in Surrey, on the outskirts of London) Feb. 9, 2010, prior to an official opening Feb. 15, for an exclusive run through March 20. It is the theatre's seventh home-grown production."

Judi will be playing the role of Titania. According to the article, Peter Hall's new production sees Titania, the Fairy Queen, as a portrait of the ageing Queen Elizabeth I, fascinated with the theatre, besieged by courtiers but "married to the people of England."

You can find ticket information at the Playbill web site. There is another article at whatsonstage.com.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 19:05 (PDT)

I thought the readers might enjoy hearing about the question my colleague got at our library's reference desk this morning. A person called in looking for a photo of a person being kicked in the face by a mule. Honest! The caller never mentioned Lionel's name, but fans that we are, the phrase certainly brought him to mind! So as ever, ATGB is interwoven in many parts of our lives.

We never did find such a picture!

Becky
Cullowhee, NC USA -- Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 10:56 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Also, it might help to visit this page and click on Literature Festival 2009 -- Now on sale to Members (under Festival Headlines at right).

Evelyn
SC, USA -- Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 13:52 (PDT)

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 10:51 (PDT)

Thought you might be interested - Judi will appear at the Cheltenham Festival on 10th October - in conversation with Richard Eyre.

Marian
Galashiels Scotland -- Friday, August 7, 2009 at 2:25 (PDT)

Warm regards,

Christopher Toth
St. Louis, Missouri USA -- Wednesday, August 6, 2009 at 21:10 (PDT)

What a class act it is. Every detail is elegant and humane. Each actor did his job to perfection. Each script was so insightful and emotionally healthy; I envied the writer's ability to see and feel and share with us so well.

Oh, heck, it's the tops, guys and gals. How about once a year reunion shows? Anything.... anything but goodbye forever.

... Long live As Time Goes By.

Johanna M. Brewer, journalist now living on the waters of the Chesapeake.
USA --Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at 12:10 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Here is a paragraph from an article on the premiere of the Shipping News:

He also gave her the biggest laugh of the shoot. For 15 years, Dench and an actor friend, Tim Pigott-Smith, have played an elaborate game of hide-and-seek with a black glove: It pops up on each other's film or theater sets, the more surprisingly the better. Spacey discovered this and had the glove sent to Newfoundland. He hung on to it for a full month, until the day Dench shot one of her most emotional scenes, in which Agnis dumps the ashes of the older brother she loathed down an outhouse, then ceremoniously pees on them. Spacey positioned himself under the outhouse, with the glove on a stick. As Dench lifted her skirts and squatted over the seat, "I felt something tickling my bottom,'' she says. ''Kevin says I jumped into the air, screaming. It took me quite a long time to recover, and it will take even longer to plan the proper revenge."

Sue
Portland, OR USA --Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 21:15 (PDT)

---

I was not able to go back to the episode mentioned, but my remembrance is that it was Alistair's jacket, not his overalls, that was the same as Churchill's.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Alistair walks into Lionel's apartment and Lionel tells him that "Winston Churchill used to wear one of those" and Alistair says that his is reversible. Lionel responds to that by saying that "he was only the Prime Minister." That's all that was said about his appearance in the scene at the apartment.

Joan in PA
USA -- Monday, August 3, 2009 at 16:54 (PDT)

---

For better or worse WFYI Indianapolis is playing As Time Goes By. Again! Love it and hate it, I can't avoid watching it. Last week I noticed another Britishism in Season 3 episode 5. As Sandy and Alistair arrive at Lionel's flat to help him move, Sandy observes that Alistair is wearing "bespoke" coveralls. I really don't recall what word she uses for the garment, but bespoke means that they were custom tailored, quite a comment on Alistair's character, and setting up the later observation that Churchill's were not like those.

Hope you enjoy the insight.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Yes, Alan, I DID enjoy it -- enough to make me go back and have a look at the episode and this is what I found: I saw that the person responsible for the closed captioning translated what Sandy said as: "I've never heard of this bloke ogles before." And the response shown for Alistair is "Mate of mine." It should have read "I've never heard of bespoke overalls before" and Alistair's response should have been "made of mine" -- or, as Alan suggested to me privately, it really could have been mate of mine, which would be in keeping with Alistair's character, as well. If you are interested in seeing "bespoke" in context you can find it here, along with other references in the article. Thanks for pointing this out to all of us.

Alan
Indianapolis, USA -- Monday, August 3, 2009 at 8:23 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 13:17 (PDT)

Denny
PA, USA -- Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 9:10 (PDT)

Hope you're doing well. Been enjoying reading your site, as always.

May have missed it in the comments, but in case not, I just wanted to drop you (and everyone else) a line letting you know that Geoffrey Palmer is featured in a new BBC radio adapation of a John LeCarre story titled "A Murder of Quality." It was first broadcast in May of 2009, and is now available on two-disc CD (it's about and hour and a half long).

The story is good, Geoffrey features prominently and sounds great.

Anyway, happy listening!

Take care,

NOTE FROM BONNIE: It's always great to hear from old friends, Matt. I thought of you just the other day. Your birthday still pops up on my calendar. And yes, I mentioned Geoffrey's radio broadcast while it was still available on "listen again." I checked just before posting this and it is no longer available online at the BBC website. There are very few copies left at Amazon in the US and all are third copy providers. There are 8 available thru the Atgbcentral Amazon UK store: Click on the link at the top of the page, look under books -- A Murder of Quality.

Matt
USA -- Wednesday, July 29, 2009 at 19:11 (PDT)

Thanks again for this wonderful site. ATGB is still my favorite program of all time and it is back on our local PBS station after an absence. Actor Nicholas Smith (Mr. Rumbold in Are You Being Served) will be in East Peoria, Illinois on Sunday, August 30 at 3:00 p.m. at Embassy Suites. It is called Tea with Mr. Rumbold. Tickets are on sale to the Public August 9 for $15 each. English tea, conversation, and time to take pictures with Mr. Smith.

Call WTVP for tickets. This seems to be a fundraiser for WTVP and perhaps some fans who are near would like to attend. I don't know if Mr. Smith is visiting any other areas.

I will not be in town to attend but as an old fan of AYBS I hope to send my daughter in my place.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks Carolyn. I removed the phone number from your comment because I would rather not post numbers that may get misprinted. I will, however, post the web page for WTVP and readers can get the phone number (it's on the page in the story about volunteering) and make any inquiries. I looked for a reference, but I did not see it listed as an event.

Carolyn
Peoria, IL USA -- Wednesday, July 29, 2009 at 8:22 (PDT)

Anyway, thanks for posting the article.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: You're welcome.

I'm guessing that it was not formally recorded by a legitimate representative of the festival. I'm also guessing there is probably an unauthorized recording that is floating around somewhere that most people will never get to see or hear because that's what happens these days.

I mentioned earlier today that Rage would be coming out in the fall. Visit this site to see the trailer and enter a contest to win free tickets to see the premiere.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Monday, July 27, 2009 at 19:10 (PDT)

So here's the answer to your question, Mary. This article appeared this morning online in the Basingstoke Gazette and was written by Clare Hughes.

All I know is that for today at least the Chicago Cubs are in first place for the first time since April. On the other hand, I know nothing about a "new book" (Miller seems to update this particular book quite often.) And the black eye? Don't even ask.

Mymra posted a couple of videos on YouTube which show Dame Judi reading A Dog So Small, by Phillipa Pearce. There are some interesting illustrations in the videos. I will repost the audio for those who have not heard it and want to download it (right-click on the link). Also in the news (and mentioned before), Babelgum will premiere Rage in September.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, July 27, 2009 at 7:37 (PDT)

Hubby and I have seen all the As Time Goes By and he loves the show so much, he watches whatever repeats he can. During an interview on the Iowa PBS station, the younger girls on the show (ATGB) said that Judith [sic] did not even mention when she was up for or won awards. She is that common a person. Would love to have a reunion show.... I think it is pretty sad that Britain and Canada can make such great shows and then we in the states only get them on PBS or very late at night...Regenesis at 2am and DaVinci's Inquest.

Mickey & George
Cedar Rapids, IA USA -- Sunday, July 26, 2009 at 15:11 (PDT)

I was just reading back postings on the site. I was reading the ones about Judi using a few four letter words in a Bond film. I also read the link you had about the complaints that were received. I think it gets totally ridiculous that some people can't accept it is a role. If they don't like it then don't go see the film, play, or watch the TV show. She is playing a part. Sorry, but it things like that drive me crazy sometimes.

Beth
Lakewood, NJ USA -- Friday, July 24, 2009 at 9:59 (PDT)

Mary Bentley
Cullman, Alabama USA -- Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 11:11 (PDT)

If they would produce more series we would definitely be first in line to watch.

Lionel and Jean are terrific together; each of the actors is great, the girls are wonderful and Alistair is just one of a kind. Rocky and Madge also wonderful. They ALL are!!!

You know something, it is difficult to find adjectives enough to cover each of these actors. Please, Please, Please continue to present this program to us, the viewers.

Rick and Velora Gibson
Bothwell, Ontario, Canada --Sunday, July 19, 2009 at 13:21 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 16:00 (PDT)

Bonnie:

I love the comments about Dame Judi making all the other actors around her perform better. Another thought struck me today, also.

I was listening to a CD this morning of some of Dame Judi's musical performances. The number that struck me was "You Must Meet My Wife/I Must Meet Your Wife," from A Little Night Music. In this duet, DJD sings and also sometimes speaks her retorts.

I was so struck by her vocal quality. Her voice just projected so crisply and so strongly and with such perfect control and diction.

She can be so soft-spoken when you meet her and she talks to fans ---- but on stage --- how very powerful she is!!!!! I kept thinking about this woman so small in stature with such a beautiful pleasant soft speaking voice --- who is able to reach to the very back rows of the theatre --- it is pure skill and simply magical how she does it. I do not think she is equaled in this by anyone!

Mary Bentley
Cullman, Alabama USA -- Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 9:42 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Everything I've ever read about her seems to indicate she is a down-to-earth and genuine person who naturally gets on well with the people who work alongside her. It seems to me that she is an instinctive actress who does not do a lot of pre-planning for her role, specifically and for the atmosphere on set, in general. I'm guessing she made breakfast for Moira because it's the thing that hosts do when they have guests.

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Monday, July 13, 2009 at 8:48 (PDT)

I agree with Joan; I think the caricatures are truly awful. The only thing resembling Judi was the arched eyebrow -- and even that was awful.

Liz
Midlothian Scotland -- Sunday, July 12, 2009 at 8:38 (PDT)

I have been watching As Time Goes By for years. I really enjoy it very much. I am also a huge fan of Joan Sims. I miss her very much.

Pat
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 22:02 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 9:56 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 7:22 (PDT)

James Bond fans in the UK will want to keep an eye out for this upcoming event at the Theatre Royal in Winchester.

Dame Judi Dench, who has now starred as MI6 chief "M" in the past six James Bond films, will be taking time out from filming further episodes of Cranford for BBC television to talk about her illustrated book on her life and career, Judi Dench: Scenes From My Life, which was originally published in late 2005.

This event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 19 July at 7:30 pm. Tickets to this event will cost 15 pounds and are available from the Theatre Royal Box Office.

For further details, [check the web link above for the phone number] or visit the event page at Waterstones.com.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 19:52 (PDT)

In addition to the show itself, we appreciate Bonnie's very special tribute at this site. The comments and ideas from all our fellow fans magnify the ATGB experience for us with new perspectives and helpful information. I even made a new friend, Judi of NJ, by getting in touch through ATGB Central -- we haven't met in person yet but still hope to. In particular, we owe a thank-you to Larry Lain, whose route of Jean and Lionel's country walk we loved following a few years ago and whose recommendation for a special dinner at the Babylon Roof Gardens we followed up on in 2007. And this year for our 50th anniversary, a most special occasion, fifteen or so family and friends from six states will join us for dinner at the Babylon in December. So, maybe ATGB didn't change the course of our already blessed lives, but it has added a permanent shine.

Dee Benson
Elkton MD USA -- Sunday, July 5, 2009 at 11:01 (PDT)

I know this isn't ATGB-related, but the readers of this site might want to know about the passing of Mollie Sugden, aka Mrs. Slocombe, of the classic series Are You Being Served?. NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thank you for telling us Mike. I'm certain her fans would have wanted to know. I have great memories of her in that series, which in my area was the lead-in for the Saturday string of Britcoms. As such, it sent a clear signal that an evening of laughter was about to be had.

Mike T.
New York, NY USA -- Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 18:30 (PDT)

What a coincidence that you should mention the availability of viewing "A Fine Romance" episodes. Earlier today, I treated myself and purchased the entire boxed set of AFR. I shall look forward to watching each episode in chronological order.

On another note, "Happy July 4th" to everyone on the left side of the big pond.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 18:30 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 18:07 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 14:47 (PDT)

As always, it is encouraging that the producers continue to review your site and even more complimentary of you that they are willing from time to time to forward comments on to the ATGB family.

As I've noted in the past I am in favor of more episodes because I view ATGB as an unique show that touches so many people (especially the middle aged and elderly who are so often over-looked by the entertainment industry). I agree, that a retrospective special with bloopers and other behind the scenes moments would be terrific, however, I also believe that there is more of the story of Jean and Lionel to tell as building off of Larry Lain's eloquent critique of the show: there is more of our own collective stories to tell.

A few disclaimers before I continue: I've never written to a fan site, producers, actors, etc., except ATGB. Quite candidly, I rarely watch broadcast or cable television any more as the content other than news and sports has lost most of its relevance to me and my family. A search of my home would reveal no autographs of "celebrities", no newspaper clippings or photographs of them either, indeed, nothing that would suggest a rabid TV fan that finds it impossible to go on without the latest episodes of a favorite show or series.

And yet, if that search expanded to include my laptop, they'd find one solitary "entertainment" type link to a website called ATGB Central! And the question of why it is in my favorites folder really is more about the "how" of why I believe ATGB has a transcendent quality to it that goes beyond mere "entertainment" and delivers itself as a companion. If you are sad, pop in a DVD and find a laugh. If you are retrospective about lost opportunities, pop in a DVD and find inspiration that life begins anew each and every day. If you are lonely (perhaps because you are the surviving spouse), pop in a DVD and find the best of those you long for to be with again. If you are happy, pop in a DVD and find yourself!

I thought the writing sufficient enough for the reunion specials, indeed as I thought the plot devices clever enough including that of a young man calling on his "Father". The character of Jean leaps to many wrong conclusions over the series and this one was an exclamation mark on that tendency and given that it was a reunion special it was appropriate that it be the most implausible one to date (to everyone but Jean, of course!). My own take is that where specials of any sort error is in changing the tempo (meaning timing). Most reunions error on trying to stretch a tried and true format into a longer show and that is where most problems occur. Better to have had four 28 and half minute episodes than two 45 minute reunion specials.

Certainly, I can't know this definitively, however, it is my strong belief that ATGB has had a greater (and therefore longer and more important) impact on their audience. The Bond movies may thrill (and Judi is very good in them), the cameo roles of Geoffrey are always good to see (and hopefully keeps him fully supplied with fly-casting bait!), however, the ATGB episodes transcends people's lives in ways that really matter: they inspire, they make you laugh, they may even make you cry, however, at the end of the day they always leave you with hope. So please, on behalf of all of the ATGB family, please keep that hope coming and know that it has had and will continue to have meaning!

Christopher Toth
St. Louis, MO USA -- Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 12:13 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 8:51 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 12:07 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 11:15 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 11:00 (PDT)

Geoffrey Palmer opens Bledlow gardens By Neil Phillips POPULAR actor Geoffrey Palmer joined guests at the opening of the gardens at Bledlow Manor on Sunday. The "As Time Goes By" star became patron of the Abbeyfield Society, which provides housing with care to older people, after seeing the service offered by the home to two of his aunts and his mother. The afternoon event at the garden was in aid of Abbeyfield's Leonard Pulham Nursing home which looks after 33 elderly people in Halton, Aylesbury. The garden at Bledlow Manor is owned by Lord Carrington and features a mixture of formal and informal gardens as well as a collection of sculpture and statues. Local artists were also painting and selling their work. A large number of Classic cars, including Rolls Royce, were also on display. Suzie Friend, a spokesperson for the Abbeyfield society said: "It was a lovely sunny day with over 400 people coming and there were so many things going on. We are still counting the money we have raised for the society."

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 7:22 (PDT)

The qualities of this love story compels all of us to reward ourselves as many times as possible. I am amazed with the energy and vitality of the ever young Dame Judi. Thank you and your wonderful cast for your wonderful work.

Quentin Allen
Ft. Mitchell, KY USA -- Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 13:08 (PDT)

Marian
Galashiels Scotland -- Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 10:43 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 9:05 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Incidentally, I took the time to go to the BBFC website and found that they operate on two guiding principles:

(1) that works should be allowed to reach the widest audience that is appropriate for their theme and treatment and (2) that adults should, as far as possible, be free to choose what they see, provided that it remains within the law and is not potentially harmful.

So what's the fuss about Dame Judi? Anyone who would be offended -- in fact, moved to complain -- by the lightweight "foul" language of M (no matter who is playing the role) would be mortified if ever they came face-to-face with our Dame Judi. Clearly I'm talking about more than just asking her to sign an autograph backstage. From every account, Judi enjoys a hearty laugh, a mischievous prank and she speaks her mind without a lot of self-censorship. The lady has been known to drop an expletive or two. Or three.

These days people pay a lot of money to go to the movies and you'd think that they should know what to expect when they fork over $6 to $12 per person to see a movie. When you think of how successful the 007 franchise is, you realize that these few complaints represent nearly no-one. That's why I hate to see so much time given to this piece of fluff issue that every blogger from here to eternity has been leading with for the past week. I find it more interesting that I received at least 30-40 alerts and that's more than the number of complaints the BBFC received in the first place.

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Friday, June 25, 2009 at 8:12 (PDT)

I would like to add to the comments Mary and Peggy. I agree with them 100%. I admit I was a wee bit apprehensive about joining a group of 35 women or so -- that I had never met before -- but when you walked through the doors of that hotel it was like meeting "Family". As Peggy said -- one word, look or action and all knew what was meant. My whole world has opened up since joining in discussions on the various DJD sites and to Judi I am most grateful. I cannot thank you and other site owners for all the work you put in to make my day. I wish I had known about Judi when she was more involved in theatre.

Again -- I thank all the "family" who made the London trip sooo special.

Liz
Midlothian Scotland -- Friday, June 25, 2009 at 7:51 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, June 26, 2009 at 3:01 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Visra, AZ USA -- Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 21:02 (PDT)

Here's the link to an interesting article in the Telegraph:

It appears Dame Judi is so revered that the use of 'foul' language by the characters she portrays elicits complaints from her fanbase.

Personally, while I don't care for gratuitous vulgarity, a well-placed curse word doesn't necessarily offend me if it serves to add tension or intensity to the plot.

On another note, Rebecca asked about Lionel and Jean picking bluebells in Episode 3 of the first season. Earlier this week, one of the local PBS stations began showing the first season of ATGB (for the umpteenth time, but I'm not complaining). Episode 3 is scheduled to be broadcast tonight. I shall look forward to watching it, once again. :-)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: I have been inundated with alerts for days regarding this issue. Frankly I was hoping it wouldn't come up. I chose to ignore it because it is one of the more ridiculous things I've heard. With all the lunacy in this world that this is even an issue is beyond me.

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 19:47 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: It's been a long time since I've seen that episode, but based on where I mentioned it in the episode guide, it appears as though Lionel was referring to a path that they had previously taken in the field near the hotel where they first made love. I'm guessing that they must have, metaphorically speaking, "fooled around" or canoodled on the way to the hotel.

Rebecca Reynolds
Portland, Oregon, USA -- Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 11:57 (PDT)

If you took a poll of the 35 or so of us that went to England in April, probably half had traveled there for the first time and many had traveled alone. For some it was a huge step and life changing. This giant leap was a result of Dame Judi and our blind faith that we would become friends and have fun because "like people, attract like people".

I have come to believe that the people I meet online because of ATGB and Judi are just like me. The magic that is Judi Dench has pulled us all in and through this wonderful site (thank you Bonnie) and others, we are able to chat about the show and people we all admire and respect very much. And incredibly, we don't have to explain anything -- actors, plot lines, characters -- the background is already there. The trip to England proved my point. Laughter was a constant. The cause could be as simple as a voice inflection when you mentioned "custard tarts!", and you wouldn't believe the critique that took place after we saw "A Little Night Music". How the discussion of a simple line like "So . . ?" could get so animated was absolutely amazing and hysterically funny.

To steal a bit from MasterCard: Airplane tickets to London: 1200 Dollars. Hotel accommodations: 78 Pounds. Taxi ride to the theatre: Ten Pounds. Theatre tickets: 32 1/2 Pounds. Seeing Judi Dench and being part of "we few, we happy few, we band of sisters" . . . . priceless! Thanks to everyone. Let's do it again soon.

Peggy
Reynoldsburg, OH USA -- Tuesday, June 24, 2009 at 15:59 (PDT)

"I love the pajamas Jean wears in the series. Any idea what kind or where they got them for her?"

Jennifer, I think it's highly likely that someone like Jean would shop here: http://www.thewhitecompany.com/category.aspx?ID=1000820.

It's a *beautiful* shop that only sells white or neutral linens and nightwear - always cotton or other natural fibres. They are scrummy and classy!

Also M&S are often good for that sort of thing - Marks & Spencer (affectionately known here in England as Marksies or Marks & Sparks!) I have a pair of lovely 'broderie anglaise' pyjamas almost identical to Jean's from there. You've probably noticed from the carrier bags that Jean & Lionel often do their food shopping at Marks & Spencer - it's also likely she'd do some of her clothes shopping there too.

Laura Ashley often have nightwear that Jean would wear, but their current range doesn't reflect that...

Happy Hunting :o)

Helen
Tenterden, England -- Friday, June 19, 2009 at 12:04 (PDT)

Looking at it made me feel I was having Christmas in June.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thank you, Marian. Here's another photo of Judi that was taken on the same day. It, too, was found at the contactmusic.com website. Judi's horse, Smokey Oakey, finished in last place.

Marian
Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland -- Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 4:03 (PDT)

We've been lucky enough to have the chance to spend a lot of time in London because of my job, and have spent all or part of several delightful days visiting ATGB shooting sites, most of which are easy enough to find just with a pleasant stroll around the general Holland Park area. And when we're over there in 2010, we'll probably go back at least to eat again at Julie's Restaurant (which has been visible in several episodes, most prominently in the first part of the Reunion special) which is lovely and has wonderful food. Just being in the neighborhood brings us a smile. And when all is said and done, that's why we watch the show: It always brings us a smile -- partly because of what it is ... and partly because of who WE are.

Larry Lain
Dayton, OH USA -- Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 10:12 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: As most of you know, I won't post the address of the location where the Hardcastles live and I think the reasons are fairly obvious reasons. As for wrought iron fenches, they are all over the place. Curiously enough, this is probably the most-asked question I get. Once again, I'm going to ask those of you who are interested to look elsewhere for the answer.

john roy
acushnet, ma USA -- Monday, June 15, 2009 at 6:04 (PDT)

Liz
Midlothian Scotland -- Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 12:52 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 11:44 (PDT)

And all of that led to ----- my first ever overseas trip to England --- to see DJD in Madame deSade and to see Stratford and Bath, etc. ---- and most of all --- to meet IN PERSON other women that feel the same as I do about DJD's work --- so now I have friends all over the United States, UK and Scotland ---- "we few, we happy few, we band of sisters!"

So, I can DEFINITELY say that my life has been changed by ATGB!

Viva la Dame!

Mary Bentley
Cullman, Alabama USA -- Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 7:52 (PDT)

	These photos were taken yesterday night in the Wiltshire village of Lacock in England during the filming of Cranford. How're these for pictures that feature the ladies in their bonnets? It appears as though Imelda is wearing a conestoga wagon on her head while Judi seems to have acquired the wardrobe of Friar Tuck.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 7:31 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 12:26 (PDT)

This show has become a very special part of our lives. We always watch it together. When we do, "the world goes away" and it's just us and the Hardcastles. All the stress and worries of the day seem to melt away and we can just sit back, relax and enjoy the show. And it reminds us of how lucky we are to have each other and to feel the same love that is at the very foundation of this delightful and magical show. If any of the cast and crew do read these comments, I would like to thank you personally for having created something so wonderful which has brought a little sunshine into the lives of so many ...

NOTE FROM BONNIE: What a lovely letter! I hope that some people in the cast and/or crew were able to read it and appreciate the difference this show has made and the part they played in it. I know it has changed my life and, judging from the personal emails I have received over the past ten years I can tell you that your reaction is pretty much universal.

Dan Parsons
Santa Clara, CA USA -- Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 9:40 (PDT)

I saw another picture of Judi on the Cranford set doing a crossword puzzle but, frankly, I don't want to see any more pictures of her in that bonnet -- at least not until the program airs. I found a couple of other pictures, though, and I much prefer them.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 8:03 (PDT)

Judi's back on the set of the sequel to Cranford

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 7:25 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Monday, June 8, 2009 at 15:31 (PDT)

Those of us truly addicted to the series don't expect a new reunion special with Grandkids driving Lionel insane -- and we have the series on DVD to watch, so we don't care what PBS airs. We're just glad we knew the Hardcastles and their family & friends -- it's as if they were close friends that moved away. Got to get back in my bed -- they're bringing my evening medication -- there's only twelve of us left in the ward now -- I think they're going to show us Season 7, Episode 1 this evening ... don't they know they'll never get us rehabilitated this way -- especially with Lionel and the ear wax at the end?

Joe in Indiana
USA -- Monday, June 8, 2009 at 15:04 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Monday, June 8, 2009 at 10:55 (PDT)

Me think that Geoffrey Palmer refuses to do another reunion show because the writing is not what it once was....

John Roy
Acushnet, MA, USA -- Monday, June 8, 2009 at 9:31 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH, USA -- Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 15:57 (PDT)

As much as we would all like to see more of the Hardcastles we have to accept the realization that Larbey's early writings cannot be replicated. I have accepted the fact that this is it, and I shall continue to watch all the episodes over & over and let my imagination take me beyond.

Thanks for your thoughts, Joan.

Evelyn Eisenberg
San Diego CA, USA -- Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 14:12 (PDT)

Something did strike me. Please don't bring out the tar and feathers just yet, but I have to say, after watching the reunion again, I think if that would have been my first experience with ATGB, I would never have watched another episode. Judi's character of Jean is sometimes so strident and other times just goofy that I would have wondered what all the talk of the warm and charming series this is was all about. And Steven wanting to become a celebrity was really stretching for something preposterous to add to the mix. And did you ever wonder why there was no mention of the aid that Lionel gave to Patrick's family in the book? If it had been described there, then Jean would have known about it.

Perhaps it's just as well there will be no more reunions. I hesitate to say this, but I think the writer had finally run out of steam. However, a program bringing the cast back together to chat and reminisce would be a lovely idea. I do wish that could happen.

Joan in PA
USA -- Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 12:08 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ, USA -- Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 20:25 (PDT)

Judging by the number of people who have mentioned it to me this morning, this item -- which I first talked about in March, bears repeating: If you are someone, like me, who loves Waiting for God, you'll be happy to know that the fourth ... DVD of the series will be released in June. I hope that if you want it, you'll remember to buy it through this link or from the Atgbcentral Amazon store. At the time I thought it was the final DVD, but that one has not been released or announced. Even though the ship date is shown as June 9th, the first copies have already been shipped.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 15:20 (PDT)

Love your website!

I was in the group that traveled in April to see Dame Judi's live performance in Madame de Sade. It was my first trip abroad, and my first time to see DJD on stage. I just wanted to say that I was blown away. Dame Judi's performance was, as I expected --- fantastic! The performances of all the actors, in fact, were wonderful. Rosamund Pike was breathtakingly beautiful, and Frances Barber the consumate performer!

Dame Judi is everything I thought she would be AND MORE! She was so very gracious to everyone that assembled at the stage door. She took so much time with everyone, was so pleasant and cordial, even though I know she was exhausted after the performance.

Another thing that did NOT surprise me in the least was the calibre of the fans who traveled to see her. I met so many wonderful fans --- who I now consider my friends! We had a marvelous time --- it was so nice to be with people who were of like minds! What a fantastic group and such a good time had by all. I will NEVER forget it. It was the trip of a lifetime. I have wonderful memories that I will treasure --- and friendships made that I will cherish forever.

Dame Judi signed many items for me -- photos, programs, books -- and I now have a photo of ME with DJD! There is NOTHING LIKE A DAME!

Mary Bentley
Cullman, Alabama USA -- Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 13:36 (PDT)

Houston has not experienced as big a downturn as most of the country. In fact, our PBS station (America's first public television station) had an increase of about 5% from individual contributions in 2008. Proceeds from other sources also increased and payments to employees decreased due to a 2007 deduction in force.

Their Programming Director has stated, "We depend on viewer calls to let us know what they like and don't like." Although he qualified that statement by saying not all decisions are based on viewers comments. He added that "The calls do generate staff discussion at least."

Houston area Britcom devotees need to call or email KHUT. I do own the series, but sometimes like to see it one episode at a time.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Then I'd join you in encouraging anyone who wants to see the program on the air again to contact the station and tell them how they would like the money to be distributed. The stations always credit "viewers like you" with their programming choices, but it is, of course, required that the viewers communicate these choices to the stations. I'm surprised, given this particular station made a profit at both the individual and corporate levels that "too expensive" was used as an excuse.

As for your desire to see one program at a time, I should think it would be pretty easy for you to make that happen if you have access to all of them. You can do all sorts of things: if you want it to be a regular part of your viewing, just pick a convenient time slot and play them one at a time on a regular basis -- in order and you'll have more than a year's worth of entertainment. Or just throw a pair of dice, first to select the season (eleven could be season 1 and 10 could be the reunion) and second, to select the episode. Surprise yourself.

Evalynn Christiansen
Houston, TX USA -- Monday, June 1, 2009 at 14:25 (PDT)

Try this link. Click on women pjs: there is a page with 188 pajamas. You might find some that are similar to the ones Jusi wears in ATGB. Good luck.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ, USA -- Monday, June 1, 2009 at 12:11 (PDT)

Jennifer Bragg
WV, USA -- Monday, June 1, 2009 at 11:15 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, June 1, 2009 at 11:03 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Yes, it is sad, but given the state of the economy and the fact that the Public Broadcasting Systems are supported by the public it is understandable. If people want to see Britcoms without commercials they need to either support their local PBS stations or buy a copy of the series.

Evalynn Christiansen
Houston, TX USA -- Monday, June 1, 2009 at 7:28 (PDT)

And one last thing to add to the mix:

At least that's what it says at PBS. I guess we'll see what happens when it comes on, but I probably wouldn't expect to see Geoffrey this season.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 16:44 (PDT)

Thanks for the compliment, Margaret. I've taken a screen clip of the credits for Charles Palmer as a director. As far as I can tell, the two of them have never worked together. Geoffrey was in a Dr. Who episode in 2007 , but it was not the one that Charles directed and Judi Dench narrated the audiobook of Lark Rise to Candleford. That seems to be as close as they have come to crossing paths.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 14:53 (PDT)

---

To add to the confusion, while I was at IMDB I checked on David Suchet's career as Poirot. There are, apparently 12 seasons of the program, spanning the years 1989 through 2009 (and one might guess at least 2010 because there is only one episode listed in Series 12, that being Murder on the Orient Express show with a debut date of December 2009. The shows Mrs. McGinty's Dead and Cat Among the Pigeons are shown as being the first two episodes in season 11, shown previously on September 1 and September 8 in 2008. I did not see a listing for The Clocks, which doesn't seem strange since it apparently has is still filming. So much for clarity.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 14:53 (PDT)

As always, thanks for your untiring efforts and willingness to keep us informed of all things related to Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer and all others/things associated with As Time Goes By. I join countless others in unashamedly admitting to checking your website daily for a 'fix' on my favorite Britcom.

With regard to the upcoming Poirot episodes, to be broadcast June 21 and 28...according to the "KET (Kentucky Educational Television) Visions" magazine which recently arrived in my mailbox, the June 21 episode is titled "Cat Among the Pigeons"; the June 28 episode is titled "Mrs. McGinty's Dead". I don't expect we'll see "The Clocks" (with Geoffrey Palmer) until later in the season. Does anyone know if this is the first time Geoffrey has been directed by his son, or have they worked together previously?

Best wishes to all for a great summer!

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 14:45 (PDT)

It will be the final production in the Donmar Warehouse's year-long residency at Wyndham's Theatre. Directed by Michael Grandage, the sold-out production will officially open June 3 and play through Aug. 22.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, May 29, 2009 at 10:57 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, May 29, 2009 at 8:34 (PDT)

Pauline
UK -- Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 16:29 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 10:09 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for the comment, Rebecca. As you may know, the actors who played Rocky and Madge (Frank Middlemass and Joan Sims) have both died. The rest of the cast has pretty much scattered and there is little hope for a reprise of the series. I just wanted to let you know that I have nothing to do with the show other than as a fan and, although many of those who frequent the website have expressed the desire to see at least a retrospective and/or outtakes from the show, there is no evidence that such a thing will come to pass. I will point out though, that the producers still read this comment section (as you can see from the rather out-dated letter at the top of the page) and they are at least aware of what the fans want. I have heard from them this year and can confirm that they still monitor the page, but I have no new information to keep your hopes alive.

Rebecca Commander
Luverne, AL USA -- Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 9:51 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 9:43 (PDT)

On another note I happened to watch back to back episodes a few weeks back in which Rocky gets married (season #3) & on another station Judy gets married (season #9). The odd thing is that in both episodes the best man manages to break his leg ... and Lionel insists on wanting to tell his parrot joke. In the season #3 episode Rocky tells Lionel that the joke is lousy, but in season #9 Rocky tells Lionel that he loved the joke!

Seems to me that the same idea got recycled during the last season!

John Roy
Acushnet, MA USA -- Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 7:31 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: And when you do, don't forget about the ATGBCENTRAL AMAZON store(s) all of which are prominently linked at the top of this page. I know money for luxuries doesn't come easy these days, but at Amazon you always have the option of buying yourself a used set. Luckily I have the whole series on my hard drive so I can see it any time I want to.

It's a little too early to buy it because it just starts filming next week, but it's certainly good news that the second part of Cranford will be ready for broadcast this Christmas. And that, too, will be featured (quite likely for Christmas gift-giving). As always, I must thank those of you who support the site thru purchases at the Amazon Stores.

Joan in PA
USA -- Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 4:53 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 19:18 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 14:46 (PDT)

Wonderful news: it appears as though her health has improved and she's been given the "all-clear".

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 20:35 (PDT)

Evelyn
San Diego, CA USA -- Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 13:59 (PDT)

The description reads: Sam Mendes, director of the 1990 NT production of Edward Bond's The Sea, and Judi Dench who plays Louise Rafi discuss the production and their work with Genista McIntosh. 13 January 1991, Olivier Theatre

There is also a note which says that this is missing the beginning. You can go to the National Theatre Archives for additional resources.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, May 15, 2009 at 9:04 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: There sure was, Sharon. Sorry, I missed her in that crowd.

Sharon Breden
San Jose, CA USA -- Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 8:53 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 8:53 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks Beth. If you haven't seen it, you can watch it on YouTube.

Beth
Lakewood, NJ USA -- Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 16:49 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 8:22 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Friday, May 8, 2009 at 9:32 (PDT)

Her appearance at the Theatre Royal in Jewry Street on Sunday, July 19, will be the final curtain for the 10-day programme.

She will be in conversation with the festival's artistic director, John Miller. He has produced a book on her career, called Scenes From My Life, which will be amongst the subjects discussed. For more information, click the link.

One last reminder: in a couple of hours you will be able to Listen to all five Ladies of Letters Crunch Credit on Radio 4. They are available individually and as part of the Women's Hour. Since each one is available for only 7 days after broadcast, they will begin to drop off one by one on Monday, after which they will not be available again for a long, long time. Don't say I didn't alert you to this.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, May 8, 2009 at 8:46 (PDT)

Thank you, Bonnie.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Friday, May 8, 2009 at 6:53 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 17:23 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 16:40 (PDT)

If you missed Spencer's response to Dame Judi's criticism, read below where I added the update.

And if you missed Ladies of Letters this morning you can catch up here. (The episodes usually run for the last 15 minutes of the Woman's Hour show and will air all this week.)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Monday, May 4, 2009 at 14:01 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Sunday, May 3, 2009 at 22:29 (PDT)

And, an update: Spencer's response.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Sunday, May 3, 2009 at 20:44 (PDT)

Just returned from a wonderful weekend in London seeing Judi in Madam de Sade which I enjoyed Judi looks well but is still limping slightly. Thought you might like a few photos. The 1st photo of Judi with her bouquet was taken by John Ditsworth from Arizona.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for sending the pictures, Marian.. If you click here you will see the other two photos.

Marian
Galashiels Scotland -- Friday, May 1 2009 at 2:16 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 17:57 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 11:53 (PDT)

I just read Geoffrey's article about Venice and it doesn't seem like something he would do.

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 9:59 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: I have a very rapidly fading memory, so I went to the blue box above the comments on this page and did a search for "Dirty Duck" on atgbcentral.com. I unearthed several articles about the Dirty Duck, as well as a picture and was able to piece together the story from the references that appeared. Interestingly enough, Marla wrote a comment on April 17, 2006 (which you can find in the archives) saying that she had seen the same program and that Judi had written something on the table, but she couldn't make out the words. Marla asked that anyone who had more information please respond. Better late than never. Maybe someday we'll find out who painted the blue vase picture in the hallway. (If you are interested enough to follow in my footsteps by looking up the references in the blue box, please remember to click a listing in the "Ads by Google" box at the top of the page.)

Ann
Mendon, Michigan USA -- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 8:05 (PDT)

About the least favourite episodes of ATGB, I tend to agree with Marla: even the weakest episodes have at least some scenes in them that make up for the rest. For instance, in the Duncan episode, I think the scene at the office where Jean asks for the help of the girls to convince Lionel to invite them to a drink on the following Saturday: I found it hilarious!

It is always a pleasure to read the comments and news from all of you!

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 19:15 (PDT)

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 15:52 (PDT)

I have a question. I have found many pictures of the places where the outside scenes were filmed, but the only picture taken on one of the sets that I have found is the signed picture of the cast in the bar where the "plain woman" came down the stairs. (I think that is where they are) Are there any pictures of the sets we know so well? ( the kitchen, the living room/office, etc) Also since the sets changed somewhat over the years it would be fun to compare them.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: It goes without saying (or does it?) that I have hundreds of pictures of the sets in the episode guide for every season and episode -- the earlier ones are not nearly as clear or large as the later ones, but iff you want to see items in the kitchen over the years, you can see them. If you want to see the various types of headboards on the bed, you can see them. If you want to see the dining room over the years, or the hallway decorations, you can see them all. These pictures of the group that went to see the last tapings were taken on the set. I'm not sure whether or not there were photos allowed to be taken (by the attendees) at the tapings, but someone might have taken some. I don't remember seeing any.

Carolyn
Peoria, Illinois USA -- Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 8:58 (PDT)

I've been thinking about my least favorite shows and I realized that it doesn't really matter what show happens to be on when I am watching an episode because there is always something in each one that I find memorable. Often I don't remember what else the episode was about, but I do remember Jean's not turning on the vacuum, or imitating a ringing telephone. I'd have to say that, in general, I prefer the shows that are done in the home at Holland Park, although primarily because of Mrs Bale I enjoy some of the interactions at the country house. I'm not a fan of location shows that are done in hospitals, department/ thrift stores, flea markets, bars and restaurants.

Also thought that I would mention, since nothing is really going on on the ATGB front, that next week BBC will unveil a new episode in the Ladies of Letters series starring Prunella Scales (Sybil Fawlty) and Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth Bucket): Ladies of Letters Crunch Credit. Offhand, I'd say this is the 10th series and all of them have been wonderful. If you are fans of British Comedy these shows are a must. I believe all of them have been aired on Radio 4 in 15 minute segments so they are just over an hour in length. They are laugh-out-loud funny and all of them are available as audiobooks at all of the Amazon stores here at my site. They are perfect audiobooks for long car trips. For the first time this year the series has been rewritten for television and those ten episodes just completed running. The television version stars Maureen Lipman and Anne Reid and it clearly was difficult to try to translate into another medium, although they did an admirable job. The wit is in the word in this series and the radio shows are really perfect because of the nature of the show.

And speaking of British Comedy, Sunday at the Baftas the 2009 Fellowship Award, which was given to Judi a few years ago, was given to Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. If you are fans, be sure to click the link to the YouTube recording of the presentation (by Helen Mirren) of this award. Clearly the award was an enormously popular choice. During the film it was mentioned that they did very funny version of Mamma Mia especially for Comic Relief. Again, if you are fans, also check out that video, which is shown in its entirety in two parts.

And finally, don't forget to click on the Google links if you do a search.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 7:08 (PDT)

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 7:02 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Monday, April 27, 2009 at 17:56 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Monday, April 27, 2009 at 11:34 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Just in case this link is removed, as often happens, I'll mention that is says the event will be held at Theatre Royal, Winchester on Sunday, 19 July 2009, 7:30 PM. You can buy the tickets at the box office. There is also a note which says "If you are unable to attend an event. we can often reserve signed copies." I don't know if that means that those of us who live elsewhere and don't intend to go to the presentation can get a signed copy or those who have tickets, but cannot attend can get one. They follow that statement by advising people to come early for the signing. You can get the phone number and additional details by clicking the link.

Connie
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Monday, April 20, 2009 at 8:34 (PDT)

We're not alone, so many of our friends feel the same way. When I make my annual donation to the local PBS, I always say it's on condition that they keep on running ATGB!

Let's make sure that PBS knows that, every year!

Thanks for creating this wonderful website where we can real all about our favorite actors and show,

Christine O'Keefe
Redding, CT USA -- Sunday, April 19, 2009 at 15:07 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 6:36 (PDT)

Sue
Portland, OR USA -- Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 8:02 (PDT)

Joan in PA
USA -- Sunday, April 12, 2009 at 3:46 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Sunday, April 12, 2009 at 12:33 (PDT)

Last night between ATGB and Summer Wine an announcement was made on our local PBS station that $7000 had been raised (the cost of one Britcom to run for one year). At this time ATGB is the first choice. A close second is Summer Wine. I hope it continues also. I did read that Frank Thornton and Peter Sallis (now both near 90) will only do indoor scenes this year).

Last night ATGB was the Series 8 episode when Penny and Stephen announce they will retire to Spain. When Penny is at the door and throws her scarf over her sholder I will always be seeing the blooper when she gets it caught in her clothing and she and Judi break up with laughter.

I,like many more people, hope there will be some future plans for more bloopers and discussion with the actors, director, writer,and the rest of the crew.

I will look forward to hearing from the people who go to London to see Judi this month.

Best Wishes for a Happy Easter to all.

Carolyn
Peoria, IL USA -- Sunday, April 12, 2009 at 10:54 (PDT)

Remember that many of the BBCs Radio Shows are available for a week after the broadcast and this Aled Jones interview is no exception. You can hear repeats of Radio 2's latest shows by clicking on the link and choosing your selection.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, April 10, 2009 at 11:10 (PDT)

I enjoyed very much the comments Larry Olson made about Madame de Sade. Without having seen it, but having read the play and from the various reviews I read, I had reached the same conclusion: wonderful production, beautiful scenes and costumes, great acting and Judi having come up to the challenge of a subject so different from any she has ever tackled.

Happy Passover/Easter to all of you.

Marisetta
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Sunday, April 4, 2009 at 12:09 (PDT)

My local PBS TV station has just finished their pledge drive. They did not meet their goal and are still requesting donations. The program manager has requested viewers write in and state their two favorite Britcoms (and hopefully with a check enclosed). I will request ATGB as my number one choice. It seems she will order the ones most requested.

Has anyone else had this experience of the pledge drive going on after it has closed and have any other stations stated that the ones ordered will depend on what is requested?

Here in the Las Vegas area there was a campaign by our local station to select the program from a missing slot in the Saturday Night line-up when the contract ended for the running of a particular show. There were several choices available, including Vicar of Dibley (for which I voted). It won and ran for one season. I don't remember whether or not the pledge week had ended or if it was part of the pledge week agenda. Right now we have a wonderful night of programming featuring Keeping Up Appearances, In the Manor Born, ATGB and Fawlty Towers, all of which I've seen many times over.

Carolyn
Peoria,Illinois USA -- Friday, April 3, 2009 at 9:16 (PDT)

Larry Olson
USA -- Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 6:42 (PDT)

I hope she is not overexerting her ankle, it might prolong its recovery.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 19:42 (PDT)

The next two scans were merged by me into one larger photo of the interview between director Michael Grandage and Dame Judi. If you're anything like me, you won't be able to read it because the type is quite small. So just click here to see the words. Also, if you are anything like me, you might wonder what a tannoy is. I have just learned that it it a loudspeaker. Something new every day....

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 17:42 (PDT)

I have seen Judi many times on stage and at fund raisers,etc. I was among those who swore I would enjoy her reading the proverbial phone book. However, I discovered that I like her too much to truly enjoy her in something that I just knew was not going to be a real success either personally or for the play as a whole.

Connie
Los Angeles, CA USA -- Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 1:24 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, March 25, 2009 at 8:29 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 19:00 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 10:22 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 7:11 (PDT)

The information that she will return tonight was at What's on Stage?

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 12:18 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 8:18 (PDT)

Here's the link for a favorable review of "Madame de Sade"

Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY USA -- Monday, March 23, 2009 at 15:09 (PDT)

I have just discovered your guestbook for Judi Dench and ATGB. I love all the information. Thanks so much.

Carolyn
Peoria,Illinois USA -- Sunday, March 22, 2009 at 19:06 (PDT)

Thank you for posting the information about release of the DVD of Quantum of Solace. I had a feeling it should be coming out soon but had no idea when as I had not seen anything about it anywhere.

Beth Lane
Lakewood, NJ USA -- Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 16:38 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 14:09 (PDT)

Judi had slipped at home at home at the beginning of February and had to go to hospital, I believe she missed 1 day of rehearsal but was back the following day. We all wish her a speedy recovery and best wishes.

Marian
Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland -- Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 10:13 (PDT)

Mary
Baton Rouge, LA USA -- Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 9:58 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 8:10 (PDT)

In the meantime I have found many, many stories on the subject now, but nothing that really offered any new information, so I decided not to post them. If you want to read them, just do a search on "dench de Sade ankle" and they'll all pop up in Google.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, March 20, 2009 at 1:25 (PDT)

David Benedict's Variety review gives us a different take:

Now this is what I call a review!
It's exactly as I thought.
The play is not some frivolous, fluffy musical --- it's a artistic study in symbolism and depth. It asks the audience to think, reflect, etc.
I'm there, baby.
Bravo, David Benedict.

Dame Judi is know for wanting to stretch herself into areas she has not previously explored. I admire her for stepping out of her comfort zone with her work.

I, for one, will be in the audience on April 24th and 25th fully expecting to be in awe of the set, the costumes, the wigs, the lighting --- and awed by the presence of the greatest theatrical actress alive today!

Mary Bentley
Birmingham, Alabama USA -- Friday, March 20, 2009 at 12:31 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Joan, once again you read my mind. Oh, and I was just about to post a message from Marisetta, which said EXACTLY the same thing. I guess I'd better post it before these begin to mount up.

Joan in PA
USA -- Friday, March 20, 2009 at 12:03 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Friday, March 20, 2009 at 11:06 (PDT)

I have read all of the reviews available so far, and just want to say that I am too much of a fan to be daunted by bad press. I have three tickets for different nights during the last ten days of the show, and I look forward to seeing how Dame Judi may alter her performance from one evening to the other. She always says this is one of the advantages of acting on stage.

We have known all along that the subject matter is distasteful, and if the speeches are long and dreary, there is still the bright side of being in the same room as one of the greatest actors of our time.

Rosemary
Nevis, W.I. -- Friday, March 20, 2009 at 10:43 (PDT)

Marla
Euclid, OH USA -- Friday, March 20, 2009 at 7:28 (PDT)

NOTE FROM BONNIE: You read my mind.

Joan in PA
USA -- Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 14:03 (PDT)

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 14:01 (PDT)

One more review at the Telegraph, by Charles Spencer, which states: "The kindest thing one can say about this cruelly punishing play is that it's lovely when it stops." See more reviews and another summary at The Stage, another from the Guardian (in which Mark Espiner says "it turns out to be a bit of a damp squib" and What's on Stage and Theatermania. There will be another BBC radio review on Front Row (Radio 4) tonight but, for some reason, you will NOT be able to hear it on listen again. There's also a review for the Evening Standard by Nicholas DeJongh at This is London. It shows this picture of the cast celebrating at the after-party. I'm not sure what it is that they are celebrating, but it is likely that the reviews weren't out yet.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 9:25 (PDT)

Changing the subject, at least momentarily, here's the latest from YouTube featuring Geoffrey Palmer in the Comic Relief 2009 sketch "RAF Pilots".

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 6:20 (PDT)

Here's a link to a a review of Madame de Sade. I also listened to the Radio 3 review that I mentioned yesterday -- it is available on listen now during this week at that site -- and it received a terrible review (which lasted 7 minutes towards the 45 minute mark of that program). Michael Billington's review is at The Guardian (UK) and here's another review (along with this picture) from The Independent. And here is Benedict Nightingale's column from The Times Online. and you can see lots more pictures at Rex Features.

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 13:23 (PDT)

Larry Lain
Dayton, OH USA -- Monday, March 16, 2009 at 11:38 (PDT)

Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA -- Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 6:30 (PDT)

I have watched all the episodes of William and Mary a romantic comedy drama ( three six-part series) and it is well worth watching. Martin Clunes plays an undertaker and Julie Graham a midwife. (note for Karen)

Lyn
Bournemouth UK -- Monday, March 16, 2009 at 14:01 (PDT)

Thanks, Liz, for sharing your opinion.

NOTE FROM BONNIE: I guess today was the first day of previews and I read a blog which said it was a 90 minute show without intermission. The person who blogged said very little other than the costumes were "stunning" and "the play left something to be desired. Not because it wasn't well written but because it was hard to understand Madame de Sade's motivations." I'm sure once the play opens there will be many reviews on the internet and I'll keep an eye out to either link or post the reviews.

Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, AZ USA -- Saturday, March 13, 2009 at 3:18 (PDT)

Hope you are now painter free and enjoying your new look home Just to say that there is a square with a cross on it in the middle of the Madam de Sade article which I assume should be the photo I sent of Judi in rehearsal. No matter what I do I cannot get the picture to come can you fix it?

NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks Marian. I am only painter-free in the sense that those guys don't work over the weekend. Come Monday it is another case of having to entertain my dog for 8 hours -- she cannot be trusted around people on ladders -- and keeping out of their way. I think they'll probably be done around Wednesday. In the meantime the change in the house is astounding and worth every cent. Sorry to miss the trip to London, but I guess I'll just have to read about it.

I started to write that I could see the picture just fine on my mac computers (it will be a while before I can even work my way into the rooms with the PC computers) and my telephone, but I saw that I actually couldn't see it on the phone. So I tried a couple of things that did allow me to see it on the phone and I hope you can see it now too. I apologize if others were unable to see it as well. Just in case, though -- you should be able to see it at the Donmar web site.

Marian
Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland -- Saturday, March 13, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. (PDT)

In answer to Marisetta's question - I have read the Madame book. It is quite a dark book but interesting reading. It will make seeing the play all