BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Letters Live

**Posted by Mattlocked** May 30, 2014 6:29 pm

Le Bear Polar wrote:
So while we wait for more news from our reps, here's Ben reading the Bronze medal winner's story from 500 Words. He appears at 1:40. He stepped in as a last minute replacement for Amanda Abbington.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b044j89g

snory-story. XD

Well, if that is bronze, I now wonder about silver and gold.

**Posted by JNinSoCal** May 30, 2014 9:52 pm

Collection of photos from the Festival---a couple of them are really Hot!

And, a few dorky ones for balance....

**Posted by JNinSoCal** May 30, 2014 10:04 pm

More photos

**Posted by Mattlocked** May 30, 2014 10:31 pm

Umph. Good night.

**Posted by clareiow** May 30, 2014 10:45 pm

Well we have just got back from Day One. And what a day!!

Benedict read four letters from the Christopher and Bessie series, as well as one from Ted Hughes to his son and the most heartbreaking of all, a goodbye letter from Scott of Antarctica to his widow and young son. He had to pause at one point to choke back a tear, as well as the rest of us.

It was incredible. And we do it all again tomorrow!!

**Posted by Tinks** May 30, 2014 11:07 pm

Sounds like you've had a fab day.
I imagined him reading the Scott letter when I first read the book - I'd love to have seen that.
I'd imagined you'd all be nervous wrecks by now!! Glad you still have your sanity

**Posted by TeeJay** May 30, 2014 11:23 pm

I'm now safely back home as well (or rather home away from home). What a fantastic day! Unfortunately Ben was nowhere to be seen after the reading, so no chance for autographs or any other exchange, but it was still wonderful to experience him live.

It's late, and I don't have much time to sort through my photos (early day ahead tomorrow), but let me just post one I picked rather randomly. Even though were very much at the front of the queue, the first seven or eight rows were already taken (by privileged people they let it earlier), so we settled for the second row in the elevated part towards the back.

We were maybe 15 meters away from the stage, but at least we had a good view without backs of heads in our way. (Or at least not overly so.)

So, uhm, let me grab a random picture of those 80 or so I took. (Which are of course not remotely as good as those official ones that were posted earlier since we were a lot farther away, and my tele lens isn't that great.) I will be posting a best-of at some point, but I can't promise that I can make that happen tomorrow. Just bear with me. (With any luck, the two videos turned out okay as well, but I have to do some work on them first.)

And without further ado, Ben and two fellow performers, at the very end shortly before they left the stage:

**Posted by TeeJay** May 30, 2014 11:29 pm

Oh, and I hope you girls have a fab time tomorrow at the second reading! I'm a little envious, I must admit. I do hope you get to speak to him somehow tomorrow! How great would that be?! *fingers crossed*

**Posted by Le Bear Polar** May 31, 2014 1:53 am

TeeJay that is an AMAZING picture!

Eee Clare and Bex I'm so happy you met James RHode! TELL US EVERYTHING WHEN YOU GET BACK.

**Posted by Le Bear Polar** May 31, 2014 2:28 am

Lovely lovely review of Ben's performance and appeal. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/hay-festival/10866362/Benedict-Cumberbatch-brings-romantic-letters-to-life.html

**Posted by SolarSystem** May 31, 2014 7:51 am

Polar, I guess you could call that review a declaration of love to Benedict.... you certainly can't praise the guy more in one article. Fab!

And girls: keep enjoying that extraordinary experience! Two days in a row, you really must be close to a heart attack...!
Beautiful pic, Teejay!

**Posted by Le Bear Polar** May 31, 2014 8:24 am

It does feel like a declaration of love, Solar! I love it when people or in this case, the writer, finally understands why the world is in love with him. "What the event reminded you was exactly why he has such appeal."

I'm happy to know that there is at least one more journalist in the world who finally sees and recognizes his enormous talent beyond all the crazy fangirling and stupid otters and that his fame is not a hollow thing. It sounded like the writer had a epiphany or a moment, when everything fell into place, when she finally gets it--just the kind of magic Ben weaves on strangers, the epitome of a great performer. And she captures it in words beautifully.

**Posted by Tinks** May 31, 2014 8:49 am

Thank you Teejay for posting that beautiful picture
So glad you had a good experience.
Polar, I agree - the writer got what he can do - I want more of that kind of coverage of him!;)

**Posted by SolarSystem** May 31, 2014 9:19 am

Look at and most of all listen to this...!

http://bendydickcrumblebatch.tumblr.com/post/87338304790/benedict-cumberbatch-at-letters-live

**Posted by SusiGo** May 31, 2014 9:33 am

This is heartbreaking. Wish I had been there. He turns a letter into a poem.

**Posted by SolarSystem** May 31, 2014 9:36 am

He is amazing. It's as if those words come right from his very own heart.

**Posted by Clara's sister** May 31, 2014 10:35 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHcf4zVG3dw

**Posted by besleybean** May 31, 2014 10:37 am

Sweet.

**Posted by Le Bear Polar** May 31, 2014 10:43 am

Thanks Clara's sis!

Things are heating up at Hay, with James, Ben and Loo scheduled to appear! Sounds incredibly exciting.

**Posted by besleybean** May 31, 2014 10:44 am

Yay!