Loved reading your account, TeeJay

And that picture is so cool Clare, I also have a feeling that you will get another chance someday!


I adored those new videos, the one with Lou was cracking me up so much, I love how he assumes the writers of those letters
The American had a bit of a Khan feel to me... and I can't say I complain!

He is such a talented man

clareiow wrote:

Hi guys..... I'm still alive but only just!! So I have no photo, no audio or video of what happened, sadly.

But this is what happened.....

Ok so me and Bex and a lady from twitter called Chrissie were hanging around when Bex suddenly saw Benedict and Louise just walking through, no-one taking notice, no security. Ben waved and said hello to a little toddler running past and then someone asked for a photo and he said he couldn't stop.

They were with a guy called James Byng as well. They walked past us and towards the Tata tent rear entrance which is down a corridor...I stood at the end with my sketchbook in hand and couldn't move, just watching from afar. Then, suddenly they start walking back.

They're literally right in front of me and Bex is a way behind me. Just as they're about to pass (Benedict is chatting with loo at this point) I smile at James, James smiles back and I just thought, if I don't ask now I'm done for. So, I say: "Benedict would you look at my drawing?"

He looks back sort of saying he can't stop, but then he does a double take as he sees my drawing and his eyes widen and goes: "Wow" ..Then he looks at me right in the eyes and says "it's fantastic".

Then he says he has to go with an apologetic wave and i just crumble...

While I'm crying into Bex's arms, he then apparently turned again, looked at me and then looked at Chrissie and gave a thumbs up, she said she was convinced it was for me.

I'm still shaking, I'm still in dreamland. His eyes are so much paler in real life and they pierce through to your soul. He's also much more freckly in real life and his skin is flawless.

Should also mention I got a hug off Loo when she saw my drawing earlier in the day, and yesterday Bex and I met James Rhodes and had our picture taken with him!!!

All in all, 11 letters read by Benedict, meeting Benedict, Loo, James, and time with friends..... I'd say that was perfection!!!!

 
Such an amazing experience!  I am so happy for you!!

I don't think im going to be able to listen to that one for a while. I was in floods

Finally got round to reading all the accounts of the lovely people who went to Hay to see and hear Benedict. Thanks so much for the photos and the video footage!
So happy for you all, must have been so wonderful to see Ben live on stage (same goes for seeing Loo Brealey)!
And to Clare: just wow!

Aw.

Them skipping together was so cute

And I'm fully enjoying watching and listening to him reading these... I do have a tear in my eye now, oh gosh! 

He really cares for what he reads I feel. You gotta love him for that

He is nothing but professional.

Very beautiful accounts, girls, I congratulate you to your good time at Hay Festival. TeeJay, your photographs are amazing, that one where Ben loks directly into your camera positively stops human heart.  And Clare, you are my hero - if I saw BC a few steps from me I wouldn´t be able to speak at all, I would probably just stand there mutely like a fish. Perfect, that you were able to show him your picture! 

Well, your drawings are perfect, so I believe he really appreciated your art.

So, here we are a week on and I still have a post- Hay glow.  Finally finished writing up my experience and am feeling thoroughly inspired to write letters.  I have some people I want to write to but I was wondering whether anyone on the forum wanted to try and start some kind of letter writing thing.  No idea how it would work, figured would need to see if anyone was interested first.  Just wonder whether it's worth trying, in this age where letter writing is a dying art and history is no longer being recorded in e same way.  Not that we would be writing anything majority historical, but you never know!!!

Anyway, just thought I'd throw the idea out there, see what people think.....