J=Jackie, L=Linda, N=Nancy
J: I would like to start by saying that it was such a great experience meeting Nancy and Linda from RATSm and having them visit me here in New Hampshire. I had hoped that the colors on the trees would be better this year than they were as Linda and Harry had never been to New England. There's always another year
N: I just want to say that I had a wonderful time visiting Jackie and meeting Linda. Jackie is a wonderful hostess so she had better watch out as I may decide to make her home a regular place to visit in the fall. The colors weren't as good as they could have been but they were still wonderful.
L: I agree, this was our very first visit to New England and we were treated so very nicely and so special by Jackie and Ken. We felt instantly like we were old friends and I'm sure Nancy feels the same way. We all know now that making friends over the Internet can be successful and work out very nicely. The three of us just had the sense that it would.
J: The three of us went to see Victoria Wyndham and Charles Keating on Oct. 16th in Rhode Island in "Between Ourselves". > It was a nice small theater and we had hoped that it would have been filled but it wasn't. The theater as celebrating it's 5th year of operation. VW and CK had done the original opening for this theater and it was quite apparent that there was such a warm generous feeling between the volunteers of this theater and VW and CK that it as truly outstanding and heartwarming to see.
L: I might add that Charles and Victoria exhumed kindness and genuine pleasure being there and being able to perform for all of us. I was so surprised by how much younger they both looked in person. They both wear their clothes so very well and looked so nice.
L: I might just add here Jackie that it was the fifth year of their reopening since the theater had been closed for many years...not that it's that important, I guess. CK and VW had done the reopening of the theater 5 years ago.
J: For me I felt such a sense of closeness and genuine good feelings from VW and CK that it shocked me to be honest. It started when they walked out onto the stage. Their happiness and warmth just radiated everywhere and I found I had tears in my eyes.
L: I found myself feeling the same way as Jackie. They were so kind to all who were there and so kind to each other. I was in awe as they began to perform for us as I was also thinking to myself...I can't believe these two people are just a few feet away from me in person. Jackie did an excellent job of getting some very good seats for the three of us.
J: They did a little chatting with the audience while they got the sound person to get their mikes adjusted correctly and then they started with Charles doing a reading - his mike was fine. Then Victoria started her reading and she laughed and said she sounded like she was in a can. They adjusted her mike and Charles told her she had to start all over again. Much laughing and kidding between them. They did some poetry readings which I liked but quite honestly didn't understand some of it. My poetry days are way back in my youth along with my vocabulary.
L: The time spent getting the mikes adjusted was such a banter between them and they both handled it so kindly and professionally. I also wanted to add that as some of the poetry was read, I was struck by how I thought Victoria seemed to go into her "Justine" voice at times...LOL To me, it was the beginning of an evening that showed how very much these two really care for each other in a very special way. The feeling radiates from their persons. It's a wonderful thing to be able to have such a good friend of the opposite sex that you don't need to be married to.
J: The highlight of this performance was in the middle when they did a skit. By this time they had made several references to NBC and P&G that were "inside" to most of us. The audience loved their comments. You can well imagine how irreverent they were about it all. This made all of us feel better somehow. They truly understand how we fans feel. They really do. They told us they were going to reenact one of the scripts from one of the shows they did. It was back when Mekos (sp?) was on and he had a Carl mask. The setting was in Rachel's studio when Mekos had the Carl mask on and came in pretending to be Carl to Rachel.
L: The skit was done so well by them. As Jackie said, their actions and words brought all of us into it with them. The innuendoes were hilarious as all of us there knew exactly what and probably who they were talking about! It was such fun to let your mind return to the days we actually saw those scenes being done on the show but you couldn't do that for very long for fear of missing what Charles and Victoria were doing on stage.
L: I think the character you are speaking of is Nikos rather than Mekos.
N: I think that they did use Mekos in the skit. That is probably how they get around the copyright laws, by fictionalizing the event to some extent. It was Nikos on the show.
J: Nice save Nancy - thanks! In fact, I don't know why I typed it with an "M" to begin with. Have we gotten everyone who's reading this totally confused yet? OK everyone - it's Nikos of course!
J: This skit, in my opinion, was the highlight of the night and showed them to be the wonderful actors that they are. They told us that they were going to do the skit as written. That was funny to begin with. They had all of us rolling in the aisles with this. They started off by having VW come on stage and pretend to talk to "Mikey the director" saying that this script was -- well, I'll put it nicely but she didn't -- awful and that Charles wouldn't go for it. She tried to get him to change it and he wouldn't. Then Charles came on as she left and told this invisible director that it was an "awful" script and that Victoria wouldn't go for it.
J: This was just so funny - they overacted it of course and they seemed to have such a good time doing it that it rubbed off on everyone. Their point of the script being just awful was made quite clear between everyone laughing including them. Then they brought out a full size white doll and so started the second part of this skit when they pretended this doll was each person along the way starting with the head writer and working up to the head of NBC. At this point, they came into the office of the head of NBC and basically fell to their knees and crawled to the doll - bowing and "yes siring" all the way. By this time one would have thought they would be tired - I think I was from laughing so much. They then did the scene the way they wanted it to be done - which is the way we all did actually see it. Charles was, of course, a naughty boy and put his left hand on the crotch of the doll when he and VW were holding it pretending it was the head writer at this point. He also made a couple very "off color" remarks about this -- he's a hoot. Charles also had a wonderful time rolling around on the floor with the doll fighting until Rachel finally shot Nikos (Mikos). What energy that man has. It was hysterical.
L: Yes, the skit was so funny and Charles is NOT afraid to say just about anything he wants, to make a point. I think we all know that about him anyway but he does this in such a way as any remarks fit right in with what is going on at that time on the stage. And of course, who could be offended by that voice and that presence of his? After Charles was done rolling on the floor with the doll he really had to have a hand towel to obviously wipe all the perspiration from his face. In contrast, we saw Victoria just dabbing at her face a couple of times with a towel.
N: LOL...I thought you might enjoy hearing more about the doll. This was a life sized stuffed white rag doll. No clothes or features so it could represent any other character. At first it was placed sitting in a chair but later on they had us ask TIIC some questions and at that point CK & VW held the doll between them and in order to hold it in place CK was holding it by the crotch. I think you can imagine that this resulted in a lot of laughter
J: The last part of their show was them sitting on stools and reading notes they had received from their fans. They were both moving, sad and happy of course. Just about the time when I thought I'd break down and cry myself into some sort of state, they then read funny notes - thank goodness. Charles read some that he basically gave us the feeling right from the get-go how they were going to go -- by yelling his name as if the letter was addressed that way. Of course these were the notes he'd received from people who were very angry with him because they knew and everyone else knew just what a horrible man he had once been. He read these with great gusto. VW had her opportunity to use a rather bold 4 letter word when she read a wonderful poem written by a fan - she had to read it exactly as it was sent to her of course so that we got the full meaning of it "all". It was funny and she had a fun time reading it.
L: When Victoria used the "four letter word," it brought the house down! I feel she was so pleased with the reaction it got but as Jackie said, it was a part of something she was reading to us from someone else. The letters were in part, very poignant, sad, truthful and some were even directed at each of them in a derogatory way. However, they were not shy in sharing those with us either. I could feel myself during this time going from laughter to a tear starting...all because of what could have been with Another World if so many circumstances had been different. But then of course, I don't think they would be doing this type show if the AW were still on the air. One of the things that touched me so much was when Charles came back to his stool with a glass of water, took a couple of sips and then handed the glass to Victoria as she sipped from the same glass. For some reason, that act between them just really touched me in a special way as I was privileged to see another avenue of their special friendship at that moment.
N: I really enjoyed this part where they read fan letters. They were such a good mix so when I would be on the verge of breaking down in tears from a particularly touching letter then they would read one that would have everyone laughing uncontrollably
J: After the show, which was 1 1/2 hours long, they had an auction. The money raised would go to this theater.
N: There were two original scripts from AW auctioned off and they both went for over $100 if I remember rightly. Jackie, Linda and I decided not to bid
J: After the auction they pulled the curtains aside and there on the stage was a wonderful feast of food.
J: Linda had gone up before me and had gone to VW to ask her to sign her book. Nancy had brought Linda and I the "Another World Trivia Book" and had written a wonderful note to us inside our books. We decided it would be great if the three of us had them sign in our books. As Linda and VW were walking to the table where they sign stuff, I barged right in and asked VW if Linda had told her our story. At this point VW and CK were sitting at the table and we 3 were standing there relating our story of how far Nancy and Linda had come and were staying at my house. VW > was sitting there with her mouth open and a huge smile while CK smiled and signed the books -- he's the artist and he draws their names for them and then passes her the book for her to sign her name next to his drawing of her name. VW then stood up and took charge of the 3 of us having our pictures taken with them. Good thing she's used to doing this as she just took over and gave our cameras to someone else so that the three of us each got a picture taken on our cameras. I have mine back and in a frame already.
N: They were really impressed with our story and before we know it they had us all arranged and had Jodi take our cameras and take pictures with each of them. It was also nice to meet Jodi AKA. The maestro who has the CK & VW web page. CK & VW also asked us how we enjoyed the show and if we had laughed.
J: The food was wonderful -- they also had both spiked and unspiked punch. They had a large cake celebrating the 5th year of the theater and VW & CK cut it for us all to have a piece. Well, actually CK did the cutting. I got a wonderful picture of Linda taking that picture
N: The reception was held on the stage and with all the lights on it got really warm so the punch was a big hit with me. I especially enjoyed the alcoholic punch.
J: I think there were perhaps about 25 or 30 of us at this reception. It was a wonderful experience. VW and CK took their time with each and every person that wanted their time. The warmth and humor just ooozzzzzed out of them. VW asked me if I laughed during the show -- I'm lucky I didn't wet my pants!
J: The feeling for me was as if they just walked into my living room to a party. That's why, I'm sure, that they do these in small theaters -- for the closeness it brings from them to the fans.
L: We were so delighted as the reception was to be across the street and down a little but after arriving there, we were told the reception would be right on the stage. What a delightful way to keep everyone so close. It was a wonderful reception with wonderful finger foods of all kinds. There were several seafood items, chicken on a stick, huge chocolate covered strawberries, other wonderful small desserts and of course that cake that Charles decided to cut himself with this huge knife...LOL Everything was served on china and with real silverware and champagne glasses. No paper or plastic for this group. We were all made to feel so special. Even as we would finish with our plate, there was someone there to take our plate and glass from us. It was such a pleasure to be treated so royally.
J: I was struck by the fact that I personally felt that they do "feel" what we fans feel. We can, as fans, have a general idea of how the actors felt but it was amazing to me that they were able to convey their feelings as if they were the fans as well.
J: A man who came with his wife and sat behind me summed up a part of this that I thought would be good to share with you all. He was telling his wife that although he knew that a lot of this stuff was "inside" stuff for us fans, they were so good that he enjoyed every moment even though he didn't get all the "inside" jokes. What a testament to their talent to entertain!
J: It was a wonderful night for me and especially to share it with Nancy and Linda. It's a night I will never forget.
L: It was a wonderful evening indeed. One of the highlights toward the end of the reception, for me at least, was when Charles undid his ponytail and let his hair fall down as he would do sometimes on the show. I expected Rachel to come over and begin to brush Carl's hair, as she would do at times. But then in an instant, I realized that it was Charles and Victoria and not Carl and Rachel. If I never get a chance to see these two again, I have still been blessed because of it. But the bigger blessing would be to see them again sometime. However, above and beyond this, the biggest blessing of all was to get to spend time with Jackie, her husband Ken and Nancy who flew from California to join us. It was a very special time for me knowing that even though we continue to get a little older each year, the process of making new and dear friends does not stop...even if your first contact with them is on the Internet!
N: You did a wonderful job with your description Jackie. I would just reiterate that it was almost as if they were doing the show for each of us individually. I also found them to be so genuinely friendly and nice in person. I highly recommend that anyone who gets the chance go to see them in one of their shows. They have such a good rapport and are such fun to see in person. Of course I have to tell about how toward the end of the reception, which was on the stage, I was cooling off down in the audience section and continuing to take more pictures when CK came to the front of the stage and looked out, I am sure he was looking right at me, and said "thank you" to Which I replied "Thank You". This was the first time I saw one of their shows and now I am really hoping that I will have the opportunity to see them again one day. It was a wonderful evening.
J: I think Linda has a different account of who Charles spoke to
Jackie/Nancy/Linda
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