The Brian Hamman Fan Club
Who? you're asking.
Brian Hamman, whose Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) credits include Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Florizel in The Winter's Tale, Percy in Richard II, Puck in Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Dromio of Syracuse in Short Shakespeare! The Comedy of Errors.
Yes, Family M-mv announces the launch of the unofficial Brian Hamman Fan Club.
"And his eyes, Mom," says Miss M-mv(i), "talk about his eyes."
They're blue, I think. But what Miss M-mv(i) fancies is how expressive they are. You see, she fell hard for Mr. Hamman's rappin' Puck last May. Imagine her surprise, wonder, thrill when she realized yesterday that Dromio of Syracuse was Puck in disguise.
The production was a delight, framed by the idea that a company of traveling actors who had intended to stage Timon of Athens resolves to perform The Comedy of Errors when half their troupe and many of their props are delayed. The choreography of the key dances of physical comedy was, quite simply, amazing, and Brian Hamman is the lord of such dances (as anyone who has seen his rappin' Puck can attest).
Terrific stuff.
Why so many in the audience streamed out of that glorious theater after the final bows, I have no idea, because a post-performance discussion with the cast is one of the sparkling gems in the CST crown, and it was announced prior to the performance.
Ah, well. Their loss, I suppose.
Our gain.
Several times during the Q&A, Miss M-mv(i) made to raise her hand, only to fold into herself again, watching while trying to appear not to watch Mr. Hamman. At some point, she determined to meet the actor -- that day, that afternoon. She had, after all, spoken of him at least once, usually more often, a week, every week since May 2004. To be true, it was Puck about whom she spoke, but I think craftsmen allow children this self-deception, no?
I wonder if Mr. Hamman and his fellow players would understand that she wept after that May performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, her first live-theater experience. "It's over already," she cried softly into my ear. "It was so. wonderful."
Oh, I know, sweetie. I know. It almost always is.
She was able to meet the fine actor who portrayed Bottom following the post-performance discussion last spring, but a crowd all but blocked Puck from sight, and Miss M-mv(i) did not enter it.
Rather, she simply thought about him. ("Does he always do that play? Who gave him the idea to act that way?")
Occasionally dreamed about him. ("I had a dream with singing, dancing Puck in it, Mom. I want to be an actress.")
And often talked about him. ("Does that man act in movies, too? Television? Does he know Kenneth Branagh?")
Yes, with no crowds to fight yesterday, the young drama queen decided to wait Puck-now-Dromio out.
And she was rewarded by Brian Hamman's gracious appearance.
"I just love those movies you do."
Well, forgive her. The waiting was hard. And the being right there? Next to him? She looked not unlike a horse dancing in its stall. At one point, I thought I could see white all around her eyes. But for all that, she was reasonably poised, asking for Mr. Hamman's "name on my book" (autograph) and telling him in no uncertain terms that he is awesome.
I know nothing about Brian Hamman other than my experience of seeing him twice dazzle as Puck and once shine as Dromio of Syracuse. This is as it should be. He is an actor; I am part of his audience. But I gathered this much from our family's encounter with him yesterday: He is a fine and entertaining actor who appears to love his craft. And whether it was genuine kindness or another fine bit of acting that made him the model of sweet patience as he accepted a little girl's gushing and that little girl's mother's photographing, matters not. Brian Hamman was the picture of how adults can respond to children without condescension, without a wink and a nod to the others in the room, without a peek at the timepiece.
He was awesome.
So, again, Family M-mv announces the launch of the unofficial Brian Hamman Fan Club. I nominate Miss M-mv(i) president and myself recording secretary.
Mr. Hamman, you rock. Break a leg tonight, tomorrow night, Saturday afternoon, every time you take the stage.
And thank you for your time yesterday afternoon.
Brian Hamman, whose Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) credits include Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Florizel in The Winter's Tale, Percy in Richard II, Puck in Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Dromio of Syracuse in Short Shakespeare! The Comedy of Errors.
Yes, Family M-mv announces the launch of the unofficial Brian Hamman Fan Club.
"And his eyes, Mom," says Miss M-mv(i), "talk about his eyes."
They're blue, I think. But what Miss M-mv(i) fancies is how expressive they are. You see, she fell hard for Mr. Hamman's rappin' Puck last May. Imagine her surprise, wonder, thrill when she realized yesterday that Dromio of Syracuse was Puck in disguise.
The production was a delight, framed by the idea that a company of traveling actors who had intended to stage Timon of Athens resolves to perform The Comedy of Errors when half their troupe and many of their props are delayed. The choreography of the key dances of physical comedy was, quite simply, amazing, and Brian Hamman is the lord of such dances (as anyone who has seen his rappin' Puck can attest).
Terrific stuff.
Why so many in the audience streamed out of that glorious theater after the final bows, I have no idea, because a post-performance discussion with the cast is one of the sparkling gems in the CST crown, and it was announced prior to the performance.
Ah, well. Their loss, I suppose.
Our gain.
Several times during the Q&A, Miss M-mv(i) made to raise her hand, only to fold into herself again, watching while trying to appear not to watch Mr. Hamman. At some point, she determined to meet the actor -- that day, that afternoon. She had, after all, spoken of him at least once, usually more often, a week, every week since May 2004. To be true, it was Puck about whom she spoke, but I think craftsmen allow children this self-deception, no?
I wonder if Mr. Hamman and his fellow players would understand that she wept after that May performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, her first live-theater experience. "It's over already," she cried softly into my ear. "It was so. wonderful."
Oh, I know, sweetie. I know. It almost always is.
She was able to meet the fine actor who portrayed Bottom following the post-performance discussion last spring, but a crowd all but blocked Puck from sight, and Miss M-mv(i) did not enter it.
Rather, she simply thought about him. ("Does he always do that play? Who gave him the idea to act that way?")
Occasionally dreamed about him. ("I had a dream with singing, dancing Puck in it, Mom. I want to be an actress.")
And often talked about him. ("Does that man act in movies, too? Television? Does he know Kenneth Branagh?")
Yes, with no crowds to fight yesterday, the young drama queen decided to wait Puck-now-Dromio out.
And she was rewarded by Brian Hamman's gracious appearance.
"I just love those movies you do."
Well, forgive her. The waiting was hard. And the being right there? Next to him? She looked not unlike a horse dancing in its stall. At one point, I thought I could see white all around her eyes. But for all that, she was reasonably poised, asking for Mr. Hamman's "name on my book" (autograph) and telling him in no uncertain terms that he is awesome.
I know nothing about Brian Hamman other than my experience of seeing him twice dazzle as Puck and once shine as Dromio of Syracuse. This is as it should be. He is an actor; I am part of his audience. But I gathered this much from our family's encounter with him yesterday: He is a fine and entertaining actor who appears to love his craft. And whether it was genuine kindness or another fine bit of acting that made him the model of sweet patience as he accepted a little girl's gushing and that little girl's mother's photographing, matters not. Brian Hamman was the picture of how adults can respond to children without condescension, without a wink and a nod to the others in the room, without a peek at the timepiece.
He was awesome.
So, again, Family M-mv announces the launch of the unofficial Brian Hamman Fan Club. I nominate Miss M-mv(i) president and myself recording secretary.
Mr. Hamman, you rock. Break a leg tonight, tomorrow night, Saturday afternoon, every time you take the stage.
And thank you for your time yesterday afternoon.
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