Carys and Marianela

I surprised Carys with tickets for Romeo and Juliet tonight after class. I managed to get slips seats and knew that Marianela was cast as Juliet and that Gary was Lord Capulet, so that sealed it, she was very excited.

Seats were actually really impressive. Yes we couldn't see the right side back of the stage, but we were very close to the action. Gary tweeted at one interval that he was being extra stern just for Carys, which made her even more pleased.

Obviously I wasn't going to get away without hanging around the stage door. Carys got quite a few autographs (including Ed Watson, who she literally chased down Floral Street shouting his name to get his attention!) and photos with Marianela Nunes, but also Ryoichi Hirano and Jacopo Tissi (from the Bolshoi, guesting as Romeo) and of course her beloved Gary.

Gary gave her a massive parcel with a card saying Happy Birthday Carys. She was gob smacked and a number of people at stage door were very curious but she wouldn't open it until later when we were on the train. The envelope contained a number of postcards of Gary in various roles over the years, which she loved. The parcel didn't get fully opened as she was so tired, but a corner was torn away to show white towelling, so she presumed it was a dressing gown. To be honest she didn't look properly as was totally absorbed by the postcards, so she was in for a huge (and very lovely) surprise!