Friday 12 November 2010

Another thing that made me smile...

I have a whole new level of respect for Bradley Whitford. 

Yes, yes, I know - you didn't think it was possible.  Neither did I. But I went on a tour of Juilliard yesterday (was it yesterday? I won't even attempt that kind of mathematical time zone gymnastics - I've slept once-ish, since, so it must be yesterday) and - wow.  

For a start,  750 - 1,000 people apply, and they only take about 20 each year. 

Then, once they're there, they work them unbelievably hard: six days a week, 8 am till 11 pm (apart from Wednesday and Saturday evenings - woop).  And they're not let anywhere near an audience till their fourth year.  

Just after we sat in the theatre where the seniors perform, we walked down a corridor lined with framed black and white photographs of performances past.  Shame I don't know what year Brad was here, I thought, because he might be somewhere on these walls.  And then, I don't know why, but I turned my head slightly to the left and the photograph I was facing caught my eye; I read the label, just in case, and yes - it was him: unrecognisable in his youth and wispy moustache.  

I couldn't help feeling it was another of those just-for-me moments, like finding Hillary Clinton's Living History in a box of free books in front of a house in a Georgetown house.  It made me smile.  

2 comments:

Rob T Law said...

Have you ever watched Fox's "The Good Guys"? I know its not the "West Wing", but for a Bradley Whitford fan, its HI-Larious! Bradley as a 70's era cop with mustache and period correct Camaro W/ T-tops. His foil is Tom Hank's kid. Again, a great laugh.

Claire said...

Yeah - it's good fun! Sadly as I live in Belgium I can't get it anymore, though... but it certainly shows off Bradley Whitford's versatility as an actor! (I've also just watched Burn Up - seen that? Very good stuff - if chilling.)