28 September 2002
 

An AMERICAN woman is flying to Bristol for just a weekend - to see her favourite actor at the Old Vic.


Beth Callaway, from Pine Mountain, Georgia, is such a big fan of Hornblower star Jamie Bamber that she will see him perform in a production of Henry IV Part I.


The 47-year-old won't even have time to see Part II of Shakespeare's epic - so she has decided to settle for watching Jamie play Prince Hal twice in one day.


Beth first became a fan of Jamie, who plays Kennedy in the swashbuckling ITV series alongside Ioan Gruffudd in the title role, when the first Hornblower episodes aired in the US three years ago.


She said: "Jamie received the very first fan letter I had ever written in my life.


"It just took me a year to muster up the courage to write it."


Beth describes herself as a "retired mom" and spends most of her time doing volunteer work with local charities.


But she also helps run a website with a team of other fans about Jamie, who has also starred in Peak Practice and Band of Brothers.


She said: "Quite a few of my family and friends say they wish they could accompany me.


"My husband is all for it.  My children laugh and say, 'Mom's off on another adventure!'"  Beth travelled to the set of Peak Practice last year to deliver a scrapbook for Jamie made by a group of his US fans.


Old Vic spokesman Phil Gibby said:

"Normally, the only American theatregoers who see our shows are tourists already in Britain.


"Jamie's international fan base is clearly a motivated, organised group of people who will travel great distances to see him on stage.


"We're delighted to welcome them to Bristol Old Vic for the first time."


The theatre has also received bookings from fans in Belgium and people are travelling from Ireland, Newcastle, Sheffield, Manchester and Norwich - a much wider range than usual.


Normally Old Vic audiences come from an area bounded by Plymouth, Cardiff, Birmingham and London.


Henry IV Parts I and II run in rep from October 11 to November 30.


Tickets cost £7-£20, for more details call 987 7877.