VIP Roxy Theatre Party (that I wasn't asked to attend)

A few weeks back was the opening of the brand spanking new Roxy picture theatre in Miramar, Wellington, owned in part by Richard Taylor and Jamie Selkirk (also partners in Weta which is a movie special effects company here in Miramar). Prior to the opening there was a special VIP evening.

I wasn't invited but because I live around the corner I trotted along, with my friends, to stand outside the theatre and see who would be turning up.

About 20 people at very, very most stood right outside the main doors, but about a hundred or so stayed in a herd for some reason across the road where they might have got a good panarama view but they werent close at all to invited guests. Maybe they stood there because the tv cameras were there. But TV cameras have zoom lenses

Very soon, I had to make the decision whether to go for autographs or photos, and I chose the autograph option. Maybe I made a mistake. Anyway, I managed to be the first one to recognise and pounce(!) on Ian McKellen, James Breslin, Martin Freeman, Brett McKenzie, Richard Taylor, Tania Roger, Jamie Selkirk, and a few actors from The Hobbit. I got to Martin Freeman (Bilbo) just as he got to the door. I called out, "Mr Freeman", and I heard someone beside Freeman say to him, "You almost made it."

I don't think the crowd were (professional) celebrity watchers. I think they were just Miramar-ites. Maybe this explains why nobody recognised the stars until I swooped in.

All invited guests had been asked to wear clothes from the art deco age to fit in with the theatre's decor.

A very late guest was a guy in a Rocketeer outfit. He jumped out of the passenger seat in his car and hurtled into the theatre. It turned out to be Oscar winner director Peter Jackson! I took a few hopeless photos of him through the frosted-patterned window

I did take a nice photo of Roxy co-owners Jamie Selkirk and his partner ,and Richard Taylor and partner Tania Roger. I spoke to Richard's father; what a lovely man and so justifiably proud of his son.

A side note: my friend, staying with me from Australia, and I went to the very first movie at the Roxy (King Kong). I suggested we sit in a certain row, in the middle, and ushered my friend in first. Jamie Selkirk came out and said there was a prize under one of the seats. It was under my friend's seat.! She got four King Kong signed artist prints, and limited edition signed by the artist King Kong bookends. I was so full of jealousy, I wanted to throw a tantrum! But I had to act all nice and thoughtful and congratulate my friend, and help carry the prizes home, and take photos of her parading around my kitchen with the prizes, and then email the photos to her loved ones in Australia. Sighhhhh.