I used to go to the Edinburgh Fringe every year to see at least one event. In the past I have seen some marvellous people at the Fringe: a lecture by Brian Eno, Radiohead in concert at Meadowbank Stadium, Patti Smith reads the poetry of Allen Ginsberg accompanied on piano by Philip Glass and several others. I would often drive up in the morning see several events and drive back. Happy times and happy memories.
When I saw the following advertised on the fringe website: “Talking with Christopher Biggins, Hayley takes us back in time to a bygone era, charting a journey from her carefree childhood innocence in post-war Britain, growing up in the shadow of her famous theatrical family, to being propelled into the technicolor boomtown of 1960s Hollywood, where she is mentored to stardom by Walt Disney himself. Afterwards there will be the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Hayley’s autobiography Forever Young and meet Hayley herself.”
Well, how could I resist? Hayley Mills was one of my teenage idols; you might even say a teenage icon for me. Ever since I saw her in the magic movies Whistle Down the Wind and the Parent Trap, I was struck by this young actress, daughter of Sir John Mills.
“Who is it?” (Hayley). “Jesus Christ” (Alan Bates)……
“Let’s get together, yeah yeah yeah; Why don’t you and I combine; Let’s get together, what do you say; We can have a swingin’ time”.
“Whistle Down the Wind is a 1961 British crime drama film directed by Bryan Forbes and starring Hayley Mills, Bernard Lee, and Alan Bates. ….In 2005, the British Film Institute included it in its list of the 50 films that children should see by the age of 14……Three Lancashire farm children discover a bearded fugitive (the Man/Arthur Blakey) hiding in their barn and mistake him for Jesus Christ. They come to this conclusion because of their Sunday School stories and Blakey’s shocked exclamation of “Jesus Christ!” when Kathy, the eldest child, accidentally discovers him.” (From Wikipedia).
Only a couple of days after witnessing Taylor Swift in London, Jan and I took the train up to Edinburgh on a lovely Sunday morning. Once out of Waverley station, we took a taxi across to the event which was in a beautiful location, complete with a peacock in the garden and a waiter from the hotel (in which Hayley was staying) who came out and offered us drinks. Jan ordered a Pinot Grigio, and I ordered a glass of Jack Daniels with ice. The hotel waiter arrived with a tray and our drinks. Very congenial.
Very shortly we were ushered into the venue and took our seats close to the front. Soon Hayley Mills and Christopher Biggins took to the stage and had a lovely conversation about her times growing up in a family where very famous people were regular visitors: Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness, Fred Astaire, and others. She talked about her early films and how she was then off to Hollywood and met none other than Walt Disney himself, starring in several of his films.
She talked about her close relationship with her mother, father, and her sister the actor Juliet Mills. In fact, she revealed that she was soon to embark upon a cruise with Juliet, speaking about their lives and memories each evening to guests on the ship. Sounds idyllic.
No sooner than she had started the 1.5 hours was over and we were sadly informed that the books had not arrived on time for Hayley to sign them. Instead, we left our names and addresses with the promise that a signed copy would be sent out to us. By the way, Hayley, I am still waiting for mine :-). So, we never did get to meet Hayley after all. Perhaps for the best. You know what they say about never meeting your heroes. I would have been embarrassed and wouldn’t have known what to say to her anyway.
A taxi, ordered by our friendly waiter from the hotel soon arrive and we moved onwards from the lovely view of the castle down back to Waverley station where we embarked upon our journey home. Soon we were back in Newcastle station, where our taxi waited to take us back home and bedtime for me. A great end to a lovely day spent with a childhood hero, back at the Fringe. Taylor Swift and Hayley Mills within a few days of each other. Magic.
Update on 7 October 2024. My signed book arrived today, thank you Hayley! A wonderful keepsake from a magical day spent returning to the Edinburgh Festival and spending a highly enjoyable afternoon with a lifelong hero of mine. The dedication to me makes the book very special. I must remember to return to the Fringe next year! See images of the book, and the dedication from Hayley to me. Happy days.
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