It is not every day you get a TV star knocking on your front door and wanting to spend the whole day with you!
This is precisely what happened when I was contacted by Indira Varma, who plays Ellaria Sand in the hit series Game of Thrones. I had the privilege of spending a few hours with Indira as she delved into the the daily life of a NHS Hospital when she visited Queen’s Hospital in Burton as part of her research for a play she is due to perform in. I knew absolutely nothing about the theater world and I have to take you back a few years to explain how we got to the present – I guess it is all in the scripting!
A few years ago, a very talented and hard working playwright Nina Raine came to see me to do research on the medical profession. She spent a few months shadowing me at my hospital in London so that she could get an in depth understanding of the profession and its characters. One can only look at people like Nina in amazement. She works very hard and is persistent in her goals to achieve the highest standards.
Nina has a passion for the theatre and I respect her for spending the time in shadowing me daily so that she could get the intricate details of the life in the NHS. We, the public, take it for granted as to how much effort goes into producing a piece of theatre or film. It was a great experience for me and the best thing of all was that Nina and I built a close friendship. I think that Nina must have also picked up some useful medical knowledge and she could even get a job in the NHS! But I cannot see her giving up her love of the theatre. I would like to wish her great success.
I moved to the Midlands to take up my role of a Urological Consultant in 2008 and thought no more of the world of theatre. And one day in in late 2010 I suddenly heard from Nina with some exciting news. She told me that her play ‘Tiger Country’ about life in the NHS was going to be performed at Hampstead Theatre in London. This is fantastic news – I was so pleased for her. How many years had she been battling to get it made? Tiger Country ran for a few weeks at Hampstead Theatre in London in 2011. It received excellent reviews and it was a success.
I cannot deny how flattered I was that one of the characters was based on me. But as time moves on, my life was back to the daily routine of NHS targets and patient well-being. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job! I am just as passionate about my work! But it was fun to have a brief foray into the world of theatre.
Coming back to the present. Guess what? Nina contacts me again with some exciting news. Tiger Country is coming back to Hampstead Theatre again at the end of the year. And the beautiful Indira Varma was going to play the role of the character based on me. What can I say, I was so thrilled. This was why Indira wanted to come and spend some time at the hospital. All I can say that Indira is such a great person and I was chuffed that she actually wanted to take a selfie with me. Nina and Indira have made my year. Thank You.
Tiger Country is at the Hampstead Theatre on 8 December 2014 – 17 January 2015
‘Do you know what it’s like to be the person who’s actually sticking the knife in here…? You stick a knife in close to an artery, boy do you know it. Then you’re in Tiger Country…’