A Word or Two with Christopher Plummer

He made me laugh, cry, cheer, & sent me home determined to make my life a story worth telling like his own. Simply amazing.

First of all, thank you SO much to the lovely Katie B and the Center Theater Group for these tickets!
After picking the tickets from will call, we go in and find our seats. Row P, seats 45 & 46. 2^nd row behind the isle, left side in the awesome Ahmanson Theatre. Very good seats!
Star sightings: Actors John Billingsley (Star Trek Enterprise, CSI, Cold Case, CSI NY, 24, True Blood, Southland, etc) and his wife Bonita Friedericy (Star Trek Enterprise, Criminal Minds, CSI, Bones, West Wing, etc) sat in the two seats directly in front of me. David Hyde Pierce (Fraiser, etc) after moving once, was sitting about 15 seats to my right. Big whoop? Yeah maybe, but hey it’s the small thrill of a «star sighting» like this that keep me going! LOL
I’m ashamed to admit I’m not nearly as well read as the 84 year old Mr. Plummer… but then I don’t know anyone who IS as well read as he is!
I didn’t know exactly what to expect with this show, but I have to say I REALLY enjoyed it! For nearly 90 minute, one man monologue, his timing, his acting, his humor and his ability to speak French fluently, kept my interest the entire time.
I was quite impressed how he intertwined the works from numerous authors, as well as stories of his youth, to create a very smooth flowing and entertaining show from start to finish! Bravo Mr. Plummer, Bravo!

Loved my seats! Props to the elite coordinators who got us seats that were right at the center. I was very impressed by the show too. Christopher Plummers did the whole thing without any intermission. It was his love letter to language… Every word was carefully chosen and the show reminds you how important and beautiful words are in this twitter sphere world.

Props to Katie B. and Unilocal for a night of loquacious poetry at the Ahmanson. It was an honor to witness a true thespian grace the stage. Plummer’s voice captivated for an hour twenty, although it felt closer to 45 minutes to be honest.
Orchestra seats were VERY decent, and weekday parking a breeze. Thank you, Unilocal,for not only keeping bellies happy but enriching the mind!

(Attended 01÷21÷14 TU @ 8:00pm): The word count piled up during this non-​stop 1 ½-​hour solo monologue!
Katie «Queen» B, the fantabulous Unilocal Los Angeles East Community Manager, scored some wonderful complimentary tickets to «A Word Or Two With Christopher Plummer» at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. I’d been intrigued by this play for months, so when the invitation was posted, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. I’ve enjoyed Christopher Plummer’s acting over the years, so I was excited to see him in such an intimate and personal performance. I invited a longtime friend whom I hadn’t seen in awhile, so it was nice as we caught up with each other.
Food — Although there were plenty of places inside the lobby of the theatre to grab a drink or snack, as well as the Music Center courtyard, I’d eaten before the show.
Seats ($ 90.00 ea. regular price) — Sat in the Orchestra — 1^st Floor Door 7 Row M Seats 29 – 30 Center. Sight lines were total unobstructed and the audio was great. There was enough leg room so we didn’t have to stand as people passed by. These seats were AWESOME!
The Show — an homage to the written and spoken word of those famous and infamous, liked and disliked, relevant and irrelevant. Strung together craftily, the chosen poems and proses gave meddling insight to the orator. Here were some notables (sorry, no pictures allowed):
1. The set design was highly creative with its sculptured staircase made of books, and simple with a wooden chair, podium, and a scrim that lit up or showed faint images
2. A very informal and inviting setting, I recognized an ode to my favorite, Oscar Wilde, as well as Shakespeare, A.A. Milne, and passages from the Bible
3. Costume design was gentlemanly casual and comfortable with warm hues, and the only things missing were a lit tobacco pipe, a glass of brandy, and insulated slipper
4. It helped to be somewhat well-​read for better appreciation, but not necessary as long as you paid attention to the words
Service — At the Ahmanson Theatre, there were plenty of helpful ushers armed with «Performances» Magazine
and to show us to our seats, but I knew where we were sitting. It was all-​good.
Parking ($ 9.00) — Ample spaces were found in the underground parking garage, and both cash and all credit cards were accepted. In addition, there were other garages and lots within the area (fees varied) as well as street parking but required a bit of walking. If so inclined, valet service was also available for a nominal fee.
Atmosphere, décor, ambience — On the grounds of the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles, this intimate theatre that held up to 2,000 seats among three levels (orchestra, mezzanine, balconies) was understated and not flashy at all. The lobby area was spacious with plenty of walking room, and the directions to get to your seats where easy to understand. The wooden seats were cushioned and offered more room than expected. Bright electric lights lit the house before and after the performance and then dimmed which allow the stage lights to illuminate throughout. Both sound system and sight lines were excellent. There were no TVs nor background music.
Attire — It’s the performing arts in a theatre so I showed respect and dressed business casual (it also helped that I came directly from work). Sorry, no t-​shirt, boardshorts, and flip-​flops this time around.
Overall, mad-​props to Katie B. and everyone involved who made this an enjoyable evening at A Word Or Two With Christopher Plummer at the Ahmanson Theatre. I understood one-​person shows were difficult, but as the consummate actor, Mr. Plummer was more than up to the challenge as he left the crowd with a standing ovation. I’ve noticed discounted tickets through Goldstar, so I highly recommended the offer to several friends of mine whom I thought would make an evening of it before it left town (January 19 — February 9, 2014). I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total bill was around $ 9.00 for parking and included the 2 free tickets; no tip required), but even at full ticket prices ($ 90.00 ea.), the time went in the blink of an eye and I wanted more. And, my credit card of choice was accepted… AMEX!

There aren’t many who haven’t enjoyed 1965’s amazing musical, «The Sound of Music.» Those who didn’t and still haven’t are certainly not in THIS audience. Of this, I am sure. I, for one, have always loved it. And that’s why I’m here tonight at the Ahmanson.
There also cannot be many who can look you into the eye and say they had no appreciation for Pixar’s «Up» (2009). Seriously, if you’re of the type who is capable of blaspheming Pixar, keep off my stoop. We won’t get along, I can already tell. Pixar, undoubtedly, has the Midas Touch. And it is also because of Pixar’s and Disney’s vision that I am here.
Any Trekkies in the audience? I’m guessing «no” – not unless you’re a super-​duper, die-​hard fan. If you are, then «General Chang» is all that needed be said. Welcome! Truth told, however, the Starship Enterprise – with the exception of its most recent productions – doesn’t carry weight… for me. Not that it doesn’t at all, but it’s not exactly why I’m here.
If the above doesn’t jog any memories, then you’re probably unfamiliar with Christopher Plummer, and you’re likely not here in the audience anyway. But you should be. He’s why I am here. And he’s also why everyone surrounding me is here. And we’re all here at the beautiful Ahmanson, tonight, in anticipation of listening-​in on a «word or two» from the man himself.
Thank you, Center Theater Group, for the complimentary Unilocal tickets. (I’m not just here because of that, by the way; but I wouldn’t have known about this presentation had it not been for Unilocal.) And what a pleasure to be included, to be in the presence of a man with such a respectable theatrical history as his is.

I was lucky enough to receive complimentary tickets to this show from Unilocal.Like others, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. It was a lovely experience, and a truly delightful evening!
Christopher Plummer is an impressive actor, who deserves to be known for more than just his role as Captain von Trapp. His speaking voice is like music — does he narrate audiobooks? He should!
For almost an hour and a half straight, Christopher spoke casually about his life and his love for literature, interspersed with readings and recitations from famous novels, plays, and poetry. My favorite parts were when he recited longer sections (a reading of Song of Songs was especially beautiful.)
This show made me want to go home and read a book!

Christopher Plummer, you’re certainly one of a kind! He’s still got it folks! I tried to find more information online about A Word or Two but I gave up after a few minutes. Well, let me just say that this certainly exceeded my expectations. He does a brilliant job of storytelling, his words flow so eloquently and it makes you wonder how anyone can memorize all this, especially as a one-​man show. But boy, he blew my socks off.
Plummer does a great job of engaging a bit with the audience and his voice projection and stage presence is phenomenal. I highly recommend seeing this, especially if you’re a fan of stories. Thank you Unilocal and Center Theatre Group with this opportunity! Long live books!

Never miss an opportunity to see a great artist such as Christopher Plummer perform. I was left in awe by his eloquence on stage and his vast knowledge of literary works and vocabulary. The words captivate you, entice you to think and walks you into a journey of Christopher Plummer’s life.
Unilocal gave me the opportunity to see this performance and I am grateful. We sat in the middle and got to enjoy the show from what I thought was a perfect angle. The stage was set up beautifully and I wish I could update the site with photographs from inside the show, but photography was forbidden and I’ll say «enforced» if you tried to.
I brought my girlfriend to this show and without her I would not have been able to understand any of the french dialogue Christopher bounces back and forth to in the show. Some of the books and works he references I wasn’t familiar with but Christopher’s superb acting skills and body language gave me the insight he was trying to portray.
I wanted to read as many books as I could get my hands on right after leaving.
A beautiful piece and performance by Christopher Plummer.

I came in not knowing what to expect, but was quite excited that I’d get to see Christopher Plummer aka Charles Muntz aka The Captain of the Von Trapp family!
Stage set was incredible. A beautifully arranged spiral wave of stacked books on a wooden back ground. We’re talking stacks on stacks tall.
I had a fantastic time listening to Christopher Plummer tell us about his life using poems. Though it was a little lengthy (80 min, no intermission… well a 1 second intermission if you can count that), he was able to keep my attention with some funny poems, great impersonations, german and french monologues, and just being his awesome self. I am not surprised he got a full standing O at the end! It was a very impressive show and I’d recommend it to those who like or are just open minded to literature/​poetry.
Thanks Unilocal for allowing me the opportunity to come out and witness such an amazing one man performance.

A tremendously enjoyable show! This one man show will keep you captivated. Plummer is amazing — still the consummate actor! He takes us from his youth in Canada, to his life in New York City in the 50s, to his current late age (he notes he was born in 1929) and entertains with fun anecdotes and references to literature including recited passages the whole way. He does some of them in character, it’s super fun. He utilizes the whole stage and minimal props but still manages to keep you enthralled for the performance. He truly loves language and words and it shows. The time flew by, 80 short minutes, and I enjoyed every moment. A wonderful, unusual show that I highly recommend. Thanks Unilocal & Center Theater Group/​Ahmanson Theater for the free tickets!

It seems sacrilegious to review a legend, and likewise it seems sacrilegious to not review a Unilocal elite event. So how do you solve a problem like Maria? Christopher Plummer is a master of his craft. His voice commands attention, and his charm captivates. You’re not sure where he is going to take you as you set off on an 80 minute literary journey set on hyperspeed… out spouted poems and passages across time and language, intersecting with snippets of memories, and sharing wisdom about life, love, death, society, and of course literature… words just flowing into an ever-​winding yet cohesive narrative. It was truly a gift to see this legend and hear him share a word or two. Thank you Katie B., Unilocal,and Ahmanson!

Janurary 23, 2014
Wow! That is all I can say. I love love loved Chris Plummer’s performance. It was so captivating. I cannot believe it. He’s like the The Sirens from the Odyssey and I am the Homer. I was so enthralled into his one person monologue. I understood 85% of what he was referencing, but once he changed his language and the linguistics… I was lost. I wished I could have understood other languages other thant he mesely two and half.
I loved how he started off talking about him in the womb, to his infancy, to his childhood, to his rebellous teenage years, to his young adulthood, to adulthood, to manhood, to his mid-​aged self, and finally to his final years of life. He was just that captivating!
His performance was not only interesting and intellectual, but also funny and his charm! My oh MY his charm. His 80-​minute monologue with NO intermission… WOWZAH! I was amazed by the immense talkent he possesses. In the beginning, the crowd in there theater weren’t all in my age-​range, nor my bf’s range and I thought he was going to NOT like it. However, I loved it and he really did enjoy the performance. Thank you Katie B., thank you Christopher Plummer, and thank you Ahmanson Theater Staff! You have me something more… a bigger apprechiation of Literature and Language and NOW I must pass it on to my students and let them know that they need to read more and more and more every day because Language IS getting near EXTINCTION. We need to salvage it as much as we can before it deteriorates and taken over by TWITTER and Social Media.
Overall, LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVEd «A Word or Two with Christopher Plummber» and the Ahmanson Theater! Thank YOU!

After reading the description of the event, I was a little unsure about it but who am I to pass up a chance to see a living legend?
I was not disappointed — in fact, I was in awe of Christopher Plummer by the time the show ended. An 80-​minute monologue about his love for literature done with charisma, charm, comedy, and class. It is not wonder why, even into his 80s, he is still a relevant and Oscar-​winning actor. From poking fun at his home country (Canada) to working in current topics (Justin Bieber and Chris Christie), Christopher Plummer is sharp, poised, and talented.
Ultimately, my husband and I left the show both thinking «they sure don’t make actors like that anymore.»
…And, yes, he sang — in French. :)

I was so unbelievably thrilled to be in the presence of this amazing actor. Not only was this play insightful, it was a tribute to all of us who love books and cherish the art of words and language. Thanks to Unilocal and the generosity of the Center Theatre Group, my best friend and I got free tickets and sat seven rows away from the stage. Not only did we see Christopher Plummer, in the flesh, we got to see his facial features and body language that convey what a brilliant and talented actor he is.
This play was utterly hilarious especially the parts where describes his childhood starting from his birth to his teen years, which, were unbelievable and would put anyone to shame. Actually, along with the personal anecdotes, Plummer’s ability to ad lib, which probably made me laugh the most, is so unbelievably fluid, it’s so spot on! However, this only a fraction of the awesomeness that is «A Word or Two» because the true genius lies in the words that reflect the memories. What I took away from this play is to cherish and share the words and stories that have been told before. For example, Shakespeare showed us the power of love and loss; George Bernard Shaw showed us that if we could choose between man and the Gods, we should choose men; A.A. Milne showed how to take joy in the little things in life that make us better people. The list literally goes on as Plummer recites and quotes an amazing array of poets and authors.
As a Librarian, I was touched by this play because I know exactly what he is talking about. I went into this profession to connect the youth with great literature because of it’s ability to help us become strong, creative, and passionate beings. I would have given anything to have had my teens with me tonight because this play shows us the wisdom behind these great works and how their advice have helped a scared, lonely boy grow into a talented and accomplished man. Thank You, Christopher Plummer for this amazing insight into your world and life. I hope and pray that I won’t let you down because the future generations should be given the opportunity to live in the adventures that lay in books and to learn just how precious words really are.

Let me start by saying Christopher Plummer is one of the great actors of our time and has been a full time film scene stealer throughout his career.
This is the first time I have seen C.P. on stage and it was great sharing the same room with the icon. Regarding this one man act, listening to an 80 minute monologue can get a little trying for a guy like me who skipped or mentally checked out of literature class more than I attended it. That said, many of the writers he quoted throughout the act were strangers to me.
Mr. Plummer added humor to this piece, bringing solid laughter on several occasions while he delivered the script that he also wrote. For an actor of any age to memorize and perform emotionally for this amount of time alone on stage was impressive and he certainly deserved the long, standing ovation he got…
…I do wonder however, if the jubilant ovation was more for thy man or thy act… thou nor thee shall never know…

This was a great performance by one really talented actor! His voice projects so well and he’s so captivating! His passion for words and literature was infectious! I never thought I could listen to a man speak by himself for 80 minutes straight. And Christopher Plummer never stopped to drink water! It was a great experience and I’m so glad I got to see this.
Thank you Unilocal!This is something I might have never discovered had I not been. The venue is also great!

From the Sound of Music to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Christopher Plummer has been a distinguished and iconic actor that has lasted through the decades.
His one man act is an ode to literature and it’s influence on his life. Plummer eloquently references passages from books and poetry to illustrate important moments in his life. Literature nerds will find it fun trying to distinguish which author is being referenced. It’s a great test to see how educated you are in realm of literature. Francophiles will also enjoy Plummers’ use of French as he was born in Toronto Canada but was raised in the French speaking province of Quebec so he weaves the language in and out of his play.
The whole evening is quite highbrow, but there are plenty of «real» moments that help the audience relate, like when Plummer references Justin Bieber. An enjoyable evening at the theatre. Thanks Unilocal and Katie B for brokering the experience. It was a real treat to be in a live audience as Captain Von Trap himself engaged us for the evening.