Reflections

This trip to London was an experience that I will always cherish and that I will never forget. I was with great friends, I made a new friend, and we explored a new city together learning about things in which we all had a mutual interest. It was a profound experience to live in a city that I have dreamed about for so long, even though it was just for a week! I could understand why Shakespeare loved London so much; it’s bustling and ever-modern, but it has various elements of the past tucked in corners. I loved Stratford for it’s classic English charm and beauty, and I’m sure he did as well. Seeing the world as he saw it was truly an experience. Thank you so much, Alan Wade, for taking me on this most wonderful trip. I learned so much!

Cheers! :)

Day 6

March 15

Lloyd Trott at RADA… Rambled. A lot. He never got around to discussing ‘Hamlet,’ and it sounded like what he was going to say would have been interesting. Oh well. His stories of life in the theatre were interesting enough! He made me want to work at the Globe (though of course that wouldn’t take much convincing!) I was uncomfortable with how derisively he spoke about Paganism, though. Besides the fact that I follow the belief system, I think Paganism and mysticism are very valid themes in Shakespeare’s works… It is not “unusual,” as he said. He mentioned ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Macbeth,’ but I would also add ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and any play that includes a member of the Greek pantheon. Because Christianity was so prevalent in Shakespeare’s time, myth, magic, and gods rather than God were certainly a point of interest in his audience. (Goddesses were as well, since they combine myth and the role of the strong female.) Overall, this was not my favorite lecture.

 HOWEVER, I went to see the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ I am sure that it was the best decision that we made on the trip. It was far better than the National Theatre’s ‘Comedy of Errors.’ Besides the fact that it’s my favorite play, it was brilliantly done. It was certainly off-beat and unique, but that’s partly what made it so successful. If Shakespeare is going to be updated, it absolutely should be done this way rather than the National Theatre’s approach. Oberon was a hipster-superhero with asthma who had to make his own sound effects—perfect for a faerie king who tries to manipulate his wife (perhaps out of insecurity?)! Titania of course was a sex-starved rock star, while Puck was a lazy carpenter, which makes perfect sense since he takes orders while being mischevious. The players were great; they were the only characters to stray from their Shakespeare lines. Even then, it fit with the text since those characters speak in prose rather than verse and serve as comedic relief, so the humor was appropriately updated so that the audience was in stitches, just has Shakespeare’s would have been. It felt like the most genuine Shakespearean experience that I could have had, even though it was far from the traditional take. One of my particularly favorite scenes was when Demetrius and Lysander chase each other through the forest. They were video game players while Puck held the controller! Perfect. Oberon flew on a crude harness (like Shakespearean actors who would’ve been lowered down through the trap ceiling) and a roll-y desk chair. The faeries were just high voices and zooming sounds (which made them far more magical than if we had seen them!), characters walked through walls (surprisingly effective), they fell through the stage, and the famous cat fight scene resulted in an epic food fight (in which the audience participated). Pure hilarious brilliance. (They also made references to the Royal Weddings, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and Qaddafi- they kept it current just like Shakespeare did!)

The Scholars at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with our lecturer, Lloyd Trott.

Of course, we had to make a trip to Harrod's on our last day!

The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, where we saw the fantastic production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'!

Leaving England... I was so sad to be going! I loved it. I can't wait to return one day... Perhaps sooner rather than later! ;)

Day 5: Stratford-Upon-Avon

March 14

   Stratford was unbelievable. The train ride was wonderful… I loved that I got the opportunity to see the countryside! The sheep and the horses were great. I was shocked by the distance from London though… It seemed so far! What was a long 2-hour train ride for us must have taken Shakespeare days to travel. He must have been very intent upon making a career for himself to leave his family so far away. No wonder he didn’t travel back and forth!

 The town itself was great. The houses were exactly as I had hoped; old, beautiful, and rich with history. It was also understandable though why Shakespeare would have wanted to leave the birthplace house. It was quite small! It was also a great contrast to the grandeur of his daughter Susanna’s daughter’s house… Though I do wonder whether the money came from her doctor husband or from Shakespeare’s own success. It just felt wonderful to be in the town, to see things that had inspired such great work.

 His church was magnificent as well. Such antiquated beauty (even though it has been altered over the centuries) humbles me. I found the introductory session in the very beginning of the trip to be entertaining… I appreciated the myriad of performance clips. I did not, however, particularly enjoy the lecture. He had interesting ideas and I appreciated the time he took to write up the notes for us. I thought his t-shirt and multimedia components were amusing, but overall I had grown tired of hearing the same things about ‘The Comedy of Errors.’

Lunch was fabulous. I loved the elderflower soda and of course, my favorite bangers and mash. Thank you, Professor Wade. :) 

My friends and I had gotten up early for the 2 hour train ride, so we were sleepy! We were very excited though.

The countryside was beautiful... My favorite part of the train ride was the sheep!!

The Birthplace!

Our first steps into Shakespeare's hometown... It was gorgeous! I love that they maintained the Tudor aesthetic. 

Shakespeare's childhood home! It was tiny, but adorable!

The Dean's Scholars all together in front of the house.

Elderflower soda- Odd but delicious!

The Dean's Scholars in front of Shakespeare's childhood schoolhouse- an original building!

The Scholars on Scholar's Lane!! This was the street that Shakespeare walked along as a boy to get to school.

Shakespeare's daughter's home. It was huge!

Shakespeare's church (Holy Trinity) and final resting place.

The Gerard Johnson bust above Shakespeare's grave. Could this be what he looked like?

I was mourning at Shakespeare's grave.

The Scholars in front of the graves of Shakespeare and his family.

We mourned together!

The Dirty Duck Pub, where we ate dinner! It was named by American soldiers during WWII. 

Chicken and mushroom pie turned out to be a new favorite... I even made my own when I got back home! Scrumptious. 

Classic British fish and chips with mushy peas! Available everywhere. So yummy!

Day 4

March 13

   I was more entertained by Michael Winter than by the show! I absolutely agreed with all of his criticisms, except for his approval of Adriana. I thought she was intolerable… He also didn’t give much credence to Luciana. Otherwise, I was all set to listen to him for another hour!! I really enjoyed how much he encouraged our participation in discussion. I felt that he wanted to hear what we had to say. I was also intrigued by his opening lecture. I had no idea that some plays were used to coach law students in rhetoric, which is brilliant! That gave the play a great contextual background with which to work. The concept of the staging in terms of three doors was fascinating… I loved his idea of the impact of the unused Abbey door at the end of the play. I thought that it seemed like the perfect dramatic device to drive the moral of the play home. However, I thought the door to the Porpentine was unnecessary; the courtesan could just walk onstage. Then again, halls didn’t have stages so perhaps that mechanism was necessary. I appreciated the exercise that Michael put together for us… I thought it could’ve been done more effectively if everyone knew when to speak (and how to intone each line), but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I’ve been interested in the ongoing mention that Shakespeare’s plays were performed much faster in his time than they are today. As an actor that’s hard to imagine, and even more so as an audience member! Sometimes it’s difficult for me to comprehend every line that I hear; it’s much easier to understand when reading the text (but of course, that’s not what it was written for!). Then again, the Elizabethans had the trained ear for it. As everyone keeps saying, Shakespeare’s audience went to hear a play, not to see it, and that’s why in the theatre it’s called an audience and in television they’re called viewers. 

Streets, stairs, and trains function in the opposite direction. Trash cans and bathrooms are very difficult to find. Lots of people apparently fall onto tracks are are severely injured or killed… There are many several graphic and disturbing posters around the Tube but no one seems to notice!

Day 3

March 12

Today we saw the sights: Big Ben, Jewel Tower, Parliament, St. James Park, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey.

The Churchill Museum/War Rooms were overwhelming. They held such an intense atmosphere; the pressure and fear are still present in the dark halls. The museum is extremely tech-oriented and is absolutely rife with information… One could not possibly absorb all of the information in one visit. The technology made it appealing to the tech-savvy youngsters, but the content was fascinating for the adults. Unbelievable. (I was impressed by his paintings… Interesting when one considers Hitler’s paintings of scenery.)

The ‘Comedy of Errors’ at the National Theatre was quite an experience to say the least. It was truly a visual and audio feast. I enjoyed the dynamics of the grand set, as well as the sound effects, costumes (for what they were), and accents. They really enhanced the show (especially the re-enactment of the shipwreck in the beginning; it enlivened an otherwise incredibly tiring monologue). However, I did not appreciate the unnecessary update. It complicated the role of the Duke, for one. His involvement made little sense as a gang master. I lost any sympathy that I might have had for Adriana… Her voice and character were grating. I did not enjoy her performance. However I thought all 4 Antipholus and Dromeo actors were greatly entertaining, as was Luciana. I was entranced by the her choices in intonation and emphasis… I was just impressed by the way she delivered her lines. I thought she was innovative in a way that the rest of the production tried to be!

o      The chase scene was extreme and superfluous. Although gripping and impressive to say the least, the car was not necessary by any means. The scooters were a nice comedic touch, though.

o      I also found that my favorite part (the monologue about the fat maid) was lacking. I could tell that some lines had been cut out (which seems silly considering that it is Shakespeare’s shortest play), and it just fell flat.

o      I would have appreciated a greater distinction between each set of twins. I didn’t catch on to the accent differences and the Dromeo tucked and untucked shirts for a while. At first I thought that both Antipholuses were being played by the same actor!

o      Overall, I felt that an already light show had been dumbed down in order to attract a greater audience other than the usual Shakespeare enthusiasts (as proved by the choice of an apparently famous comedian). I appreciate the effort, but for Shakespeare scholars, it could have been way better.

Big Ben/Parliament! When I first saw it, I couldn't help but sing "It's A Small World" in my head! It was absolutely beautiful though, I hadn't expected it to be so stunning. It was covered in gold!

A local church and one of London's famous double decker buses!

This is the only picture that I remembered to take of the Tube! Most were underground... But I wanted to make sure I got a picture of the "Way Out" signs that they have instead of "Exit"!

The Tower of London! I was so excited to see this as a fan of King Henry VIII's history (who could forget his six ill-fated wives?!) This was where his second wife Anne Boleyn was beheaded. I really wanted to take a tour, but we didn't have the time. However, there's a saying in England: "If you're tired of London, you're tired of life." I guess I have something to do next time I visit!

Looking intellectual in front of the Tower.

Our group with a Beefeater in front of the Tower. He was grumpy, the poor guy!

The famous Tower Bridge... It was so exciting to see! When I looked at it, I had visions of "Mary Poppins," "Peter Pan," and of course "Harry Potter"!

Day 2

March 11

At 2:30am I mysteriously woke up and brushed my teeth and got dressed. I thought someone told me to get ready. Jet lag? Weird.

 Today was my second acting class with Rodney Cottier at LAMDA. Although I had already taken the class, I very much enjoyed it! I loving seeing and hearing the dynamic and versatility of Shakespeare in action (Lear & Cordelia, Richard & Anne). The idea of British versus American pronunciation intrigued me... I was impressed that the American pronunciations turned out to be correct! (As in the case of "Syracuse"). I've heard before that the modern British accents weren't the same centuries ago... I wonder if this proved that theory? Interesting. I also appreciated the fact that we had seen the Globe the day before so that we had some context for the topics that he addressed, particularly when he talked about the disruption of the pillars and the uses for the various entrances. I was very interested in considering studying at LAMDA even though I’d already decided to go to Spain; I was that impressed. Cottier very clearly knew what he was talking about, and it was a pleasure to take part in his lecture (even though I got the dreaded Oxford edition of Shakespeare's collected works!). 

The Dean's Scholars all together with Rodney Cottier! We all had a great time. He was so outgoing and involved each one of us in an engaging and exciting way! 

A map of Shakespeare's London- Interesting to keep in mind when exploring modern London!

Hyde Park!! I couldn't stop thinking of the Johnny Depp film 'Finding Neverland' while I walked through!

There were daffodils everywhere... People even wore them as pins! Later I found out that the pins were a show of national support for cancer. I wish the US could come together to demonstrate support for causes like that!

Inevitably, we had to have Indian food. Quick fact- Chicken tikka masala is the most popular dish in London! It's fascinating to see how the old empire still affects English life today.

This is a little alley in Marylebone, a London neighborhood that quickly became a favorite among myself and my friends!

Day 1

March 10

I was absolutely overwhelmed! Everyone said I’d be disappointed by the Globe Theatre’s lack in size, but I was thrilled. It was so beautiful. What I had forgotten about was the visibility between actor and audience. I would be very interested to see a soliloquy delivered as a conversation with the audience rather than an internal monologue. The theatre was simply magical. I think my favorite part was the Heavens painted on the ceiling… It must be so inspiring to have that to look at as an actor.

While on the walking tour, I realized that I had never put two and two together in regards to the Great Fire of 1666 and the Blitz during WWII. I knew about them, but for some reason I never thought that that equated to a lack of old architecture. I was fascinated by the diversity of architecture; there were so many buildings from different times clumped together. I was particularly blown away by the square with the underground Roman arena, the castle from the era of Henry IV (of particular interest to me since I had recently performed in Shakespeare’s play about him), and the church with the ongoing discordant bells. The bells really transported me, I could imagine the square filling with people in period dress coming out of church, like many a Shakespeare opening scene. I was very impressed that London seems to be ever-changing, always in evolution with history. Each century left it’s mark on the city. It wasn’t what I expected, but I loved it nonetheless! (I also loved the medieval ruins!) 

The sun rises on my first day in England!

Landing in Heathrow Airport... So exciting!!

Our beautiful, cozy hotel... Home for the week!

The ever-dynamic Professor Alan Wade, our guide in London.

My first glimpse of the River Thames!

Arriving at the Globe Theatre.

The ill-fated special effects box... It lead to the downfall of the original Globe!

The inside of the Globe Theatre... It's beauty blew me away! (Unfortunately, 'Shakespeare in Love' was NOT filmed here)

The Heavens- My favorite part of the stage.

Me, in front of the stage! The theatre had such an amazing presence.

So long, Globe!

The man himself.

And his Queen! This gown was incredibly intricate- very impressive!

'A Winter's Tale': "Exit pursued by a bear." Best stage direction ever written.

St. Paul's Cathedral... Remarkably, it survived the Blitz! (It did not make it through the Great Fire... The original architecture was Gothic!)

This sign declares that this spot is the highest altitude in London... According to our guide Michael Winter, this is a lie.

This is the square with the Roman Arena underground... And in the center is the church from King Henry IV's time! It really had an impact on me and made me think back to my performance in the play.

The 19th century church whose bells never stopped ringing!

A close up of the Henry IV church- beautiful! (Note the 1960's era building in front!)

Another 19th century building!

Love Lane- Apparently not inspired by Shakespeare-sonnet-love... Rather it indicated the old Red Light District. Oops.

Shakespeare!

Medieval ruins- In the middle of the city!

My absolute favorite meal that I always eat on my birthday: Bangers and Mash! I was thrilled to find that it was widely available. Naturally it was my first dinner. :)