Stratford
For those of you who didn't already know this, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is my absolute favorite Shakespeare play ever, and is pretty high up there in the list of favorite ever plays in general (it's currently throwing down with "Noises Off"). So the fact that I got to see a production of it put on by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon is quite possibly the happiest thing that has ever happened to me. And the fact that it was the most amazing production of it I've ever seen (no offense to your brother, Maggie) should come as no surprise.
But first, let us begin at the beginning. So we went to S-u-A this weekend, we being the Shakepeare class and a few others, in order to learn a bit about Shakespeare's home town, and to see two of the shows we've been studying in class ("Dream" and "Twelfth Night"). So we left friday morning, and after a rather uninteresting 2 hour bus ride we arrived, and proceeded to eat lunch and take a tour. Actually, the tour was mostly us sitting in a graveyard learning about Shakespeare's life in Stratford, and then finding out that we couldn't go see his grave until later. So then we did the walking tour of the different Shakespeare houses, these being his daughter's house, his granddaughter's house, and his own birthplace. Now I'm all for knowing a little more about Shakespeare and where he came from, but these seemed to be stretching the bounds of association for me. But it was paid for by the program, so we did the walk. It was, if nothing else, very pretty, as each house had a really nice garden in back, especially the second one which had bowers, vine covered walkways, and various statues representing some of his plays, with quotes on the back. And some poorly shaped hedges which I maintain were a squirrel and a rooster (not a beaver and a rabbit). But I digress.
After this walk, and a quick visit back to see his grave, we discovered that everything else in town was closed. Not in London anymore. So no intense Christmas shop, and no Fudgetastic store. But we got some food, and then went to see "Dream". And I died of happiness.
Carson summed it up best. You know the book/miniseries called "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman? This production was "Dream" set in the world of Neverwhere. Dark, decaying, scary, but amusing and entertaining at the same time. It was, in other repsects, your standard production of the play. Theseus and Hippolyta were the respectable aristocrats, Oberon and Titania were the sensual faerie rulers, the lovers were clueless and the mechanicals were hilarious. The one new innovation was how they played Puck, not as his normal mischievious, playful self, but as a rather depressed, lackluster spirit dressed in rags. And it totally worked! I also spent the whole play designing in my head, cause I'm a nerd, and I have some of the most amazing ideas that I really need to write down soon. Key words: fog, mirrors, shadows, flames.
But enough ranting about MND. After the show I got some autographs from a few of the actors, including Puck, on the show poster that I'd bought earlier, and then headed for a pub, the "Dirty Duck", where the players are supposed to hang out after the show. Turns out the the Duck closes at 11, though, so we had to find somewhere else to go. Ended up at a pub/club called "The Rose and Crown", which was entertaining for many hours, until back to B&B and sleep, for not long enough. Because the next day we got up early to go visit Oxford University.
Oxford, while probably a great university to go to, is not that amazing to visit. Maybe I just didn't enjoy the tour. Either way, all I really got out of it was a £4 Oford t-shirt (but no, not with the standard quote). Still, it's nice to say I've been there, and maybe if we'd had time to check out the Botanic Gardens...
So back to Stratford for Indian food and "Twelfth Night". Now I'm not sure if it was having just seen the amazing performance of "Dream", or because Carson told me that it wasn't supposed to be that good, or because I was tired, but I was not amazed. Significantly less than amazed, in fact. I wouldn't say it was bad, and in fact it was better than mediocre. But for what I was expecting from a group like RSC, it was kinda a let down. But it had it's moments, so I will let it pass. Topped off the night with "10 Things I Hate About You" back at the B&B, a very appropriate movie for a Shakespeare trip I feel, and then more sleep, more bus, and now home. Now time to do homework!
But first, the other really exciting news! I know for all of you in the US this happened a week ago, but on Thursday night I saw "Serenity"! That being the Firefly movie, directed by Joss Whedon, in case you haven't heard. I know I've seen it before, but it is SOOO good! I must see it again. And even though I know what happens, I still wanted to cry by the end. Anyway, point is that if you haven't seen it yet, go see it now! If they gross $80 million then they'll go for a trilogy, and we all definitely want that.
Ok, time to actually do some work.
But first, let us begin at the beginning. So we went to S-u-A this weekend, we being the Shakepeare class and a few others, in order to learn a bit about Shakespeare's home town, and to see two of the shows we've been studying in class ("Dream" and "Twelfth Night"). So we left friday morning, and after a rather uninteresting 2 hour bus ride we arrived, and proceeded to eat lunch and take a tour. Actually, the tour was mostly us sitting in a graveyard learning about Shakespeare's life in Stratford, and then finding out that we couldn't go see his grave until later. So then we did the walking tour of the different Shakespeare houses, these being his daughter's house, his granddaughter's house, and his own birthplace. Now I'm all for knowing a little more about Shakespeare and where he came from, but these seemed to be stretching the bounds of association for me. But it was paid for by the program, so we did the walk. It was, if nothing else, very pretty, as each house had a really nice garden in back, especially the second one which had bowers, vine covered walkways, and various statues representing some of his plays, with quotes on the back. And some poorly shaped hedges which I maintain were a squirrel and a rooster (not a beaver and a rabbit). But I digress.
After this walk, and a quick visit back to see his grave, we discovered that everything else in town was closed. Not in London anymore. So no intense Christmas shop, and no Fudgetastic store. But we got some food, and then went to see "Dream". And I died of happiness.
Carson summed it up best. You know the book/miniseries called "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman? This production was "Dream" set in the world of Neverwhere. Dark, decaying, scary, but amusing and entertaining at the same time. It was, in other repsects, your standard production of the play. Theseus and Hippolyta were the respectable aristocrats, Oberon and Titania were the sensual faerie rulers, the lovers were clueless and the mechanicals were hilarious. The one new innovation was how they played Puck, not as his normal mischievious, playful self, but as a rather depressed, lackluster spirit dressed in rags. And it totally worked! I also spent the whole play designing in my head, cause I'm a nerd, and I have some of the most amazing ideas that I really need to write down soon. Key words: fog, mirrors, shadows, flames.
But enough ranting about MND. After the show I got some autographs from a few of the actors, including Puck, on the show poster that I'd bought earlier, and then headed for a pub, the "Dirty Duck", where the players are supposed to hang out after the show. Turns out the the Duck closes at 11, though, so we had to find somewhere else to go. Ended up at a pub/club called "The Rose and Crown", which was entertaining for many hours, until back to B&B and sleep, for not long enough. Because the next day we got up early to go visit Oxford University.
Oxford, while probably a great university to go to, is not that amazing to visit. Maybe I just didn't enjoy the tour. Either way, all I really got out of it was a £4 Oford t-shirt (but no, not with the standard quote). Still, it's nice to say I've been there, and maybe if we'd had time to check out the Botanic Gardens...
So back to Stratford for Indian food and "Twelfth Night". Now I'm not sure if it was having just seen the amazing performance of "Dream", or because Carson told me that it wasn't supposed to be that good, or because I was tired, but I was not amazed. Significantly less than amazed, in fact. I wouldn't say it was bad, and in fact it was better than mediocre. But for what I was expecting from a group like RSC, it was kinda a let down. But it had it's moments, so I will let it pass. Topped off the night with "10 Things I Hate About You" back at the B&B, a very appropriate movie for a Shakespeare trip I feel, and then more sleep, more bus, and now home. Now time to do homework!
But first, the other really exciting news! I know for all of you in the US this happened a week ago, but on Thursday night I saw "Serenity"! That being the Firefly movie, directed by Joss Whedon, in case you haven't heard. I know I've seen it before, but it is SOOO good! I must see it again. And even though I know what happens, I still wanted to cry by the end. Anyway, point is that if you haven't seen it yet, go see it now! If they gross $80 million then they'll go for a trilogy, and we all definitely want that.
Ok, time to actually do some work.