LONDON, BABY!
St. Stephen’s Tower or “Big Ben”
Even with attending class in the mornings and theatre performances at night, there is plenty of time for sight seeing. I love being a big, phat tourist, and I had no trouble finding other people on the trip who love it too.
Photo by Sean Thorwall ‘10
(From top to bottom: Christina Matthew ’10, Amber Primm ’04, Kaitlyn Ebbott ’11, and Kiwa Takatsu ’11)
FOLLOW THE LEADER…WHO’S LEGALLY BLIND?!
Embankment Bridge, London
Meet Professor Norman Jones, a Gordon Theatre Arts faculty with retinitis pigmentosa. He may have severe tunnel vision, but he knows his way around London better than anyone. Twenty some odd students, faculty, and staff following a blind man with a cane—we were quite a sight! (Bonus points for the pun? Anyone?)
THE BRITISH MUSEUM
Great Russell Street, London
Theatre wasn’t all we saw. In addition to its gorgeous architecture, this FREE museum houses tons of world history, national treasures, and even The Rosetta Stone!
THE LONDON EYE
Thames River
The best views of London are from this giant, Ferris wheel contraption. If you want to see literally all of London, this is way to do it. Great fun for the whole family… unless you’re afraid of heights.
SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE
Bankside, London
After a tour of the Globe, we had the pleasure of being “groundlings” for Henry IV, Part I. Standing at the ground level, those of us who were eager beavers (and in line early) got to be right at the edge of the stage! Forget your tragic, high school experiences with Shakespeare’s text. At the Globe, they do it right and you’ll understand everything that’s going on. I’ve never laughed so hard or been so engrossed in a play!
7 A.M. QUEUEING (BRITISH TALK FOR WAITING IN LINE)
The National Theatre, London
What’s so great about The National Theatre?
- The government subsidizes the NT; England views theatre as a necessary part of human culture and dialogue.
- Because the NT does not rely solely on box office profits, you do not have to be rich to see great productions in London.
- The first few front rows are called “ripple seats” and are only £10 each! These are sold the morning of a performance to the hard-core theatre fans that queue early (limit of 2 per person). Their excitement ripples back to the rest of the audience making it a great experience for the actors too!
Photo by Christina Matthew ‘10
MORE ON THE NATIONAL THEATRE
South Bank, London
What’s so great about The National Theatre? (Continued)…
- There’s free musical entertainment before every performance, and even free events outside the theatre for adults and kids alike! You could be entertained all day at the NT and not spend a dime (excuse me, 10 pence).
- There are 3 different theatre spaces at the NT, which usually house 2 different shows each. So there are often at least 6 different productions to see!
- High caliber actors frequently attend performances at the NT. On our trip, Judi Dench and Sigourney Weaver were there!
So the question really is, what’s not great about the National Theatre?
THE NATIONAL GALLERY
Trafalgar Square, London
Yet another FREE museum! The parallels between narrative painting and theatre are endless. Professor Jean Sbarra Jones, a Gordon Art adjunct, sheds a little light on this Caravaggio painting for us.
THE FRINGE FESTIVAL
On the Royal Mile, Edinburgh
This annual festival is where art lovers of all kinds gather. It’s entertainment on the edge of society—the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, and lots of the mediocre. Hundreds of venues, thousands of performers doing everything from stand up comedy to interactive theatre to improv musicals and back again.
Your mission: to find those five star shows. The hunt is on!
KING ARTHUR’S SEAT
Holyrood, Edinburgh
One of the most beautiful spots in Edinburgh, hands down. An easy 30-minute hike up, and you can see the whole city. A wee windy, but there’s no doubt that King Arthur had great taste.
INTERACTIVE / SITE-SPECIFIC THEATRE
Traquair House, Innerleithen
An hour bus ride through the beautiful Scottish countryside.
+ The oldest house in Scotland (with a maze, a creek, and a chapel!).
+ A mysterious wedding invitation.
+ Characters that interact with you, their wedding guests.
+ A different experience depending on which actor you follow.
= THRESHOLD
a super fun theatre experience that raises more questions than answers.
THE MILITARY TATTOO
Edinburgh Castle
This has nothing to do with ink.
This unique program features performers from all over the world, with a castle straight out of Harry Potter for the backdrop. Bag pipes and Highland dancers and child motorcyclists, oh my!
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