An Entire Week Past Already?!?!

Oh, goodness. Time is really going by fast! I can't believe we are going into week four of classes, which means they are halfway over.

Since getting back from Paris I've pretty much been trying to recover. Class every morning, as usual. Instead of class Monday morning, we met at the Victoria & Albert Museum which is right down the road from us. They have a section on Theatre and Performance where they have on display costumes, set designs, original scores, publicity, everything! There is also a section on rock and pop in the 60s. So fun. Here are some of my favorites:

Soooooo, I'm a bit of a sap. :)


An installation piece called ARK. You get to climb up four stories of a wooden structure filled with thousands of books!


Cupid and Psyche again!



I wanted to play it so badly...


A wall of rock concert posters form the 60s and 70s.


Monday's other biggest event was that I went back to Camden with Natalie and Jill because they wanted to get tattoos! After searching all around Camden Market the girls finally settled on a place called Dark Angel. One of the two guys there knew where San Luis Obispo was, which is a first. He asked where we were from, and when I told him he said "They make guitars there! A music man..." It took me a minute but then I figured out he was referring to Ernie Ball. Jeff, I told him all about you driving the stage for Ernie Ball for the Warped Tour and you should have seen his jaw drop. Someone in London is very jealous. I didn't get to stay all the way through both the girls' tattoos (sad day, for some reason I love watching people get tattoos...) because I was babysitting for Josh. Of course, that was fun as always! Playing with Riley and Avery s the best. As for the tattoos, Natalie got "Roi" (her last name in French) in Old English style letters on the inside of her left wrist for her grandfather. Jill got "My roots grow deep" in really pretty lettering on her right foot.

On Tuesday after class we all went on a field trip to Banqueting House and the National Portrait Gallery. Banqueting house was built by the architect (and set designer!!!) Inigo Jones, and King Charles I was beheaded there on a scaffolding on the side of the building. The National Portrait Gallery was also amazing with all of the portraits, but it is more of a celebration of great people in British history than it is of art.

The main hall of Banqueting House.


Gorgeous ceilings!


After the museum, most of our classmates went home. Jill, Natalie and I, however, decided to do some exploring. We ate in an amazing little Italian restaurant near Leicester Square, where we shared pasta, bread, and delicious wine! We continued on to walk through Covent Garden, which, geez, actually related to what I've been learning in class. Inigo Jones, who I mentioned earlier, took a bit of his style of architecture from Italy. He wanted to bring the idea of a piazza to London, and Covent Garden was his first attempt. It's beautiful and always full of street performers! We continued on to Drury Lane, which is where the theatre we were headed to was located. The street signs actually said "Theatreland" on them. Theatreland, aka HEAVEN is what I think they meant. So we found our theatre, where we were seeing War Horse. AMAZINGGGGGG. It was one of the BEST shows I've ever seen. It's puppet theatre which I know sounds weird but believe me, it's incredible. The puppets were made in South Africa and take multiple people to bring them to life. There were life-sized horses that actors actually rode, and every move from gait to ears to breath was so life-like it did not take long to forget they were not real. They also recreated battles from World War I onstage. I wish I could tel you more, but I don't know how to say it. Please, please, PLEASE check out this trailer. This is a show you'll want to know - it's on its way to Broadway AND Steven Spielberg just bought the rights for a movie version. Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-bni4QqSv4

And equally as amazing, here is a news report on it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpyD3ABIHI4

If you have a bucket list, add seeing this show to the top.

Showing some love in Theatreland AKA Heaven.


Wednesday afternoon was boring... homework, laundry, enough said. That night we saw Enron, which is a pretty entertaining musical about the Enron scandal. The style is new, the lighting was great, the actors were talented... But it was definitely not my favorite show. Perhaps it was the subject matter, but I wasn't particularly fond of the script as a whole. However, if you are into business or economics (*cough*ANDY*cough*) you would probably like it. I actually learned a lot, which is interesting. The show has been described as a techno-fanstasia (okay...?), and included some pretty interesting dance numbers including light sabers or songs taking place on the floor at a stock exchange. The characters were actually Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling, among other real people, as well as the three bling mice (the executive board) and raptors (like the dinosaurs... haha, punny) that live in the depths of the company (Andrew Fastow feeds them the debt with his tie tied around his forehead). Definitely an interesting concept.

The Noel Coward Theatre.


We got lucky on Thursday! Our first two classes were canceled which meant sleeping in a little. Then class. We ate at Nando's (the South African place) and then went home to relax and get ready! Natalie's friend Eric (again, the German) is finshing up his last week working in London and is getting ready to head back to Frankfurt. He got VIP at a bar and restaurant called APT in the financial district. We of course got all cute, and then proceeded to feel really awkward walking through the streets at 5:15 p.m. as the only people for miles it felt not wearing suits. Oh well. Silly Americans. We hung out there for awhile but left early to head to our THIRD! show of the week. I had been looking forward to this one for weeks. We saw Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allen Poe. Alright, you all know how I love that creepy, enchanting, carnival-esque stuff? RIGHT. UP. MY. ALLEY. It was like Tim Burton had created Poe onstage especially for me. The show was an operetta (no dialogue, all sung) and the music was out of this world. It was haunting and original and I absolutely loved it. From his birth to death, we watched as everyone he loved was taken from him and we witnessed his downward spiral into a madness that made his whole world a dark circus. I cannot wait to get my hands on the soundtrack. The acting was unmatched, and the movement in the show was impeccable. The costumes were so incredible. I would die to be in this show. Thought you should know. Again, I can't explain it anymore, so please check out this YouTube clip of the cast we saw last night. I'm pretty sure this is a promo video, which means it was done early and is not nearly as good as the final production. Please pay attention to the music, the movement, the voices, and the costumes. A little peak into my mind...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4R8faUVIZw

If you want to see more of the costumes or hear more of the music, this is a really good slideshow of pictures with two more songs. Check it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2ExTEC5TFQ

A scene from Nevermore... LOVE IT.


After the show we went back to hang out with the Germans, who were moving to a club called Abacus in the same area as before. Again, it was mostly guys in suits. Not really my scene but it was fun to hang out with Eric and Andreas again, as well as meet some new friends including Severin, who told us just to call him Max. Again, silly Americans. They can't pronounce anything.

Jill, Andreas, Max, and some weird girl who jumped in the picture.


Well, it's finally Friday which means no class. The girls and I found ourselves starving and I had asked them if they would like to go to Borough Market. Let me tell you, Borough Market + Hungry Girls = Match Mad in Heaven. This huge market is like farmer's for fine dining. There are top notch veggies, fruits, nuts, spices, wine, beer, oils, vinegars, you name it they've got it. Sprinkle here and there you can find the most delicious meals, and I ended up with sausage and onions on ciabatta bread. Heaven on a bun. From there we found fresh squeezed juice, and I'm never going back. Best orange juice of my life.

Natalie and Jill are enjoying their sammies.


Tables from two of the stands in Borough Market.


From Borough Market we walked along the Thames through old tunnels and amazing architecture, as well as a replica of one of Sir Frances Drake's ships just chilling near some restaurants. We made our way back to the Globe for the second time just for the gift shop. Sorry folks, I don't have enough money to make it back home because I spent it all at the Globe. I guess I'll just have to live there... But don't worry! Mom, Amy, I got you some little presents while I was there. :)
A sample of the buildings in Southwark.


Sir Francis Drake's ship.


Natalie navigating through the streets to the Globe.


At the moment I'm enjoying the peace and quiet at Josh's house. He has some friends from SLO in town including the absolutely adorable Jared and Ellie, so Jill, Natalie, and I jumped at the chance to play some Duck Duck Goose, Tag and Hide and Seek. The kids are asleep, completely worn out, and I have a chance to catch up. I miss you all, and I'm counting down the days until I see you again... but not too quickly. :)

P.S. I hope you appreciate this post. It took me two days and three computers before anything would cooperate.