The second one:
You're welcome.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The Return of the LOLs, and what I've been doing all day since I got back
The first one:
The second one:
You're welcome.
The second one:
You're welcome.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
I love that I get to live here
See? It's not just the city of sin. And yes, that is the Boston skyline in the distance.
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Monday, August 25, 2008
I. AM. HOME.
United Airlines rocks my world. They got me on an earlier plane from Washington D.C. and I was home by 6:30 last night.
I love America. I love YOU. All of you.
:-D
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Sunday, August 24, 2008
OMG they are showing Kung Fu Panda on this flight!
Scorrrre! Ugh I have so lucked out on the in-flight entertainment this trip. Step It Up 2 The Streets on the way here, Kung Fu Panda on the way back! The 8 and a half hours should just fly by. (That's how long Kung Fu Panda is, right?)
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Back in Britain, but on my way home!
My dad and I met the BITCHIEST lady today at the British Airways counter. I waited in line to ask if I could check my bags through to Boston even though I was changing airlines, but she wouldn't answer my question. She was just like, "Have you checked in at the express kiosk?" And I was like, "No, I wanted to know if I could check in all the way through." And she was like, "Well this is baggage drop off only." But she was the only one at the BA desk at 5:30 in the morning and my dad started asking her if she could check me in, speaking in Dutch, and she looked at him and said, "Are you traveling with her?" And he said no, and she said, "Then I will speak only to her." So I had to get out of line, check in with the little machine-y thing, wait in line again and ask her the same question. "I'm sorry," she said, "I can't check you in for another airline and I can't check your bags through. And since you are only going to London with us, you are only allowed one bag." Resisting the urge to throw my 22 kg bag at her head, I asked her if she couldn't just once bend the rules as I had to get home and paying 200 euros for an extra bag was not in my planned budget for the day. She gave a great big sigh and went, "Well, just this once. But don't make that mistake again."
Now any other time this may have been par for the course but I don't know if I mentioned this before: it was 5:30 in the morning on a Sunday. So I was this close to pulling a Ben Stiller from Meet the Parents. But I am an even-tempered, non-reactionary person. (Clearly...) So I let her obnoxious behavior slide this time.
Of course her not being able to check me through meant that I had to go through passport control and lug my two huge bags onto the Heathrow Express to transfer from terminal 5 to 1. Then they informed me at the United check in that I would have to pick up my bags again in DC to go through customs before dropping them off again for my flight to Boston. So I don't have a layover without having to struggle with the damn things. But that means I'm getting my exercise for the day, I suppose.
I have so much food in my bag. My gift to my mother is to bring her food and make her British and Dutch things. So my bag is stuffed with Branston pickle and digestive biscuits along with two 1 liter bottles of Pimm's. Hmmm. Maybe I should have thought this gift idea through a bit more. Food is HEAVY.
Am now about to board the flight to DC. So excited. America, here I come!
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Saturday, August 23, 2008
Final day in Europe.
By coincidence, my grandfather is here this weekend and therefore we are going out to dinner with him and his wife. Apparently we are going to be having Australian food. What exactly is Australian cuisine, pray tell? I wish I had Chad or JC or Nicole here to help me out with that...
So, this trip is over. It's a much different feeling than I had at the end of my trip last year, to say the least. Last year, when working at Bicester Village, I loved my job and my experience so much that I stayed an extra three weeks and did not want to leave. Now, not so much. If I was looking on the pessimistic side of things, I could argue that this means that I have had a less successful or fulfilling summer than last year. But I am being an optimist, or at least a realist, and I contend that I have actually learned as much, if not more, about myself this summer than the previous, even if it has been more trying and less enjoyable all the time.
I certainly will not miss packing everything up every couple weeks to move to a new location. Note to self: next time you are in Europe for an extended period of time, don't pack so much or stay in one place most of the time. I feel like I have every item of clothing, pair of shoes, book and accessory that I brought with me to Europe memorized and cataloged permanently in my mind.
Now, while there have been many life lessons I feel I have probably absorbed in these past two and half months, I won't bore you with those. I will, however, do a BWE-style top ten list.
Top Ten Things that Kept Olivia Sane this Summer:
1) Skype
I really don't know what I would have done without my Skype. Without my Rachel and Mama time, I would have been lost in a sea of webcam-less darkness. Plus, I discovered all the different things I can make myself do/look like. Like Superman Olivia or Beatnik Olivia. Very cool.
2) The Dixie Chicks
The Chicks have seen me through some hard times, to be sure. But I don't believe I've ever fully appreciated them until this summer. Sitting on a train from Bergamo to Venice, riding the Picadilly Line from King's Cross to Baron's Court, they are the appropriate music for all occasions. I think I must have listened to my Dixie Chicks play list at least fifty times during this trip. Is it a bit out of place to be listening to country music during a trek around Europe? Maybe. But is it therapeutically healing? Absolutely.
3) Classic Novels
Jane Eyre taught me a lot about life. Like don't become a governess. And always make sure you check out who is really setting those fires. Wives and Daughters also taught me an important lesson: always make sure a book is a finished product before you invest in it and read 650 pages only to find out it is an unfinished novel with no ending. I am the wiser for reading these books.
4) My BlackBerry
This one is pretty self-explanatory, I imagine. I would have been lost, alone, and my blog would have been half its current size without the brilliant contraption that is my BlackBerry. 'Nuff said.
5) My Watch
This one may sound dumb, but it really is important to know what time it is. And cell phone isn't always an option.
6) My American Apparel Bandeau Dresses
By far the best investment I've EVER made in an item of clothing. I have worn these things so many times and I get compliments on them every time I wear them. I have three colors, and I basically could have brought those, a pair of jeans, and a couple t-shirts to Europe and been set for the rest of the summer. (They used to be $34. It sucks that the price has gone up, but really it's still a complete bargain.)
7) My Short Haircut
Such a wise decision. I can jump out of the shower and go, and it's dry in 15 minutes. Plus when I don't wash it you really can't tell. Why did I spend three years growing it out? Sigh.
8) Marks and Spencer
It was one of the things I was most looking forward to in coming back to Britain, and it was even better than I remembered. There just something so wonderful about a grocery store that takes itself seriously but actually has good food without everything being whole wheat and organic. Don't get me wrong. Love the organic and whole wheat. Wanna marry it. But Marks and Spencer could beat Whole Foods or Trader Joe's with its hands tied behind its back. For serious.
9) My Independence
This one is getting a little serious, I know, but I realized this summer how lucky I am to have grown up self-sufficient. Staying with my little brother and sister this week has only made it clearer that I am unique in being able to take care of myself and handle shitty situations. And more than anything, I realized this summer that part of being self-sufficient is knowing when to ask for help. Lame, I know, but I felt like this should go on the list.
10) My Friends
The amount of support and love I got from my friends this summer never ceased to amaze me and it made me realize how lucky I am to be where I am and know the people I know. From Jack's being a knight in shining armor to Rachel always being there, even if I just needed to see her face, to Alison's patient listening to my family woes to everyone else who cared, encouraged, and endured with me this summer, if this summer has taught me nothing, it has taught me that I am truly blessed to be surrounded by these incredible people. So thank you guys all so much for being there for me. I owe you one.
Okay, I realize this got relatively poorly written and incoherent towards the end. I am now back from dinner and exhausted and I have a 2o hour trip ahead of me tomorrow, so rather than edit this shit I'm just going to call it a day. I love you all and thank you so much to those who have been reading this insignificant little blog and being a part of my journey. God bless.
Goedenacht,
Olivia
So, this trip is over. It's a much different feeling than I had at the end of my trip last year, to say the least. Last year, when working at Bicester Village, I loved my job and my experience so much that I stayed an extra three weeks and did not want to leave. Now, not so much. If I was looking on the pessimistic side of things, I could argue that this means that I have had a less successful or fulfilling summer than last year. But I am being an optimist, or at least a realist, and I contend that I have actually learned as much, if not more, about myself this summer than the previous, even if it has been more trying and less enjoyable all the time.
I certainly will not miss packing everything up every couple weeks to move to a new location. Note to self: next time you are in Europe for an extended period of time, don't pack so much or stay in one place most of the time. I feel like I have every item of clothing, pair of shoes, book and accessory that I brought with me to Europe memorized and cataloged permanently in my mind.
Now, while there have been many life lessons I feel I have probably absorbed in these past two and half months, I won't bore you with those. I will, however, do a BWE-style top ten list.
Top Ten Things that Kept Olivia Sane this Summer:
1) Skype
I really don't know what I would have done without my Skype. Without my Rachel and Mama time, I would have been lost in a sea of webcam-less darkness. Plus, I discovered all the different things I can make myself do/look like. Like Superman Olivia or Beatnik Olivia. Very cool.2) The Dixie Chicks
The Chicks have seen me through some hard times, to be sure. But I don't believe I've ever fully appreciated them until this summer. Sitting on a train from Bergamo to Venice, riding the Picadilly Line from King's Cross to Baron's Court, they are the appropriate music for all occasions. I think I must have listened to my Dixie Chicks play list at least fifty times during this trip. Is it a bit out of place to be listening to country music during a trek around Europe? Maybe. But is it therapeutically healing? Absolutely.
3) Classic Novels
Jane Eyre taught me a lot about life. Like don't become a governess. And always make sure you check out who is really setting those fires. Wives and Daughters also taught me an important lesson: always make sure a book is a finished product before you invest in it and read 650 pages only to find out it is an unfinished novel with no ending. I am the wiser for reading these books.
4) My BlackBerry
This one is pretty self-explanatory, I imagine. I would have been lost, alone, and my blog would have been half its current size without the brilliant contraption that is my BlackBerry. 'Nuff said.
5) My Watch
This one may sound dumb, but it really is important to know what time it is. And cell phone isn't always an option.
6) My American Apparel Bandeau Dresses
By far the best investment I've EVER made in an item of clothing. I have worn these things so many times and I get compliments on them every time I wear them. I have three colors, and I basically could have brought those, a pair of jeans, and a couple t-shirts to Europe and been set for the rest of the summer. (They used to be $34. It sucks that the price has gone up, but really it's still a complete bargain.)
7) My Short Haircut
Such a wise decision. I can jump out of the shower and go, and it's dry in 15 minutes. Plus when I don't wash it you really can't tell. Why did I spend three years growing it out? Sigh.
8) Marks and Spencer
It was one of the things I was most looking forward to in coming back to Britain, and it was even better than I remembered. There just something so wonderful about a grocery store that takes itself seriously but actually has good food without everything being whole wheat and organic. Don't get me wrong. Love the organic and whole wheat. Wanna marry it. But Marks and Spencer could beat Whole Foods or Trader Joe's with its hands tied behind its back. For serious.
9) My Independence
This one is getting a little serious, I know, but I realized this summer how lucky I am to have grown up self-sufficient. Staying with my little brother and sister this week has only made it clearer that I am unique in being able to take care of myself and handle shitty situations. And more than anything, I realized this summer that part of being self-sufficient is knowing when to ask for help. Lame, I know, but I felt like this should go on the list.
10) My Friends
The amount of support and love I got from my friends this summer never ceased to amaze me and it made me realize how lucky I am to be where I am and know the people I know. From Jack's being a knight in shining armor to Rachel always being there, even if I just needed to see her face, to Alison's patient listening to my family woes to everyone else who cared, encouraged, and endured with me this summer, if this summer has taught me nothing, it has taught me that I am truly blessed to be surrounded by these incredible people. So thank you guys all so much for being there for me. I owe you one.
Okay, I realize this got relatively poorly written and incoherent towards the end. I am now back from dinner and exhausted and I have a 2o hour trip ahead of me tomorrow, so rather than edit this shit I'm just going to call it a day. I love you all and thank you so much to those who have been reading this insignificant little blog and being a part of my journey. God bless.
Goedenacht,
Olivia
Friday, August 22, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Going to Amsterdam for the last time this summer!
Of course the minute I step out the door, it starts pouring. Thanks, Holland. I love you too.
New music obsession: "Boyz" by M.I.A. The same girl who sings "Paper Planes". Amanda introduced me to this song during LAMDA and now I cannot stop listening to it. It's addictive.
Three days till I'm back in the States! Who's excited?
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008
My 13-year-old brother is listening to "Everytime" by Britney Spears
...and singing along.
I'm not sure he knows I'm in the next room.
But I gotta tell ya, listening to a 13-year-old boy singing "Every time I try to fly, I fall...I guess I need you baby.." in a Dutch accent is pretty priceless.
Oh to be 13 again...
...would suck. Never mind.
I'm not sure he knows I'm in the next room.
But I gotta tell ya, listening to a 13-year-old boy singing "Every time I try to fly, I fall...I guess I need you baby.." in a Dutch accent is pretty priceless.
Oh to be 13 again...
...would suck. Never mind.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Things that make me happy:
1. This moment - the best moment of cinematic history. Ever. It happens at 3:05. (The whole scene is genius, though.)
2. Robert Downey, Jr. being bat-shit crazy. What the f*** is he talking about? Is that even ENGLISH?
3. This deep-sea diving duo:
If Tuffie and Cappuccino weren't both deathly afraid of water, this would be them.
4. This baby:
Give it a couple months, Evan Iverson Prescott is gonna give this baby a run for his money.
5. You. All of you.
;-)
2. Robert Downey, Jr. being bat-shit crazy. What the f*** is he talking about? Is that even ENGLISH?
3. This deep-sea diving duo:
If Tuffie and Cappuccino weren't both deathly afraid of water, this would be them.
4. This baby:
Give it a couple months, Evan Iverson Prescott is gonna give this baby a run for his money.
5. You. All of you.
;-)
Final post of the day, I swear
But this just needs to be expressed:
WHY ARE THERE FREAKING SPIDERS ALL OVER THIS FREAKING COUNTRY???
I had forgotten that as fall approaches in Holland, every species of spider in Western Europe congregates in Heemstede, the Netherlands. Specifically in my father's house. Going downstairs to put my laundry in the dryer, I was attacked by FOUR SPIDERS. FOUR. SEPARATE. SPIDERS.
I am sleeping on the floor. That means they are all going to come and get me while I am sleeping.
Those of you who have heard my Dutch spider story know that when I encounter a spider in my room, I have two choices: be eaten by the giant spider or possibly see my father naked. If you don't know this story, I'm sorry because that sounds really sketchy, but it is based on a true story. A tiny terrycloth bathrobe with daisies on it saved me from being scarred for life. This time I may not be so lucky.
Now I'm scared to go to bed. What if they come and eat me??
WHY ARE THERE FREAKING SPIDERS ALL OVER THIS FREAKING COUNTRY???
I had forgotten that as fall approaches in Holland, every species of spider in Western Europe congregates in Heemstede, the Netherlands. Specifically in my father's house. Going downstairs to put my laundry in the dryer, I was attacked by FOUR SPIDERS. FOUR. SEPARATE. SPIDERS.
I am sleeping on the floor. That means they are all going to come and get me while I am sleeping.
Those of you who have heard my Dutch spider story know that when I encounter a spider in my room, I have two choices: be eaten by the giant spider or possibly see my father naked. If you don't know this story, I'm sorry because that sounds really sketchy, but it is based on a true story. A tiny terrycloth bathrobe with daisies on it saved me from being scarred for life. This time I may not be so lucky.
Now I'm scared to go to bed. What if they come and eat me??
An update
What looks and smells gross, probably is gross.
Dad did have one other thing on offer for dinner, however: mussels. (Yuck.)
Kill me now. I am hungry.
Dad did have one other thing on offer for dinner, however: mussels. (Yuck.)
Kill me now. I am hungry.
Even Blogger is in Dutch in the Netherlands...
It's disconcerting.
So, yes, I made it back to Holland alive. And with all my shit, too. I cried at the baggage check-in counter and they let me check my two 25-kg bags. (The limit is one 20-kg bag.) Do I feel guilty for playing the crying girl card? No.
My father is currently making dinner. When I asked him what he was making, he said, "food." All I know is he chopped onions, endives, cooked what was left in three different packets of rice and weird-noodle looking things, put it all in a casserole dish and stuck it in the oven. The smell is interesting. I'm sure the taste will be too. Maybe I should start drinking before we eat....
In other news, I'm going to take this week and try to get my Dutch citizenship. Since my parents weren't married when they had me, though, I'm technically not my father's daughter. According to Dutch law. You know, the law in the same place where pot and mushrooms are legal? Where gay marriage has been legal for like, ever? Yeah, that same place says that since my parents didn't get married 21 years ago, I'm not Dutch.
Maybe the crying girl card will work on the Dutch Naturalization officers...
So, yes, I made it back to Holland alive. And with all my shit, too. I cried at the baggage check-in counter and they let me check my two 25-kg bags. (The limit is one 20-kg bag.) Do I feel guilty for playing the crying girl card? No.
My father is currently making dinner. When I asked him what he was making, he said, "food." All I know is he chopped onions, endives, cooked what was left in three different packets of rice and weird-noodle looking things, put it all in a casserole dish and stuck it in the oven. The smell is interesting. I'm sure the taste will be too. Maybe I should start drinking before we eat....
In other news, I'm going to take this week and try to get my Dutch citizenship. Since my parents weren't married when they had me, though, I'm technically not my father's daughter. According to Dutch law. You know, the law in the same place where pot and mushrooms are legal? Where gay marriage has been legal for like, ever? Yeah, that same place says that since my parents didn't get married 21 years ago, I'm not Dutch.
Maybe the crying girl card will work on the Dutch Naturalization officers...
Saturday, August 16, 2008
So close to coming home!
8 days until I'm back in the US! Going to Holland today! We're in the home stretch. I'm sure I'll be sad soon, but right now I'm too focused on getting all my shit out of this room and making it to Heathrow in one piece. I have too much stuff. This is a given fact. I thought I had gotten better at packing. I haven't. I've gotten worse. If my suitcase accidentally fell over while I was standing next to it, I would probably be crushed. We'll see what KLM thinks of that. Memo to me: next time take the train to Holland.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Final day at LAMDA: It's over!
As of ten minutes ago, my program at LAMDA is finished.
We concluded the program with a day-long workshop with Marc, our Physical Theatre teacher, who has been teaching us "the elements": acting out earth, water, fire, and air. (I had a lot of trouble with earth, as you may recall. Mary says this is because I am most definitely a firey air.)
Today we combined all the elements and made scenes where the elements interacted. Now I realize that I am supposed to be taking all of this very seriously, but when you're talking in depth about how earth and fire would probably interact in a combative fashion and that you need to discover all the states of water, it basically feels like you're in a giant episode of Captain Planet.
"By YOUR powers combined, I am Captain Lecoq!"
Except we were missing the South American kid who's heart. Which was sad.
Truth be told, I am so thankful for everything I've learned here and all the people I've met, but I'm really ready to go home. I feel like I'm missing so much back in the States and the fact that my senior year is looming is taking its toll on my enjoyment. Plus I'm essentially out of money and I need to get back to Holland, where I can mooch off my family.
I am feeling my absence even more keenly because I have now have a NEPHEW in Seattle! Evan Iverson Prescott was born on Wednesday, and I'm feeling so disconnected that I cannot be there to welcome him. So I think it's understandable that I'm a little distracted.
Lots more to tell about the past few days, but this being a British school which recognizes the importance of alcohol to any celebration, there are free drinks and snacks downstairs in which I must partake. Plus apparently we're getting some kind of diploma. How can you get a diploma for a month's worth of work? I wish they had a fast track program like that at Harvard...
Miss you all and see you VERY soon!
Olivia
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Last Play in London!
I'm so excited to see this play. It's supposed to be really good, and it's my first at the National Theatre!
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Monday, August 11, 2008
"To die saying, "Shit!" is just not gonna do it."
- Rodney Cottier, during his lecture on "Shakespeare's Kings" this evening, on why people should ask for mercy before they die lest they go to eternal damnation. Overall, a sunny evening of uplifting quotes.
Actually, it was a great lecture by a great lecturer that I hope will come to Harvard this fall! But overall is was a bright spot in a rather gloomy day.
It's getting cold in London. What the fuck? It's August, for chrissake. Stay warm, dammit.
I spent an hour running around Hammersmith mall today looking for a champagne glass. Either the cheapo plastic party kind or the real one. Personally, I think there is something seriously déclassé about a country in which champagne glasses are not readily available at the nearest commercial mecca. It's just not right.
Finally, when I did find one at T.K. Maxx (not T.J. Maxx, mind you; the Brits had to be obstinate and pick a different letter,) I got back to LAMDA huffing and puffing and my acting teacher was like, what's the matter with you? And I was like, I've been running around trying to find a champagne glass for my scene! I'm being very Uta! And she was like, well what did you do that for, I've got tons of them! My goodness I hope you didn't spend money.
No, Jenny, I traded T.K. Maxx a lamb and a bushel of corn for the glass. Sheesh.
I guess I am a bit grumpy today. I have to admit, I'm getting quite homesick. See, this is my homesick face:
Yes, that is a gratuitous webcam photo. I feel like there haven't been enough of them recently.
I miss home and I miss my mom. My brother is having a baby any second now. (Or at least his wife is. He's not the pregnant transman or anything.) I don't get to be there with them, nor do I get to be with my mom when she hears that she has a new grandchild. So that's getting me a bit in the dumps, I suppose.
Regardless, I am doing my damnedest to enjoy my last few days in England. And I mean my damnedest. I expect these next few days to be filled with lots of excitement and intrigue.
...or just rehearsing and sweater-wearing. Same diff.
I didn't mention in my last post the serendipitous meeting I had at Taming of the Shrew on Thursday night. I'm sitting in my seat, waiting for the show to begin, when I glance over and see two people having their picture taken one section over. Aw, how cute, I thought. A couple having their picture taken at a dark and sinister comedy.
Then I did a double take. Wait a minute, I said to myself, I know that tall blonde-headed figure. And I know that petite brunette lady. Which is when I shouted out across the theater, in a very Marianne Dashwood-fashion:
"JOOOOO-NAHHHHH!"
Lo and behold, Mr Jonah and Ms Julianne turned around and betrayed their shock anddismay joy to see me!
I love that the world is small enough that I can run into friends at a Thursday night performance three thousand miles from home. It really made me feel anything can happen.
I have proof of the occurrence:
Actually, it was a great lecture by a great lecturer that I hope will come to Harvard this fall! But overall is was a bright spot in a rather gloomy day.
It's getting cold in London. What the fuck? It's August, for chrissake. Stay warm, dammit.
I spent an hour running around Hammersmith mall today looking for a champagne glass. Either the cheapo plastic party kind or the real one. Personally, I think there is something seriously déclassé about a country in which champagne glasses are not readily available at the nearest commercial mecca. It's just not right.
Finally, when I did find one at T.K. Maxx (not T.J. Maxx, mind you; the Brits had to be obstinate and pick a different letter,) I got back to LAMDA huffing and puffing and my acting teacher was like, what's the matter with you? And I was like, I've been running around trying to find a champagne glass for my scene! I'm being very Uta! And she was like, well what did you do that for, I've got tons of them! My goodness I hope you didn't spend money.
No, Jenny, I traded T.K. Maxx a lamb and a bushel of corn for the glass. Sheesh.
I guess I am a bit grumpy today. I have to admit, I'm getting quite homesick. See, this is my homesick face:
Yes, that is a gratuitous webcam photo. I feel like there haven't been enough of them recently.
I miss home and I miss my mom. My brother is having a baby any second now. (Or at least his wife is. He's not the pregnant transman or anything.) I don't get to be there with them, nor do I get to be with my mom when she hears that she has a new grandchild. So that's getting me a bit in the dumps, I suppose.
Regardless, I am doing my damnedest to enjoy my last few days in England. And I mean my damnedest. I expect these next few days to be filled with lots of excitement and intrigue.
...or just rehearsing and sweater-wearing. Same diff.
I didn't mention in my last post the serendipitous meeting I had at Taming of the Shrew on Thursday night. I'm sitting in my seat, waiting for the show to begin, when I glance over and see two people having their picture taken one section over. Aw, how cute, I thought. A couple having their picture taken at a dark and sinister comedy.
Then I did a double take. Wait a minute, I said to myself, I know that tall blonde-headed figure. And I know that petite brunette lady. Which is when I shouted out across the theater, in a very Marianne Dashwood-fashion:
"JOOOOO-NAHHHHH!"
Lo and behold, Mr Jonah and Ms Julianne turned around and betrayed their shock and
I love that the world is small enough that I can run into friends at a Thursday night performance three thousand miles from home. It really made me feel anything can happen.
I have proof of the occurrence:
We are actually all singing "It's a Small World After All". No joke.
Okay, it's a joke, but it would have been appropriate.
Okay, it's a joke, but it would have been appropriate.
Tomorrow we perform our scenes in front of other members of our group for the first time. I'm really nervous. I've never actually performed any Shakespeare before, in my life. So we'll see how that goes.
I miss you all and am thinking about you in my bout of homesickness. Don't worry though, I'll stop thinking about you soon.
:)
I miss you all and am thinking about you in my bout of homesickness. Don't worry though, I'll stop thinking about you soon.
:)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
A rainbow lands in London, a Hoosier lands in Stratford
Me: Oh no! The rainbow is going away!
My mom: Well, rainbows don't last forever.
Me: Oh. Now I feel depressed and transitory.
My mom: Oh, dear...
There is a rainbow outside my window. Or at least there was. Now it is gone. But it was very pretty and part of a very cool, albeit weird, London skyscape this evening.
I know it's been a bit of a hiatus since I last wrote, and my previous post left a little to be desired. Thanks, though, to the friends who indulged my pity party and sent me get well messages. Then again, some of you just told me I should stop "holding hands" with French boys. (Thanks, Rachel's mom.)
I got back on Friday from my program's trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, and have been relatively unproductive since. The trip was so much fun, and I didn't even take as much advantage of the escape from London as my classmates did, feeling under the weather as I did.
We were able to see the RSC's production of Hamlet with David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. We were very lucky to get tickets, since the entire run sold out within a few days of tickets going on sale. (The posters for the production just say, "Returns only.") This may be a bit bewildering to my American readership (yeah, I'm calling you a readership - deal with it), but David Tennant is this huge star in Britain. He's Doctor Who in the television remake here, and was in the fourth Harry Potter film, etc. So he's a big heartthrob here and tickets for him playing Hamlet sold like hot cakes. All the British girls in the program were giddy to see him, except for Sylvia, who, in a memorable moment, looked at Nicole and said, "Really? You fancy him? He looks like a mad weasel!" This, of course, in the most proper RP accent.
I don't think she's quite doing him justice. He very much does look like he could play a mad scientist, but I'll give it to him that he does have a helluva lot of charisma. It was the best performance of Hamlet I've ever seen, on stage or on film. The cast was really strong, and the way the director used the space, I thought, was clever without being too over-the-top. The entire set was made of mirrors: the floor and giant movable wall/doors comprised the entire set. The beginning scene with the guards was done without any light except for flashlights held by the actors, but they pointed them at the ground so that the reflected light lit their faces, reflected off the walls, and lit the whole scene in an eerie, completely effective manner.
Patrick Stewart's a beast. That's all I have to say. He's just awesome and strangely attractive for a man in sixties. Am I sick? Possibly. Do I care? No.
The next night, we saw a production of The Taming of the Shrew which was a very daring interpretation of a play that most people my age seem to associate exclusively with 10 Things I Hate About You. This production took the approach that the entire story is about the systematic destruction of a woman through physical and psychological abuse, framed in a sinister comedy. But the ways in which this director incorporated farce with the stark realism of abuse and meshed Shakespearean language and costumes with an ever-encroaching modern view of domestic violence made for a powerful impact. A lot of people didn't like the production; two of the LAMDA directors left at intermission. But I really don't think they were giving this production a chance and weren't allowing themselves to see what the director was trying to communicate. Hamlet was brilliant for it's stellar cast and a faithfully and well-acted script, but it didn't try to send a new message or put a twist on the play (which was the right choice, since that play is so well known and people have such strong ideas about its interpretation). However, the director of Shrew made bold choices of interpretation and concept that clearly put a stamp on this as a unique production, which I think ought to be commended.
Ugh, I just got really serious and reviewer-y there. Sorry.
So more fun stuff about Stratford. It is one of the most touristy places I've ever been. The only thing this town does is Shakespeare. This makes for some pretty awesome tourist traps. Walking around, I realized that some of these stores and restaurants' signs were too priceless to forget, so I took pictures for posterity. Here are some of my favorites:
I know it's been a bit of a hiatus since I last wrote, and my previous post left a little to be desired. Thanks, though, to the friends who indulged my pity party and sent me get well messages. Then again, some of you just told me I should stop "holding hands" with French boys. (Thanks, Rachel's mom.)
I got back on Friday from my program's trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, and have been relatively unproductive since. The trip was so much fun, and I didn't even take as much advantage of the escape from London as my classmates did, feeling under the weather as I did.
We were able to see the RSC's production of Hamlet with David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. We were very lucky to get tickets, since the entire run sold out within a few days of tickets going on sale. (The posters for the production just say, "Returns only.") This may be a bit bewildering to my American readership (yeah, I'm calling you a readership - deal with it), but David Tennant is this huge star in Britain. He's Doctor Who in the television remake here, and was in the fourth Harry Potter film, etc. So he's a big heartthrob here and tickets for him playing Hamlet sold like hot cakes. All the British girls in the program were giddy to see him, except for Sylvia, who, in a memorable moment, looked at Nicole and said, "Really? You fancy him? He looks like a mad weasel!" This, of course, in the most proper RP accent.
I don't think she's quite doing him justice. He very much does look like he could play a mad scientist, but I'll give it to him that he does have a helluva lot of charisma. It was the best performance of Hamlet I've ever seen, on stage or on film. The cast was really strong, and the way the director used the space, I thought, was clever without being too over-the-top. The entire set was made of mirrors: the floor and giant movable wall/doors comprised the entire set. The beginning scene with the guards was done without any light except for flashlights held by the actors, but they pointed them at the ground so that the reflected light lit their faces, reflected off the walls, and lit the whole scene in an eerie, completely effective manner.
Patrick Stewart's a beast. That's all I have to say. He's just awesome and strangely attractive for a man in sixties. Am I sick? Possibly. Do I care? No.
The next night, we saw a production of The Taming of the Shrew which was a very daring interpretation of a play that most people my age seem to associate exclusively with 10 Things I Hate About You. This production took the approach that the entire story is about the systematic destruction of a woman through physical and psychological abuse, framed in a sinister comedy. But the ways in which this director incorporated farce with the stark realism of abuse and meshed Shakespearean language and costumes with an ever-encroaching modern view of domestic violence made for a powerful impact. A lot of people didn't like the production; two of the LAMDA directors left at intermission. But I really don't think they were giving this production a chance and weren't allowing themselves to see what the director was trying to communicate. Hamlet was brilliant for it's stellar cast and a faithfully and well-acted script, but it didn't try to send a new message or put a twist on the play (which was the right choice, since that play is so well known and people have such strong ideas about its interpretation). However, the director of Shrew made bold choices of interpretation and concept that clearly put a stamp on this as a unique production, which I think ought to be commended.
Ugh, I just got really serious and reviewer-y there. Sorry.
So more fun stuff about Stratford. It is one of the most touristy places I've ever been. The only thing this town does is Shakespeare. This makes for some pretty awesome tourist traps. Walking around, I realized that some of these stores and restaurants' signs were too priceless to forget, so I took pictures for posterity. Here are some of my favorites:
We also went to the Dirty Duck pub each night after the shows, which is the "official" pub of the RSC. The actors have their own private side of the pub that has its own access to its own side of the bar, etc. I want an HRDC-exclusive side of Borders, with free margaritas. I've decided.
Ugh so much more to write but if I make this post any longer you won't read all of it. So I'll leave it for another day.
;-)
Olivia
Monday, August 4, 2008
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