Wicked by Dani Zimmer

July 19, 2011

Today we had the pleasure of being exposed to more of the theatre scene here in England by seeing a performance of “Wicked”. As a huge supporter of the theatre myself, I was absolutely thrilled for this experience!  We all got dressed up to see the performance :). This was my second time of having the opportunity to see this play and I enjoyed it just as much my second time seeing it as i did the first time. Our seats were great! We were on the floor in the aisle before the break between the seats extremely close to the stage with the second half of orchestra seats behind us with no one in front of us. (Yay leg space!) The actress who played Elphaba had a stunning voice and made different choices than the actress I had seen in Toronto which I enjoyed. The costumes and sets were fabulous.  This is a brilliant play which is meant to be seen on stage in a big production.

Wicked by Erin Finkelstein

July 19, 2011

Today we went to see Wicked live at the Apollo Victoria theatre in London.  This play was positively reputed by friends that have seen it before, so I was very excited to see what I thought. Contrastingly, I was apprehensive about the story line considering I had already seen "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Wiz". So, I was unsure how much more of a plot could be twisted out of this yellow bricked story line; my qualms were quickly set to peace.

This play would not be done justice anywhere else but on a big league stage. The play did not only have incredible singing, dancing, and acting, but also interestingly incorporated media. They used shadow play, atmospheric smoke and lighting, and sound effects of the highest caliber. I was very impressed with the writing of the play as well; the musical numbers were not only beautifully written but they also evoked emotion as well as forwarded the plot. My favourite number had to be "Because I knew You". This, along with many other numbers, brought me to the brink of tears (ok....maybe a little past the brink).

Out of all the musical theatre I've seen, this performance will have a lasting impression in my mind. The actors made innovative character choices, the choreography and animal work (seen in the flying monkeys) was formidable and the chorus was not just background noise, but additional talent that beefed up the overall performance; and if you think this is all talk invented for a blog, you should check out the two t-shirts and poster I purchased after the performance.

An Afternoon in London by Erin Christie

July 19, 2011

After splitting up for lunch, a small group of us went for a tour of Westminster Abby. The Abby was gorgeous! It was filled with amazing architecture and beautiful stained glass. We saw the burial sites of many famous English men including Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens and Neville Chamberlain.

Once we regrouped, we walked down to the River Thames where we took a boat tour down the river. Unfortunately, as soon as we got on the rain started and the captain had to close the roof. From the boat we could see the London Eye, Millenium Bridge and the Tower Bridge. When we docked at the Tower of London, we all got off and continued on the Big bus tour which took us all the way to Buckingham Palace! Sadly, her Majesty was not available for tea and all we could get was a photo of her stunning Palace. 

Buckingham has been the official residence for Britain’s sovereign since 1837. It has a total of 775 rooms, including 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 19 state rooms and 78 bathrooms. Several photos later, we said farewell to the Queen and headed home to get all dressed up for “Wicked” later that evening.

A Day in London by Shonagh Clark

July 19, 2011

After the Plough quiz today, we went down to London to tour the city. It was an amazing day! It began with a hop-on, hop-off Bus Tour, which took us to see Trafalgar square. The square is dedicated to a famous battle which took place in the early nineteenth century.  In the middle of the plaza, there is a large pillar, surrounded by four lions. The lions point towards the four major compass points, illustrating Britain’s world conquests. The man at the top of the pillar is Nelson, a major military figure at the time. At the edge of the plaza, one can see a replica of Nelson’s boat (the Victory) in a large glass bottle.

On our way to the Westminster Abbey, we spotted a herd of wild paparazzi, and decided to give chase. They swarmed around a black car, which had stopped at a light.  They viciously shoved their cameras into the tinted windows in an attempt to get their perfect shot. (Later in the day, we noticed the pictures of their victims on the front page of a newspaper. The story contained rumours about Murdock and his alleged girlfriend). After the car left, the mob reverted back into everyday smokers.

After the swarms dissipated, we continued our trek towards the Abbey. While a few of us went inside, the majority of us took the time to eat lunch and explore the area.

The Globe Theater by Caitlin Levinsky

July 17, 2011

Let me just start off by saying the trip to the Globe theatre was the highlight of my trip. Having learnt Shakespeare since the ninth grade, being able to go and see the theatre that he built for his plays, where so many brilliant works were performed was incredible. It is beautiful and old fashioned looking; it stands out because it looks like it is right out of the 17th century. If the history alone wasn’t enough to make the trip stand out, the performance most definitely did. We saw Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus. It was one of the most well done productions I have ever been part of the audience for. The staging was incredible, especially when it came to the seven deadly sins. From an acting point of the view the performance from Dr. Faustus and Mephistopheles blew me away. Never once did they break character despite the thunder and hail storm. The trip to the Globe Theatre could not have been more perfect!

Doctor Faustus at the Globe Theatre by

Megan Macgregor and Victoria Poulton

July 17, 2011

  

Today was the second full day in London, England and we were able to sleep in for an extra hour, yay!  After, we all enjoyed a wonderful hot breakfast of eggs, hash browns, bacon and other yummy food (which included new foods too!).  At 11:00 a.m. we all gathered in the lobby to head down to the Globe Theatre to attend the performance of Doctor Faustus.

The Globe Theatre

In the early part of 1599 the Globe Theatre was up and running and it was known for presenting Shakespeare’s greatest plays.  Sadly, in 1613, the theatre burnt down but it was quickly rebuilt.  Years later it was closed down and demolished to make room for tenements in 1644. The current Globe theatre was made to replicate the original but nobody knows for sure what it looked like so it was designed from printed panoramas, written accounts or descriptions in the plays.

Doctor Faustus

Doctor Faustus is a play about a German academic who trades his soul with the Devil in exchange for unlimited power and a servant spirit, Mephistopheles, for 24 years.

Our group was lucky enough to be able to stand right at the stage which was raised so everyone could see no matter how far back.  It did rain, however, and like good little Elizabethans, we got soaked, but it made the whole experience more entertaining.  The play had many humorous parts and the actors even made jokes about the rain during the performance, for they did not hesitate to brave the elements on stage.

After the play we crossed the Millennium Bridge and returned to the residence to change and have dinner.  In the evening, we had the option of touring around London or enjoying a quiet night in.  London is a beautiful city with many activities that interest all; there are plenty of shops, museums, parks, and look-out spots.

So far the trip has been amazing and I’m sad to say it is over half way done.  Greetings to everyone at home and to worried parents … don’t worry, we are having a great time.

The Globe Theater by Caitlin Cook

July 17, 2011

Today we went to the Globe Theatre in London! Being hugely into theatre myself, this was definitely the highlight of London for me. To be immersed in the atmosphere where Shakespeare’s plays were originally performed was unbelievably incredible and something I will never forget. We got the unique opportunity to see Dr. Faustus a play written by Christopher Marlowe. He was interestingly enough one of Shakespeare’s competitors! This play had some of the best acting I have ever seen, which a big thing is coming from a theatre buff! The costumes were absolutely beautiful, and delicately planned out. Being at the Globe gave us a completely different theatre experience than anywhere else in the world. We were standing for the duration of the performance and definitely experience some vast changes in the weather! It was amazing that my hands and chin were on the foot of the stage, right in the middle of the action! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience on this trip! I enjoyed visiting the Globe Theatre more than anything!