My awareness at how terrible I am at updating my blog has just reached a new level seeing as my sister, who arrived in New Zealand a mere 12 hours ago, has already updated her blog...twice.
So, in my typical fashion, I begin this blog with an apology for being so lakadaisical in keeping you updated on what I am doing. However, I justify this by telling you my laziness is a result of having so much to do!
Tomorrow is the start of WEEK 8 for me in London. I cannot believe I am almost half way through my program! In two weeks classes will be over and I will audition for BADA's final performances. After that I have a week off for Fall Break! Me, my room mates Maya and Isabelle, as well as our friends Jeff, Kyle, and Alex have planned to travel to Budapest, Vienna, and Prague in the 10 days we have off from class. I promise to take lots of pictures and update you on that when I get back (but with my track record...don't hold your breath)
Classes have been keeping me very busy. As I told you, I have about a 12 hour day of classes, none of which are no-brainers.
- In Shakespeare: I've put up two scenes and a monologue. I played Helena from A Midsummer Night's Dream, and I'm working on Lady Percy from Henry IV Part 1, all while working on individual monologues for Ophelia from Hamlet and Blanche from King John.
- In High Comedy: My class chose to devote the entire 8 weeks to one of the most well known restoration comedies; The Way of the World- by William Congreve. My teacher, Norman, has so much knowledge about the time period that I swear he lived it. I was given the role of Lady Wishfort- an old, tired, cranky woman who will do anything for a man... she is very demanding and a big stretch for me. I hope I do her justice.
- In Modern Physical: In this class we focus a lot on levels of tension
mixed with improv and we just recently started Mask Work! I can definitely say this is my favorite class. I have found that I actually have quite a knack for comedy and improv and my teacher Mick, who was in the Broadway production of Ionesco's The Chairs (no big deal...), is the most incredible and encouraging man. Every class feels like I'm back in kindergarden and it's play time... the title of my blog this week actually comes from a game we play at the end of every class... I'll probably try and make it a drinking game when I come back it's that amazing. Everyone has learned to just let go of their inhibitions in this class and let them self risk looking ridiculous.-In Stage Combat: We've covered everything from kicks, punches, slaps, and just recently falls. This week we will review everything before choreographing a fight to perform for our class at the end of our 8 weeks.
-I'm also taking Voice, Movement, Theatre History, and Dramatic Crit...but I'm not sure how easy it would be to explain these...so you'll just have to ask me when I come back if you really want to know.
I've done a littl
e bit of traveling on the weekends while in London (since there is clearly not much time to do so during the week). I went to Bath and Brighton one weekend and then BADA took us on a coach bus to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see the Birthplace of Shakespeare.We had a whole day in Stratford to explore. Me and a group of my friends managed to attend High-Tea at Benson's tea house where we stuffed ourselves on Tea, Cucumber + Tomato and Ham sandwiches, and scones with home made jam and clotted cream... jealous? hungry? both?
We then did the typical tourist rounds of Shakespeare's birth home as well as his grave, got rained on, went to a pub, and saw The Winter's Tale at the Royal Shakespeare Company (see picture below). It was the perfect day.
The next time I travel after break will be to Amsterdam!! I double promise to bring back stories for you from here :-)
To sum things up...everything is great. I'm loving it here but I do miss America, IU, and everyone those two places encompass. I know it's going to be hard leaving here in 8 weeks time...but there is no other place I'd rather come back to. I'll update again soon (ish).
