"Only remembered for what we have done."

Today, was the first chill day all week, I think everyone appreciated it. I did, until I had a terrible headache at the theater, but I didn't let it get to me.

This morning we talked with Paul Ready, just asking him questions about Time and the Conways, so that was interesting. and then we worked at staggered times with him on our scenes. The coolest part was that, not only could he figure out what was actually going on in the scene without even thinking about it (that part i had done before meeting with him!), he could actually figure out HOW the characters were saying different lines. And sometimes I think that's the hardest thing for people with shakespeare; most of us know how to read it, it's just the intonations we can't figure out. I'll read an entire soliloquy in my mind in a state of anger, only to realize later that the character was actually sad. so he just worked with us on how to make those emotions come across when we're saying such peculiar things. I'm excited, but we have a lot of work ahead.

Then I came upstairs, and got in bed to try to take a nap. I thought i wasn't going to be able to fall asleep. and then I did....for two and a half hours! It was great. Got up, figured out where the rest of the theaters are for the next five weeks so I can figure out where we have to be every night no matter where we are, started making a list of things Neal needs to see when he's here (canNOT wait!) and chilled.

Then Cam, Geoff, Kyle, Tyler, Alex and I headed out to grab dinner on the way to the theater. i got... an appetizer and bread and it cost me 12 pounds. i was not very happy. :(

War Horse

War Horse actually started as part of a festival that London does (annually i think). They turn a popular children's book into a stage play. Well, this one did SO well, that it was moved to a theater, New London, as part of the National Theater and now plays as a West End show. 

here's some pics to give you an idea of the brilliance of it:

(that's the baby!)

Although I have given lots of pictures for you to try to get the idea, I think everyone in our group would agree, nothing does justice to actually watching those puppeteers move those horses. or seeing an actor galloping on one. or see the way the horse can twitch it's ears, flick up it's tail, or bend it's head out and down, just like normal horses' gestures. it was incredible. 

The story itself was pretty heartbreaking, but standard for horse-childrens books. Boy gets horse on accident (drunk father), raises it, falls in love with it, it gets taken away (to be in the army in WWI, this is the sad part), boy joins the army underage in order to find it, almost loses it a few times, and then boy and horse are reunited in the end. 

It was amazing. special effects were great. An interesting projector screen across the top of the stage showed dates, times, places, or just sketches of the location we were at to keep you up to speed. 

My one and only complaint....and i wouldn't even call it a complaint because i truly truly loved the show. ...it was long. And since there was no AC, and we were in the balcony (heat rises), and i had a headache which is pretty typical after days that I take afternoon naps. it was pretty tough. but i tried to not let it bother me and just enjoyed the show. It was still really cool though. Great acting as well. And everyone really liked the added in a cappella (some instruments every now and then) singing of the ensemble to add to certain points (don't forget accordion man), really made it one big entire picture/story that was unfolding in front of us. very cool. 

and of course, the goose puppet was very comical. 

if I HAD to choose, which i really wouldn't want to, probably not my favorite so far (don't ask me what was, i have loved them ALL! [side note: still thought those horses were INCREDIBLE]), but I think this might have been IT for some kids in our group. I dunno, I guess I just generally like cliche plays with symbols of love and interesting relationships between people rather than horse and boy, but part of me doesn't even know what I'm saying because I got teary-eyed at the end. so ....i think i'm just going to end this paragraph haha.

It was! It was such  a sight, I was more sad that no one back home will get to see them, and i can hardly explain the way they worked and moved. but it was so cool. and the lighting was great and interesting. and I thought the boy actor was FABULOUS, though his voice did bother me a little at first, too. 

Favorite quote (in a song at the end):

"Shall we be at last united in glory, only remembered for what we have done."

I was talking to cameron tonight after the show about how the first play we see that has a slight defect (not even a real, full out one), we're all gonna be like "that show was awful!" because the shows this week have just been untouchable, indescribable, ...awesome. 

Tomorrow. I think the plan is class...15 min earlier. Shakespeare's globe for As You Like It (My first professional shakespeare performance i think...or that I can remember anyway!), and then we're all gonna come back and make dinner together. we'll see if that goes down. 14 people is just enough to make it hard to organize everything.

and train tickets to Paris are about 150 pounds. :( I'm thinking for break maybe just taking a bunch of day trips instead. I've never toured stonehenge, windsor castle, or oxford. Problem is, we were going to do those kind of trips on all the other weekends. but UGH. i dunno if paris is worth the trouble anymore :-/ for two/three days anyway...so we'll see. 

I can't believe I've been here for less than a week; I feel like it's been months. But I am having a blast though.

and my straightener isn't working with the converters. at all. it won't even come on for a second. So I pretty much have no way to do my hair...at all. rocking the wild becca hair look every day.

well...I AM tired.

miss you. night.

becca

p.s. hmmm nevermind! guess you CAN see a bit of what it looks like when it moves. Cam found a trailer for the show:

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