Sunday, March 24, 2013

Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway

Hello everyone,

So consider yourselves very lucky that I am writing this post considering that i have so much work I have to be doing right now.

Anyway, so Monday started out as usual with our four classes of the day. In voice, we did a long warm up and then chatted with Simon about our progress in the class. In Sue's class, we did a little bit of review because we had not had class for a few weeks and we came up with our final movement piece. I am paired with Becca and we had a grand time creating our ridiculous looking piece called "Dreamscape #9". Then in Stage Combat, we worked on our final fights and worked with Gordan a little bit on the fights. Then in Period Dance, we reviewed all the dances and solidified who would be doing what for the showing. Then the day was done and we celebrated because we did not have class the next day. It was also Summer's birthday so we took her out to dinner at this very good Italian restaurant on Gloucester Road. Then we came home and tried not to do any work, convinced that we would do it all the next day.

Tuesday began at a wonderfully reasonable time of 11:30 am with our bus taking us to Stratford-Upon-Avon.  I spent my entire bus ride up there doing work that Leo had just assigned us. We had to go through the entire play and write down everything that was said about our character, everything we say about ourselves and everyone else. The two hour bus ride went very fast when you are trying to complete a lot of work. We got to Stratford around 2 pm and were given a little break to get some sustenance. I have been to Stratford before when I was here my Senior year but it was nice to see again. I did not realize how many stores thrived on some Shakespeare pun of a name. For example, we got tea from a place called Quickly's after Mistress Quickly from the Henry Tetrolgy. We then had Simon Money lead us on a bit of a tour of the major sights in Stratford and ended in front of the Royal Shakespeare Company. We ran into someone that Simon went to drama school with who was going to be working at the RSC in the summer. Simon then proceeded to tell us all that we may one day be working there. We then had a little break before we were going to see Hamlet at the RSC, which I was beyond excited about. The new theatre that the RSC has built is incredible with three levels and a thrust stage. The Hamlet we saw was.....interesting and four hours long. I'm still not sure how I felt about the show. We then boarded our bus at about 11 pm and then took the journey home. Danny and I had to work on our scene so we did that for the first part of the journey. Once we finished that, I tried my best to stay awake so I could finish more work when I got home. I eventually had to give into my desire to listen to Simon and Garfunkel and arrived home slightly lulled. I finished all my work and went to bed by two am, considering that we got home at one am.

Wednesday morning was rough because we had to wake up by nine for Shakespeare with Leo. Danny and I were the first to be worked with and the scene came along incredibly well. It's nice to work on a scene that I actually have a passion for in that class. Then class was over and we had voice with Simon. We talked about Hamlet and then did this incredible alignment exercise that left me feeling wonderfully relaxed. We then had a break and then had SPT in which we were supposed to have read She Stoops to Conquer. The discussion at the end of class became a bit heated about female progress throughout the last three plays we read. Then class was over and we were done for the day and came home to work on all of our work.

Thursday began nice and early with Leo's Shakespeare class. We were visited by Ellen and Simon who were going to be helping us with voice work. I worked with Simon on the "What beast was't then" speech and was very happy with how it turned out. It was very nice to work with Simon on actual text and helped further my understanding of the character. Then class was done and we had SPT again, this time reading The Importance of Being Earnest. This class was much more lively because we had all read the play. We then learned that while it is a comedy, there is a very dark edge to the play about identity and Wilde's own problems with sexuality. Then the day was over and I returned home to work on Acting.

Friday began with Dramatic Criticism in which we were discussing Hamlet. We talked about the many ways this play can be done and I remembered the incredible one I saw at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. We all came to the consensus about this show that the director tried to do too much with the play because he wanted it to be different from every other Hamlet the RSC has done. Then I had a long break before my Acting class. In class, I worked on my autobiography and activities for the scene. In my session, Kathy and I finally figured out what part of the speech meant and I felt great about progressing throughout the rest of the scene. Then my classes were done and Laura and Sara and I went to the Chocolate Festival! It was over by the Royal Festival Hall and was a bunch of different booths featuring chocolate. I got this incredible wrap that had chickpeas mixed with spices, chilli and chocolate. It was very good. We then walked around the Royal Festival Hall and went into the poetry room and read bizarre children's poems about Goldilocks on CCTV. We then went to the National Theatre and looked at their beyond-incredible bookstore. We then returned home and did a little bit of work and more talking.

Saturday began depressing because it was snowing. It's the end of March, no more snow please! So Summer and Laura and I went to Harrods and Neal's Yard. Harrods was fun to see with other people because we could pass judgement on all of the expensive items and find our Oscar dresses in the evening wear section and our shoes to go along with it. Of course we ended in the toy section because it was incredible. Neal's Yard was beautiful and reminded me so much of San Francisco because it was full of hippie stores and such. We then came home for a little break and then went out to Shoreditch for the night. We wanted to go to this pub that had board games but when we arrived, we found no board games and decided to keep walking. We came across this awesome bar called Roadtrip that was a nice mix of pub and bar. We got cheap drinks and were sitting and chatting when someone offered to buy us a bottle of wine. We said yes and he went off to buy it. Then three guys walked up and asked if they could sit down on the coaches. We said yes and began to talk to them. They were all from Dublin but one was actually French named, wonderfully, Guillaume. The other two were Irish and named Shane and Oshean. They were all mechanical engineers and we spent the rest of the night with them. We never saw the man who bought us the wine ever again. We had a grand time with these three guys and then decided it was time for us to head home. We found a bus that would take us to Oxford Circus and while waiting, we met this British named Micheal who chatted with us all the way to Tottenham Court Road, where the bus driver made us get off. We had no idea where we were and made out way to Green Park to finally find the bus we needed. We finally made it home and went to bed after our fun night.

Today was the most unproductive day of my life. Kyra and I spent about an hour yelling and listening to the Pokemon Theme song in our room before sitting down to try and do our work. And now I am sitting and writing this blog.

It is now my bedtime and I shall say goodnight. 

Bye-Bye!

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