I apologize for posting this so late (I flew back to Utah this past Thursday); I was busy with finals as well as trying to take advantage of the limited time I had left in a city that I may not ever be able to return to. Oy! Why am I being such a pessimist?! I WILL return (someday) but it most likely won't be for a long time. Now that I'm home I have plenty of time to write down my thoughts on the experiences I had in the last week and half of my London study abroad.
I had the good fortune of being in London during the 100 year anniversary of World War I. The Imperial War Museum was holding a special WWI exhibit in commemoration of this event. I'm really glad I studied up on WWI prior to my study abroad because it really enhanced my appreciation for the plays and films we've seen that have related to WWI and particularly this exhibit. It's difficult to put in words the feelings I had while going through this exhibit and seeing the photographs, artifacts, and materials relating to the Great War. On one hand I felt great respect for the brave men and women who courageously enlisted, but on the other I felt a profound sadness that men were capable of creating and using machinery for the sole purpose of destroying human life. You learn about these wars your whole life but coming face-to-face (in a way) with things that have been preserved in museums impacts you in a really personal way. I'm reminded of the movie "Hero" I saw a couple weeks ago when a character who is fed up with needless murder says something to the effect of: "Does it always have to come to war? Is there another way?" I've been thinking about that a lot lately. I'm not saying these wars were needless -- although I think a case could be made against WWI. WWII on the other hand was pretty darn important and it needed to be fought. Even still, it's unbelievable how many lives were lost in both of these wars.
We had the privilege of attending a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, which was great! We attended a BBC Proms symphony of Mozart and a contemporary composer, Ravel. It's a beautiful hall and the acoustics are remarkable. I really enjoyed the concert. Also, umm....I wasn't sure what the dress code was. I knew it was a really fancy, respected hall so I decided to dress my best. Everyone started LAUGHING at me (in a nice way) and kept asking me to pose like James Bond in front of the building. How could I resist?
I didn't.
Katie and Jason, I was constantly on the lookout for "Hot Sticky Chalky Pudding" but couldn't find it anywhere. The closest I could find was this heavenly creature:
It was a chocolate sponge pudding with custard. I died! It was so good!
Also on the topic of foody things, I came across this tomato basil soup at this French cafe in Covent Garden and it was quite possibly the best soup I've had in my life. I really like the tomato basil soup at Zupas but this soup knocked it out of the park!
The last film I saw at the British Film Institute was Orson Wells's film noir, "The Lady from Shanghai." It really makes me sad that I won't have the BFI so close to me anymore. I love that theater so much! And this was quite the film to end things off on the right note. Orson Wells is a genius. Seriously, he's just so good.
This film has inspired me to go on a film noir marathon. I really like this genre. And uh...Rita Hayworth is in "Lady from Shanghai" which you won't hear me complain about. Need I say more?
I went a little play crazy during my last week in London. I was in the theatre capital of the world and so I wanted to take advantage. If you get day of tickets with your student discount, you can get really cheap tickets. Most of the plays I got into were about 10 pounds. So cheap! I saw some remarkable plays. Altogether I saw these plays in London:
1. King Lear (National Theatre)
2. A Small Family Business (National Theatre)
3. The Silver Tassie (National Theatre)
4. Titus Andronicus (Globe)
5. Julius Caesar (Globe)
6. Medea (National Theatre)
7. The 39 Steps (The Criterion Theatre) -- I love this play so much. It's slapstick, physical comedy really resonates with my sense of humor. This production was done pretty well, however I still think that Chris Clark's production at the Orem Hale was better. Hooray for local talent!
8. Matilda (Cambridge Theatre) -- Guys, this musical. I can't even describe how amazing it is. If I could repeat one theater experience it would be this one. The children were so good. The set design, clever choreography, and the music was just incredible. Here, just watch this:
9. 1984 (Playhouse Theatre) -- I got to sit on the front row and holy crap this play is intense! It's one of the first stories about a dystopian future with "Big Brother" government. It was particularly relevant with all the NSA invasion of privacy stuff happening. Powerful production with strong performances.
10. War Horse (New London Theatre) -- It's been interesting talking with people about this production. I feel like people vary widely on their opinion of this show. I was surprised to hear many in my London group that didn't care for it. I thought it was brilliant. The best term I can describe this play is that it was the most cinematic of any play I've seen. Which is weird because it's a play, but just as film utilizes several elements in combination to tell stories, this play did the same, more so than any play that comes to mind. They utilized music, SFX, projection, intricate lighting cues, etc. It's hard to describe unless you've seen the play. The puppetry is astounding! There's a beautiful moment in the play where the English and the Germans momentarily stop fighting so that they can set a horse free that is caught in barbed wire. It reminded me of a moment in history (and to be honest I can't remember if this happened in WWI or WWII) where on Christmas Day, everyone stopped fighting and met in No Man's Land and enjoyed each other's company. The peace only lasted one day and they resumed fighting each other the next day. So strange. It's amazing to me though that something like Christmas or an animal can transcend differences and can inspire peace. If only that peace was long lasting. War Horse was a beautiful representation of how the innocence of nature and creation can inspire the best in people; or creation can be destroyed when unrighteous dominion persists.
11. Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre): First time seeing this actually. Figured it was about time I saw it. I'm surprised at how much I liked it. Sure there are flaws in the script: obvious contrivances and some weak development in some character arcs. But you know what? It was a lot of fun! There is no denying the great music and the unbelievable set design. Most of the actors gave strong performances, especially Elphaba who was actually an understudy. After hearing the original Broadway recording, I thought this actress was superior to Idina Menzel -- vocally and acting. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience.
12. The Crucible (Old Vic Theatre) -- Richard Armitage starred in this production. He was really good, even if he often resorted to his "angry Thorin Oakenshield-y" emotions at times. Really clever blocking, super visually interesting. I couldn't take my eyes of the stage. Loved this play.
Daniel, Ethan and I decided we would be adventurous and sleep on our 6 story roof one night. We managed to drag our mattresses out the window -- barely. The roof is plenty big and I've never really had a problem with sleepwalking, not since I was a kid. Notwithstanding, I still had this fear that, that night would be the night my sleepwalking would make a dramatic return and I would somehow fall of the roof and die! It was a really fun night even if I didn't sleep well.
I kind of felt like Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window (but less creepy) looking around the different windows and flats.
On one of my last evenings, I was hanging out with Amanda, Malori, and Alexis and they persuaded me to take the Pottermore Sorting Hat quiz to determine which Hogwarts House I belonged in. I was intrigued! I really wanted to know! I was deeply serious about each question. Or Sirius?
Clever eh?
But no, I probably spent a good hour working through these questions. The girls thought I would probably be in either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. None of us, especially me, EXPECTED THIS!
I was shocked! I've come to terms with it though. Not all Slytherins are baddies. Gryffindor's are just a bunch of weenies anyway, right?
I saw this and thought of you Ryan.
On the last day of class, me and a few others who decided to join in on the mustache fiasco got our pictures taken. Surprisingly, I received several high compliments on my stache. After awhile I began to feel like John Watson. I had fun with it but the time has come for me to say goodbye to my fuzzy little friend. Earlier this morning I shaved it off and I look ten years younger. Seriously.
My last grand adventure before leaving home was traveling with a small group to the white cliffs of Dover. The scenery was breathtaking. And really quite scary when you get close to the edge of the cliffs. As you'll see it's quite the sheer drop off. It was a perfect way to end my study abroad. My favorite times in London (and surrounding areas) have been the beautiful scenery (gardens, parks, Lake District, etc.) Dover did not disappoint. You'll even see a castle off in the distance in a few of these pics that was used to shoot The Avengers 2. So look out for that!
I think I'll just post a bunch of these Dover pics and videos and call it good. Thanks for taking the time to read and follow along on my unbelievable journey in London. I still can't believe I was lucky enough to experience this. I owe everything to my amazing parents, Larry and Buffie. Without them I wouldn't have been able to go to London and end my education in the most perfect way possible. I love them.
Cheers!
