Week Two: Laundry, Blenheim, and Plays...

The Laundrette that was used in the film My Beautiful Laundrette starring Daniel Day Lewis...has now become my Laundrette seeing that my washing machine in my flat decided to klonk out!!!! No rinse cycle...So the closest one to my flat is this one that was used in the movie.
Maybe if I frequent it often, they will make a sequel with me in it! Wishful thinking! Well that is how my week started out. After laundry I went to rehearsal at Drill Hall. The show is blocked, and I am now in the process of starting to work the scenes. After my classes and rehearsal on Monday we went to see Les Miserables for our West End Production. It was an OK production. Not the best or worst I have seen. We will discuss it in class tomorrow along with the other plays we saw this week.


Les Miz at the Queen's Theatre

After classes on Wednesday we went to a matinee of The Pitmen Painters at the National Theatre. This play was fantastic! True story about miners who started painting as a result of an Art Appreciation class and became known as The Ashington Group. The play won the Olivier Award for best play last year and was brought back to the National for a second run...we loved it!

Waiting outside the National for the show to begin.

Andy relaxing after we all ate the Krispy Kreme donuts Matt bought for all of us.

On Friday our day trip was to Blenheim Palace where Winston Churchill was born. It was a beautiful sunny day to spend out there. Once we all took the tour of the palace, we spilt up and did different things. The Duke happened to be in residence that day but we did not see him and he did not invite us in for tea! I ended up with some of the guys so that is why there are a lot pictures of the boys on this blog. Lindsay is also doing a great blog you should all check out for more detailed pictures of the things the students have seen at some of these sites. Her blog is lindsayruth.blogspot.com She is also linked to Taryn's blog.

The group outside Blenheim Palace

Dave at the fountains!

Andy walking the garden and back courtyard.

Sam and Krista posing in front of one of the great hedges on the grounds.

Hanging out at the outdoor cafe waiting to go into the tour.

Walking across the courtyard not stepping on the gravel!!! It is against the rules.

Matt climbing back up the hill after he and Steve rolled down it. See video at the end of the blog.

Steve in the grass as usual...likes to do this for some reason!

Some of us went into the town of Woodstock and had lunch at a local pub. Outside the pub was this great car. Only two of them that still are operational in the world. One is in the States. Below Matt is wishing it was his!!! No chance! The guy who owns it has had it for 2o something years.

Steve and I walked to the maze and game area where there are lawn chess and checkers, mazes, swings, and golf. We missed the train that goes out to that area of the estate. Along the way we saw these great trees that Steve is posing in below.

We usually find Mind the Gap signs at the Tube but at Blenheim's gardener's house there is Mind your Head signs.

The boys at play!

Two of the chess and checker boards.

Andy jumping for joy? The hedge maze is behind them

Matt and Andy waiting for the train to take us back to the Palace.

The train ride back.

On Thursday after the Art in London class the cast, Ben, and I went to Tara Arts to see the studio space we will be performing in. We spoke to Jonathan about the fringe theatre and the play, The Black Album, that Tara is sponsoring with the National Theatre. On Saturday Lindsay, Ben, and I went to IKEA to find furniture for the set for Vanities. We came upon this weird staircase leading up to the parking lot. Ben thought it was cool and wanted his picture in this creepy area.

That night we went to see All's Well That Ends Well at the National Theatre. On the way there, there was a food festival going on behind Royal Fesitval Hall. Some really nice food and free samples which I, of course, tried.

Food Tents! Yeah!

This roast pig was absolutely delicious! The meat was very tender and melted in your mouth. If I wasn't going to dinner with Jonathan and Alise before the show I would have eaten here!!!

All's Well was the second play we saw in the Olivier Theatre. It was very interesting to see the space used differently. Hopefully, when we tour the National this will be the show that is playing so we can go on this incredible set!

Sir Laurence Olivier outside the National Theatre

It was a fun and jam packed week! Everyone was tired by the end of the week as you can see below...


And Visions of Sugar Plums Danced in Their Heads.....

Matt

Krista

Sam

Lindsay

Andy

Rachel

Scary Dave just waking up.

Lindsay again trying to NOT have her picture taken!

And finally Steve!

This week we are going on a tour of The Drury Lane Theatre, the oldest theatre in London, seeing War Horse, another National Theatre production at the New London Theatre and

The Black Album ,a Tara Arts production co-sponsored with the National Theatre. A play is based on Hanif Kureidhi's novel about the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism in Leeds, England in the 1980's....Should be an interesting week ahead.

See video below...

Merrily We Roll Along.....