LONDON 2011: Week One

So welcome to the 2011 London Blog. Today is Saturday, September 10th and we have been here a week. Today I spent doing things on my own after getting everyone settled in this week. This afternoon I went to Tara Theatre where we will be performing Greater Tuna in October. They were doing the medieval mystery plays (with an Asian influence). This was a children's theatre piece that Tara will be touring around England. It was a very creative piece. What was interseting for me was that we saw the Mystery plays at the Globe on Monday evening. Both were very different!

I then went to Borough Market near London Bridge. This is and upscale outdoor market that has alot of exotic food. Fine quality fruit and vegetables, exotic meats such as kangaroo, ostrich, wild boar, venison, etc. There are plenty of food vendors and, of course, I ate! I had a duck sandwich and fresh squeezed orange and pineapple juice! The perfect lunch.

I then went to the Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre which is just down the street from the market. I saw Stephen Sondheim's production of Road Show which starred David Bedella, whom some of the students from the past who saw Jerry Springer , the Opera will remember him as The Warm Up Guy and Lucifer. The show was just okay and the music reminded me of his show, Assassins. The Menier Chocolate Factory is a small theatre that has transferred many show to London's West End and Broadway. Some of these more recent shows have been: A Little Night Music, La Cage aux Folles, and Sunday in the Park with George.

Then I went home and watched the London version of X Factor! My guilty pleasure!

Many of the students went to the Thames Festival which begins at the London Eye (the ferris wheel) and ends at Tower Bridge. It is going on this whole weekend with a parade of light and fireworks tomorrow night. Hopefully I will have pictures for the next blog. Others went to Sidcup to meet up with some of the British students that came to Saint Mary's the past two years. Others went to Harrod's and Portobello Market in Notting Hill....

Where I got the duck sandwich

Watermelon from Greece!!!

An exotic fish! An ugly fish!

Fresh bread!

The Lord of the Flies!!!

THE MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY: Theatre, Cafe, and Gallery

So how did the week begin? Andrew and Aaron arrived on Thursday and stayed with students from Rose Bruford. Everyone else arrived on Saturday. Aaron, Andrew, and I met all of them at Baron's Court, the tube stop closest to their flats. I then got everyone settled into their flats and took them to buy cell phones and get their Oyster cards (their three month tube pass). Then we ate at Witherspoons in Hammersmith and went back to the flats. We then went to Tesco (the large supermarket to get their supply of groceries. I left them their to find their way back home and settle in. While in Hammersmith, the first thing we saw when we got out of the tube was a bright red sign that said Millies's. They sold cookies and I had to buy one for everyone. It was a sign that Millie was with us!

At the Heathrow Airport

Coming out of Baron Court's tube stop.

Sam enjoying one of Millie's cookies!

On Sunday I took the students on a walking tour of London. We started at Westminster and walked out of the tube stop and liiked up and were underneath Big Ben. We saw Parliament and Westminster Abby. We walk across Westminster Bridge and went down on the bank and walk by the London Eye, Aquarium, down to The National Theatre. There were many street performers along the way. We then stopped for Lunch at Wagamamas, Yo! Sushi! and EAT. We then met up again and crossed the Thames River and went to Charring Cross Station to show them where they will get the train on Tuesdays for their classes at Rose Bruford. We then walked to Trafalgar Square and went to The Crypt at Saint Martin of the Fields Church. We had tea and shared a bread and butter pudding (as most know that is my favorite dessert in London). Saint Martin's is also well-known for their classical concerts held in the church. Brendan and Katie went to a Mozart concert on Thursday night. We then went to Leceister Square and Piccadilly Circus. I left, and they found their way home!

Group in front of Big Ben...it rained a little!

The London Eye!

The Millenium Bridge (that got blown up in Harry Potter)

Can't even eat without them sending a spy!

Kalinn eating at Wagamama's.

Sarah being held hostage!

Group with street performer on South Bank!

The National Theatre.

The Crypt at St. Martin's of the Fields Church

Bread and Butter Pudding with hot custard.

Classes began this week. I taught Theatre in London and Page to Stage on Monday where we prepped for the two productions at The Globe Theatre. On Tuesdays we go to Rose Bruford where the students take a Global Issues class and Acting. Wednesday is British Literature and Thursday morning is Art in London where this week they went to Kensington Palace. On Thursday afternoon the International Management class meets. Our classroom is right down the street from the student flats. See photos below!

Kensington Palace where Princess Di lived.

There was a self guided interactive tour that the students took.

On Monday evening we went to The Globe Theatre to see a performance of The Globe Mysteries which are a modern take of the medieval mystery plays or both the Old and New Testament. We arrived at the theatre at 6pm for a 7:30 start. WE wanted to be the first in line to get right up to the stage so we could lean on it during the performance seeing that we had to stand for three hours in the Pit as Groundlings! It was a very entertaining performance even though it sprinkled a little rain. You cannot use umbrellas in the Pit. We did the same thing for Much Ado About Nothing on Wednesday evening. Again we were at the front of the line. This was an excellent production starring Eve Best as Beatrice.


THE GLOBE!

This was also London Fashion Week!

Waiting at Door 4

Andrew and Tina sharing...



Set for Mystery Plays

In Front of Globe Stage.

On Friday we took our first day trip to Cambridge. We left the flats at 8:30 and arrived early at 10:30 for our 11:00 tour. Our tour guide was Kathrine who we had two years ago. She was fantastic. In addition to walking around Cambridge we got to go in Trinity College's Library which had Isaac Newton's journal and papers and the original manuscript of Winnie the Pooh. We had lunch at the Eagle Pub that has a fantastic history. During WWII the RAF and American Air Force soldiers would go to the pub and write their names and messages on the ceiling in cigarette smoke(see photo below). It was also where the discovery of DNA was celebrated. The open window on the second floor of the pub stays open all year long so that ghost children who were killed in a fire are free to come in and out. We also went into King's College Chapel that has a great history. Fantastic fanned vaulted ceilings, beautiful stained glass, and a wooden panel. Photo below shows Anne Boleyn being held up by her hair because she was an adultress. Good ole Henry VIII.

Kathrine, our tour guide!

Punting boats on the Cam River

Oldest Church in Cambridge

Grasshopper clock

The Eagle Pub

Cigarette smoke on ceiling

King's College

What does Henry have in his right hand? A sword?

No a chair leg! Prank by some Cambridge students that has been there for years!



Trinity College

King's College Chapel

Anne Boleyn

Fan vaulted ceiling

Sarah punting....sort of....





Greater Tuna October 18 -22 Tara Theatre Earlsfield

We also started rehearsals this week in the classroom. We go to Drill Hall to rehearse on Thursday. Rehearsals are going fairly well and we are having a lot of laughs! Come see the show!

Well That's All Folks! More next week!