All hail Shakespeare! Yes, folks – it is time for a blog about the Bard. What an incredible experience! I attended a production of Othello at the Globe Theatre in London and it was everything I had imagined! I have found my version of Disneyland! It it my own magical kingdom (and I don't have to wear the annoying mouse ears).
At 10 a.m. Sunday morning the group from Exeter left on the Oxford Tube Bus (a direct line between Oxford and London) and we arrived in London about half past 11. Since we did not have to stay with the group, Erin and Heather and I split off as early as possible. I really despise traveling through cities with large groups of people because most folks are NOT as conscious of others as they should be, they stand around blocking the sidewalks, and far too many of them are directionally-challenged. Thankfully, Erin and Heather were of the same opinion, so we found our way on London’s underground system and got to eat a bite of lunch before we entered the Globe. (this is us being silly with a map of the city. we navigated very well!)
The theatre is not the original building, of course, but it is an incredible replica, complete with the thatched roof (reportedly the only thatched roof allowed in London – fire hazard, you know). The inside of the structure is exactly as I pictured: wooden beams, bench seats, the “yard of the pit” for the “groundlings” to stand in, a huge stage, and the sky overhead. Musicians played on stage as people arrived and then the play began without any introduction or to-do at all. The actors just walked up the stairs through the crowd and began their speeches!
The actors of the Royal Shakespeare Company were superb. The man playing Othello was very imposing on stage and the woman playing Desdemona, though very petite, was quite a presence herself. Both Iago and Othello spit profusely as they enunciated their words, so you KNOW they’re good actors! =) The only bobble in the play was the sudden clouding-over of the sky and the intense rain storm that hit half-way through the third act. The poor people standing throughout the production (called “groundlings” in Shakespeare’s Day) got soaked and kept shrinking back towards the seated section in a futile attempt to avoid the rain. The falling of the rain was so loud that we could hardly hear the actors. They continued as if nothing was happening, but at one point, Othello came to the edge of the covered stage and looked up at the sky with an exasperated sigh and a bewildered shrug. The audience laughed and applauded his break in character. I was lucky enough to have a seat, so I did not get rained on, but since we were in the “cheap seats,” I had an obstructed view for much of the play. A large column prevented my seeing some of the characters when they were towards the front center stage. I could still hear them, though (particularly the spit-laden enunciations of two characters)!
Following the play, Heather and Erin and I walked a LONG way back towards the bus station. We decided to take our time and enjoy the view. The only problem was we were in the business district for much of our walk so there wasn’t that much to see! We saw Tower Bridge and eventually came across Big Ben, but that was about it! We had a lovely pub meal at The Red Lion and chatted with some two men from Maryland who had come to London to see Barbara Streisand (really? coming to London just to see an American performer? But I think they were big fans…I just hope they do more than simply see Babs here! I mean, come on – it’s England!)
My feet were killing me when we finally got back to our bus station (I did not wear the right shoes!) and we had a long journey back to Oxford, but it was worth all the pain because I got to see a production at the Globe!
Day: 15 July 2007- Sunday
Location: London
Highlights:
- A PRODUCTION OF SHAKESPEARE’S OTHELLO AT THE GLOBE THEATRE!
- Trying Beef & Ale Pie at the pub (have you figured out that I LOVE food? I think I mention eating in most of my blogs) =)
- Spending time in London with Heather and Erin
Thought of the Day: “’tis neither here nor there”: I love how much of our normal speech comes from Shakespeare’s plays. The longevity of his work (and wit) is impressive.
At 10 a.m. Sunday morning the group from Exeter left on the Oxford Tube Bus (a direct line between Oxford and London) and we arrived in London about half past 11. Since we did not have to stay with the group, Erin and Heather and I split off as early as possible. I really despise traveling through cities with large groups of people because most folks are NOT as conscious of others as they should be, they stand around blocking the sidewalks, and far too many of them are directionally-challenged. Thankfully, Erin and Heather were of the same opinion, so we found our way on London’s underground system and got to eat a bite of lunch before we entered the Globe. (this is us being silly with a map of the city. we navigated very well!)
The theatre is not the original building, of course, but it is an incredible replica, complete with the thatched roof (reportedly the only thatched roof allowed in London – fire hazard, you know). The inside of the structure is exactly as I pictured: wooden beams, bench seats, the “yard of the pit” for the “groundlings” to stand in, a huge stage, and the sky overhead. Musicians played on stage as people arrived and then the play began without any introduction or to-do at all. The actors just walked up the stairs through the crowd and began their speeches!
The actors of the Royal Shakespeare Company were superb. The man playing Othello was very imposing on stage and the woman playing Desdemona, though very petite, was quite a presence herself. Both Iago and Othello spit profusely as they enunciated their words, so you KNOW they’re good actors! =) The only bobble in the play was the sudden clouding-over of the sky and the intense rain storm that hit half-way through the third act. The poor people standing throughout the production (called “groundlings” in Shakespeare’s Day) got soaked and kept shrinking back towards the seated section in a futile attempt to avoid the rain. The falling of the rain was so loud that we could hardly hear the actors. They continued as if nothing was happening, but at one point, Othello came to the edge of the covered stage and looked up at the sky with an exasperated sigh and a bewildered shrug. The audience laughed and applauded his break in character. I was lucky enough to have a seat, so I did not get rained on, but since we were in the “cheap seats,” I had an obstructed view for much of the play. A large column prevented my seeing some of the characters when they were towards the front center stage. I could still hear them, though (particularly the spit-laden enunciations of two characters)!
Following the play, Heather and Erin and I walked a LONG way back towards the bus station. We decided to take our time and enjoy the view. The only problem was we were in the business district for much of our walk so there wasn’t that much to see! We saw Tower Bridge and eventually came across Big Ben, but that was about it! We had a lovely pub meal at The Red Lion and chatted with some two men from Maryland who had come to London to see Barbara Streisand (really? coming to London just to see an American performer? But I think they were big fans…I just hope they do more than simply see Babs here! I mean, come on – it’s England!)
My feet were killing me when we finally got back to our bus station (I did not wear the right shoes!) and we had a long journey back to Oxford, but it was worth all the pain because I got to see a production at the Globe!Day: 15 July 2007- Sunday
Location: London
Highlights:
- A PRODUCTION OF SHAKESPEARE’S OTHELLO AT THE GLOBE THEATRE!
- Trying Beef & Ale Pie at the pub (have you figured out that I LOVE food? I think I mention eating in most of my blogs) =)
- Spending time in London with Heather and Erin
Thought of the Day: “’tis neither here nor there”: I love how much of our normal speech comes from Shakespeare’s plays. The longevity of his work (and wit) is impressive.
