Blue Light

Realizing it has been much too long since I have updated my travels here in London,  I will not attempt to summarize my life as it were in great detail. A few necessary highlights:

1) Our master classes with Jane Lapotaire were incredible. The woman seemed to really care about our work and gave so much of herself in our three sessions together. Though I was never really able to get my monologue to that point where it was really amazing, I know now what direction I need to take it in. She also attempted to schedule a master class for us with JOHN BARTON

which would have been incredible, but unfortunately he became rather ill the night before and it did not happen.

2) Anna really kicked MV and my butt's during rehearsal, really pushing us to deepen, deepen, deepen -- at times it was incredible frustrating and hard: thinking you were doing amazing work, when it turned out... you were still off the target by a longshot. It was really important that she worked with us this way; I think it certainly allowed us never to settle and to continue to push ourselves.

3) Went to Stratford-upon-Avon, which was a necessary respite from the busyness of London. The night we arrived, we got to see the Royal Shakespeare Company's OPENING PREVIEW showing of HAMLET (Starring David Tenant and Patrick Stewart) and that was absolutely amazing. Tenant was just mesmerizing to watch and blew our collective minds. It was everything you could have hoped for in a good Shakespearian production -- better than King Lear, which we saw at the Globe. Not good. The next day, M and I went to Warwick Castles, which was quite an adventure and very interesting, though very beautiful. And then we decided to go to the RSC Courtyard theater to try and get tickets for Hamlet again. These tickets, keep in mind, have been sold out since December of last year. So we got into the cue line and low and behold! We got SECOND ROW SEATS for the show.... amazing. Seeing Patrick Stewart that close... end me. Probably the highlight of my trip thus far.

4) The night before our final performances, about 8 of us went to go see The Dark Knight at the BFI, which is the largest IMAX screen in all of England. Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker was simply too good. The man was transformed. The movie on the whole was pretty on par with the first Batman, albeit a bit darker and probably a little bit better - lifted of course by Ledger's amazing performance, which frankly, I think, puts Jack Nicholson to shame. I know, I know, it's a different world, a different time, a different Batman. But damn. Shooting paint balls at art work to a boom box is one thing... but slamming pencils into people's eyes and cutting the sides of their mouths - completely different. Freaky.

5) Last night we had our final showings. Ironically, for all the emphasis I had put early on in jamming my lines in, I dropped a huge section - though that was the only let down for the scene, which I am told went very well by all accounts. We had a fairly large audience which was neat and we got to showcase the great work we had been doing for the past month. Biggest compliment of the night was from the Swords and Swordsmanship instructor, Phillip Stafford, am aging veteran of the Globe and the program who pulled me aside and said "I would love to see you do the entire part"... wow. Blew my mind that he said that. It gives me much to think about, and it's only one person's opinion, but there's that. Afterwards, the entire group hit the river side at like 1:00 AM, drank champagne, wine and cheese...we sang, shared stories, sang some more and before I knew it, I was watching the sun rise over the Thames. Insane. I got back to my room around 4:30 Am... called M and had a 3 minute conversation as my phone card was dieing, just enough to say hello and check in. 

The program officially ends today but most everyone leaves on Saturday. I, on the other hand, will be leaving on Tuesday, which is kind of anti climactic. I am really looking forward to getting home and taking care of everything that I need to back in the States. I move in for RA training on the 7th. Ugh. And so it begins once more. The circles are so predictable. Time passes so quickly and in the blink of an eye, you move from standing on one side of the Atlantic to the other, and your mind bending back home. It really makes me think about just how fast time travels, how quickly people enter your life and just sort of meander away, how shared experiences become memories in an instant. It's incredibly sad, I think. Maybe I'm a little... I don't know, nihlist? existentialist? the passage of time depresses me a little. Things don't sit still but move move move and we are just along for the ride. 

I don't know what I will be doing with the rest of this trip. I wish I could just blink my eye and be home soon, because I know the next few days will be a little lonely and very depressing with everyone gone. In the blink of an eye. Chances are, that'll probably be the case anyways.

much love

sathya

 

You're My Best Friend

Okay friends,

It has been far too long since I have been able to update this blog, partially due to apathy, partially because I do not get internet in my room and have to come to this little cafe across the ways to do any surfing/emailing, etc. It has been nearly a week since I last posted, and I would like to update you on my life.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" was incredible on the Globe stage. It was exciting, energetic and freaking hilarious. Nick Bottom was pure comic gold, and though I generally dislike the play itself, I found it very interesting and engaging. The groundling experience is of course, very unique. Actors interacting with us, making entrances and exits from the audience  - the present day groudling becomes part of a larger fraternity of the cheap, uneducated populous that Shakespeare was entertaining with characters like Bottom. 

The next few days were spent in nervous preparation of our monologues, which we would perform Wednesday night for the first time for Henry and Anna on the GLOBE STAGE at 11:30 pm to 2am (the very witching hour). We saw an original play, "Frontline" on the Globe Stage the day of, which was not very good... a little like a British RENT without the big song and dance numbers and a lot more overtalking...which made the whole experience all the more unbearable. We also had our first Master Class with Glen McDonald in Movement who was absolutely incredible. Tough, mean, and then like a mother. She was not afraid to say what we did was rubbish, but at the same time she could tell something very personal about someone in a very short period of time. For the last half hour of that class, we simple talked... about theatre and life and everything in between. 

Actually performing on the Globe Stage was interesting. You have to play to ALL sides literally. I sort of bombed on my first attempt. Though I felt good about it afterwards, Anna tore me (and everyone else) apart, and I soon realized I had much work to do.

The next night, we got to do them twice. I felt much better about them, but still do not know how they went. We have meetings with both of them today to talk and I think there is a good chance I will get torn apart again.

That same night, MV and I went to the symphony with Anna and Henry, and then later out to dinner. I have never been so comfortable with two professors in my life to the point that I wanted to ask about their childhoods and know them in a personal way. They were rather open and honest with us, which I felt was incredible. They asked about our upbringings, what we thought of the program thus far and what we were looking forward to. Both of them are incredible people and are the type of people I hope still exist in theater today because they care so much and are so passionate about what they do and how they do it. They see theatre as a spiritual experience rather than just entertainment and that is what makes their philosophy of teaching and instructing so valuable to me.

After we did our performances, we were given our scenes and scene partners. I will be playing Hamlet in Act 3, Scene 4 of Hamlet, "the closet scene", alongside MV as my mother. Holy crap. Reading it, I keep wondering, how the hell am I going to do this? This scene involves A LOT of physicality, emotional stamina, and then the ability to bring the language like crazy, all at the same time. I am really excited and afraid at the same time, which I think is a good thing. I am not underestimatig myself, but I have never been able to play a scene THIS brutal: I mean, few people have... and to be able to do it on the Globe stage? Forget about it. I have started memorizing, the tip of the iceberg as far as the work goes and I am hoping I will be up to the task of the scene.

ADG read my Tarot two nights ago at like 3 am. That was pretty spot on experience. One of the most interesting things I have ever done regarding myself. It really spoke to me in a very real way. We talked for hours about what the cards may mean, but who knows really? 

Yesteday, ATG, MP, MV and myself all went to Borough Market, Camden Market and then Hyde Park, all of which was a lot of fun. Nothing incredibly noteworthy, just sort of a day to refresh the energies for what will be a crazy week. We begin work with Jane Lapotaire on Monday. Uh oh!  She will probably destroy us, oh well.

Other wise, things are good. I left a lot of things undone at home, projects that still need work, but that's the nature of the game. I slipped Henry my play so I hope at some point he will read it, but for now, I am focused on Hamlet and making it my own.

Isolation!

dear world,

so it is my second day at Bankside Housing and the following is true:

1) I have a single room, sharing a bathroom with a Spanish guy named Ray.

2) The Globe Theater is a temple. We will be performing on it after a show at like 11:30pm till 2 am. The very witching hour.

3) Our instructors, Anna and Henry, make this place so much more incredible.

4) People are very cool here.

5) I love Shakespeare.

I miss home, mostly. People. But I am great. Feeling healthy and happy. Glad to be in a room that is all my own and an actual schedule to adhere to. A and I may go to Ireland in a week or so. 

Today was the first day of classes and also our first time entering the Globe Theater. I could tell you about that, but it was pretty much everything incredible I could have imagined. Wooden, real, raw, strong... "internal integrity" of craftmenship.

I think might be my first real day of a little bit of missing home, or at least WashU. Facebook, etc. is a terrible disease which sort of diverts my energies and distracts my attentions away from the important things.

Anyways, I am here at a cafe right near the dorm room, feeling low energy and sort of out of sorts. Half of my program is here emailing, blogging, talking to their significant others. Tonight we are seeing Midsummer Night's Dream... we are also going to be seeing the Revenger's Tragedy and Pygmalion later on in the program -- what an awesome treat. 

Well, I may blog later but for now, I am existing just fine and a little, ya know... low.

it's pouring and we are going to an outdoor show. nuts.

much love  

eleanor rigby

we won the war!

last night was much fun. J and I went to Embankment for dinner and then a drink on this awesome boat. I will be buying it soon, by the way. A and J and I went out to Piccadelly Circus and met up with A's work friends. We rolled to a Sports Bar, played pool and chatted, and then went to Leichester Square and found a spot to chill. There we met some of J's friends from the States and shared many laughs, good chats, and many sing a longs. They left, and we were shortly joined by 2 other girls, who at first glance appaeared to be European. Turned out, there were from California. We chatted with them, traded London stories and before long, our American crew gained strength with more of J's friends showing up. It was a very cool night, no problems, good conversations, a cool place and ambience. I lost my voice trying to talk to people over the music but it was awesome. We talked about theater and travelling Europe and life back in the States.

Anyways, around 2:30, J and I rolled out, leaving A back at the spot. We found a sketchy cab (the guy was eating heroin arrows, accoring to J) and then got back home for cheap. I was able to get a hold of M that night, which made the entire day just incredible. We went to bed listening to some amazing blues guitar and now, it's a new day. J's aunt just came in: we are going to go to Harrod's and explore some more.

And tomorrow I move it. damn.

More stories to follow.

Handsome Devil

apparently.

MORRISSEY IS GOD.

know it. that's all. missed the national and such. oh well.

Wonderwall

World,

Yesterday was pretty incredible. I took the Tube to Picaadelli Circus, where I transferred to Bakerloo to Charing Cross. I only tell you all the mundanities of my travel because it's pretty exciting stuff. From there, I went to Trafalgar Square and checked out the Nat'l Gallery and the Portrait Gallery. Absolutely incredible. If I could link up things in the next six minutes, I would. Needless to say, I spent a few very good hours at the musuem and then found myself chilling with what appeared to be the rest of London out on the square. The Royal Opera is touring and they had a huge stage set up out in Trafalgar square with a huge screen. This was probably my favorite place thus far in London. The views of Big Bend and the rest in the area is UNREAL.

Returned home, J and I got great pizza and then met up with A at a bar in Leichester Square. Seeing him was great and we had great conversation about the coming year and how he had been managing to live in London and live there for almost a year. can't wait for him to get back. (Wonderwall by Oasis came on over the loudspeakers and everyone sang along in the bar. Greatest moment, ever.)

This post will have to be quick, I've only got 3 minutes left here at the Internet Cafe (they are playing the Simpsons here, weird...)

Hope all is well and you are keeping well.

S

I get by with a little help from my friends

So with a trusty, albeit very flat, Dr. Pepper to my left, I sit at an internet cafe in a Subway, about to do my first bit of exploring. I believe today, it's the National Gallery and the Portrait Gallery. I am really looking forward to just getting out and doing it. Like Bam.

Anyways, after J went to work, I took a nice long shower, ran my errands and then passed out about.. 6? when he got back from work, looking sharp. We then headed out for dinner and until went to this really posche looking italien spot. I was underdressed, but we went anyways, the food was -eh-eh, (this was my first "this food is so ritzy, it's barely in your plate" meal) but the conversation was phenomenal. J talked about some of his crazy dad stories, his work and his excursions in London. I had very little to say, exhausted and awed by the whole affair thus far. We both shared mutual excitement in being in LONDON of all places together, sharing some white wine and pasta and thoughts about the year to come as Seniors.

After some 99 port (first time), we went to a bar - "The Queen's Head", where he treated me further with a drink and good conversation. Though I couldn't finish the beer, and I don't particularly care for beer, I still had a good time. We got back to the apartment afterward and crashed.

And I woke this morning, feeling miserable with a combo of drink, no water, and bad food. I thought I could get a head start this morning, but my stomach was doing flips, my hands were shaky and I was feeling all around pretty miserable. SO I came back to my flat and passed out for a good 2 hours, which was perfect. I feel better now, a bit tired, but stronger. I should be more careful: point taken.

more soon, I am sure. I'm off to the Tube.

much Love
s