Theatre

London is renowned for its excellent theatre and its dignified portrayal of the arts. Theatre is available in almost all areas of London in various venues and forms. London has made theatre a part of its culture through its abundant availablility for people of nearly every demographic area. While studying here in London, I have been fortunate enough to experience the phenomenon of London theatre on a weekly basis. I am currently enrolled in a theatre class and we discuss the different aspects and history of theatre here in this great city. We also venture to different theatres every week to experience the many different types of theatre available. The numerous plays that I have seen during my stay in London, in addition to the knowledge afforded to me through my theatre professor, have made me extremely appreciative of London's culture and portrayal of the arts. Throughout this past semester we have seen many different plays, each unique in both form and venue.

My first glimpse of London theatre occured when we saw 39 Steps. I wasn't able to fully appreciate this light comedy due to my jetlag, but was impressed by the acting and, in particular, the ability of the actors to carry on numerous roles. I didn't exactly know what to expect from this play but was, overall, happy with the performance. My second experience was at National Theatre in my viewing of Hamlet. This famous play, which originated with Shakespeare, is something that I've studied three times previously throughout my education. I found the National Theatre a great setting for the play and the acting, for the most part, impressive, especially in the case of the actor playing Hamlet. This play lived up to my expectations as being extremely dramatic and not overly exciting. I will admit that I did fall asleep at certain parts of the play, but I am satisfied to have finally seen the play that I have learned so much about it school.

My next trip to the theatre brought me to War Horse. I was entranced by the "puppets", if you could even call them that, that stole the show and left the human acting to seem amateur in comparison. These horses are created out of wood and in most instances have at least three puppeteers operating them at one time. The horses have been crafted and perfected to exhibit the natural appearance and movements of a real horse. War Horse was a play unlike anything I have ever seen before. By the end of the performance I stopped noticing the puppeteers maneuvering the horses, which has left me amazed and able to certainly state that it was a job well done.

Then came Vernon God Little, a play that has left everyone in our program with a drastically different opinion and reaction. Vernon God Little is a play that demonstrates a Texas community's reaction to a school shooting and how the media tends to portray these horrific events. It's odd to say that I found a play that in some way revolved around a school shooting humerous, but I did. It was rediculous and exaggerated the situation to such an extent that I was in no way offended. My introduction to this play in theatre class prepared me in some way to this performance because I learned that school shootings do not exactly occur here in England because of their strict gun control laws and people in England see them as common occurances over in America. I found the English portrayal of our American culture and stereotypes very interesting and at times extremely funny. I was able to agree with the rediculous way that the media in our country exaggerates and misleads information and with how the issue of gun control is viewed in different areas of our country. This play was bittersweet to me because it is a very sad and traumatic topic, but they're humerous portrayal of the aftermath of the events were not poking fun at these tragedies, but at the people who attempt to benefit from the fame of the media. I know that many people from our study abroad group would strongly disagree, but this is one of my favorite plays we've seen yet.

I don't have much to say about A Flea in Her Ear other than the accents left the performace inaudible for me and that it carried on about an hour too long. After A Flea in Her Ear came The Boy on the Swing, an extremely different and experimental performance that raised the issue of religion and whether god truly exists. I was extremely skeptical about this performace when I arrived at the venue, which was in an extremely sketchy building in a dark-lit alley, but was pleasantly suprised by the great acting and dark humor. The last play I have seen here in London is Mogadishu. This play made me feeling puzzled and a bit depressed. So many different issues and storylines were woven throughout this play that it left me with a headache and desire to leave at intermission. Racism, assault, dead fathers and mothers by suicide, wrist slitting, expulsion, and teen suicide were all integrated into the play in that exact order. I don't know what message was meant to be left by that play, or how it came to be called Mogadishu, since that city was mentioned for about half a second in the play, but I do not think I would recommend it to anyone.

Today I have another play to look forward to in about an hour, Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, which is supposed to be a comedy, but I've lowered my standards for theatrical humor after A Flea in Her Ear. However, I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to see every one of these plays here in London. I am amazed by how drastically different each play has been from each other. Whether it's the venue, the stage, the cast, or even puppets, each play has had something unique to offer us. I am impressed by what London has to offer by means of theatre and look forward to our final performance of Frankenstein, a play I've looked forward to seeing all semester.

My London Routine

My days here in London have left me with a very unusual "schedule", if you could even call it that. My time revolves around my classes, local food deals, the weather, and the amount of money left in my bank account. Here in London there is no set schedule like my days in Madison. My life in Madison consists of a strict weekly schedule stuffed full of classes, library time, and weekends meant to blow off all the steam which has built up throughout the week. Here in London my time is much more fluid and diverse.

My semester of classes abroad are much less time consuming than my classes in Madison. I have a set schedule for every day of the week, Fridays excluded of course, but my classes and days vary with which new excursion or activity we partake in. Mondays I have theatre class from 2-5, but occasionly take visists to plays, pubs, or areas of interest as a substitue for class time. Tuesdays I have museums, where we either explore a new museum each week or take time to learn more and further appreciate art. Wednesdays are by far my most demanding of days. There is my interpretation of popular culture class in the morning, where we discuss things such as the history of rock and roll and the beatles; rough, I know. And then my afternoons consist of travel journal, where we share our fun and quirky stories and views on different aspects of London life. Thursdays there is History of London in the afternoons, which generally leads us to new and exciting areas that examine British history. These five classes fulfill the basic "routine" to my life here in London, even though they vary in new and exciting ways each week.

My eating habits here in London always vary and fluctuate, but do in fact fall under a certain routine based on what types of food are available and at which times. Buying groceries in London is an irritatingly expensive task for food that typically lasts less than a week. Those days where the food runs low i opt for my bag of generic pasta with butter or whatever type of sauce or condiment I have left. When the pasta stops doing the job, the sandwich shop is always the answer. At the sandwich shop you can get sandwiches, pasta, pizza, or curry, all for an affordable price. They also offer half-priced sandwiches after 5 pm, a fact that our entire program was pleased to discover soon after our arrival. Other than the sandwich shop, there are other local eateries and London's trademark pre-made and packaged sandwiches. McDonalds has also, pathetically, become a part of my daily life here in London. I discovered that it is available, and affordable, in every country i have visited. On those nights out where we're completely starvvvvinnnggg McDonald's is always the first stop on our way back to the flat.

London's infamous weather has become another deciding factor to my days. If I happen to wake up in the morning and see the gray and rainy skys, I typically decide to go back to bed until my afternoon class at two. If the skies are clear and blue, such as recently, I generally try to pull myself out of bed to go running in beautiful Hyde Park. These gorgeous spring days seem to urge me to go out, be productive, and explore London on a whole new level.

The last, and most depressing aspect to my London routines are my bank statements. They're a constant reminder to how drastically expensive life in London is in comparison to my plain, old life in Hartland, Wisconsin. Not only do they dictate how frequently I'm able to go shopping or out to eat, but how often I can travel. One of my favorite aspects of being abroad is how easy it is to travel around Europe. I love travelling and experiencing new things and my London experience has taught me that not only is it impossible to do and afford everything in one semester, but that it's worth it to experience as much life in London as I can, because those other places will always be there to come back to.

I know that I am extremely lucky to be able to spend this semester studying in London. It's an amazing city with many different things to offer and an opportunity that I will never have again. My "routine" here in London is never consistent, but always changing and adapting for new field trips and excursions. These inconsistencies to my life have left me anticipating and looking forward to each new week here in London. My lack of routine here in London has left me feeling a bit unorganized and irresponsible, but I know it is something that I will miss next semester when I am back to the grind in Madison.

My Study Abroad Soundtrack

            Throughout my experience abroad I have encountered many different kinds of music in different venues and situations. Music has been a part of my life here in London as well as in my travels throughout Europe. My love and appreciation for music has deepened and varied in style since my arrival.

            From my first week of classes I became aware of music’s importance in London culture. Through my interpretation of popular culture class I have witnessed, first hand, an individual who is more dedicated and entranced by music than anyone I have ever met. This class has taught me the history of rock and roll and how it came to be such a huge phenomenon across the world. Justin, our teacher, demonstrates his love for music through his lessons each week and his passion instills in me a greater understanding and appreciation for music from both the past and present.

            From outside the classroom, music is still a significant part of my daily life. Whether it’s bonding and listening to music with flat mates or enjoying the music played on a night out, there is always some type of soundtrack narrating our experiences. In the flat, the music played is a mix of songs from our past and popular songs of the present. On nights out, music has, for the most part been a collaboration of obnoxious techno beats and popular songs that are continuously overplayed and are eerily similar to nails on a chalkboard. However, I have been fortunate to discover various venues that offer great music. There is the Notting Hill Arts Club that has death disco and hip hop nights and Ain’t Nothin but the Blues Bar which has live blues music every night and is always a unique and enjoyable experience.

            Through my travels abroad I have been able to experience and look at music in a whole new light. No matter where I traveled, whether it was Portugal, Italy, or Greece, American music dominated the various bars and clubs. This phenomenon baffles me, especially because in most of these countries English is not the dominant language. My nights out, across the world, have all been encompassed by the same chart-topping American beats. It’s amazing, and a bit irritating, to see the influence that American popular culture has had world-wide. There has been one exception to these bars with corny American music and that has been Dublin. The weekend that we visited Dublin there was an Irish music festival going on in which every bar had amazing live music being performed. Those nights out in Dublin were some of my favorite during my stay abroad. I felt I was truly immersed in Irish culture and able to bond with the Irish citizens on a whole new level.

            So far my study abroad has deepened my love for music and given me an idea of popular music in different countries. My class, travels, and days in London all offer a unique view and perspective to the world of music. By far the best musical experiences that I have been fortunate enough to witness are the nights with live music. Live music enables you to relate to the performers and people you are with in a new way. I have loved all the live music I’ve seen, whether it was Irish, Blues, or hip hop and look forward to many more nights out that offer live music and new experiences.

Athens, Greece

Greece is somewhere I've always dreamt of visiting. I had visions of the picturesque beaches, and perfectly blue waters and couldn't wait to make these illusions a reality. Athens, Greece was the first stop on our spring break excursion and while some aspects of Greece and its beauty lived up to my expectations, other features left me feeling uneasy and completely out of place.

I planned my trip to Athens without any further knowledge regarding the city beyond the Parthenon being located there. Upon entering Greece, I was immediately struck by the desolate appearance of the city and its buildings and the looks of despair among many city-goers faces. It wasn’t until after my arrival that I came to understand that Greece was in the middle of a huge economic decline due to political and economic corruption. The past two years have left many citizens of Greece unemployed and the affects were notable throughout the city.

When I stepped off the metro and onto the streets of Greece I was dumbfounded. Where were the happy, smiling people I saw in Mama Mia and where were those picturesque beaches that I so longed to see? Graffiti and garbage littered the streets of Athens. Beggars and bleak street stand owners hassled us every step of the way to our hotel. On our first excursion out to the bars at night, we stumbled through eerily abandoned streets in an unsuccessful attempt to find the night scene we had heard so much about. Upon our first encounter with someone else on these streets, he appeared to be shooting up heroine so we quickly scurried away and on with our quest for the bars. Finally, we found a taxi driver who rescued us from the sketchy streets and safely delivered us to a small bar with Greek music blasting from within.

We were immediately struck by how friendly the people inside the bar were. These happy, friendly faces were in great opposition to the despair I witnessed on the streets just moments before. They chatted with us and helped us figure out where this mysterious night life really was located in Greece and even let my friend assist the DJ in the night’s music selections. This night lifted our spirits and gave us new hope in what Athens had to offer. The next day, after passing through the poverty driven streets, we reached a beautiful square in which we could see the Parthenon perched atop a massive mountain. After dining on the best Greek salad I’ve had in my life, we began our hike up the mountain.

This day where we climbed and explored the beauty of Greece was by far one of my favorites throughout my entire break. Gone was the despair and sadness that rang throughout the city. The view from the top of the mountain was completely breathtaking. We could see the entire city beneath us, along with the mountains and enticing blue sea in the distance. We explored the mountain for hours, never tiring of the beautiful views. Even after we discovered that we arrived a half hour too late and that the Parthenon was in fact closed, we kept our spirits high and opted to return again the next day.

That night we returned to our new favorite Greek restaurant for more delicious gyros and tazaki sauce. The previous night at this restaurant, we were treated like royalty and received endless baskets of bread along with heaping portions of gyros and fresh plates of fruit for dessert. The friendly service at this establishment led us to return to the same place for all but one meal during our stay. The next day we returned to the great Parthenon and were entirely satisfied with what we saw. After this we went to the Greek island of Aegina, where I was able to witness the great beaches and waters I had been longing for.

My stay in Greece has left me with mixed feelings. I now understand to not judge a city right from the start and also, to watch my belongings much closer while riding the metro, a realization that I obtained after my wallet was stolen from me. Even though the city is a bit scary and poverty ridden, the people are generous and friendly. Athens may be overrun by graffiti, bit there is still great beauty to be found, you just need to look for it.