Field Trip to the Globe Theatre!

Wednesday included a guided tour of the Globe Theatre. Now, this isn't the original theatre where Shakespeare's works were performed, but it is just like it. It is an open air theatre with the same style seating. It is interesting to note that the Globe was essentially rebuilt due to the passion of an American, Sam Wannamaker! The theater allows for about 1700 people, including 700 standing. In Elizabethan times, they could fit in about 3000 people because 1) people were smaller, and 2) there were no fire safety regulations! It is also interesting to me that the most expensive seats in Elizabethan times were, in fact, the worst search (behind the stage), but they were the seats where you could been seen!

Our guide for the tour was a actor from the Globe. He was wonderful! He had us practicing iambic pentameter and then he gave us each a card and based on how we treated each other, we had to line up in the order of the card. I had a king, so everybody bowed very low to me! It was kind of a fun way to teach us about theater!

After the tour, a group of us went and had a wonderful lunch before the 2:00 performance of "Much Ado About Nothing!" This place was a little classier than where I normally ate, but that didn't keep me from taking a picture of the napkin that I found quite humorous!

We had standing "seats: so I was right in front of the stage. The guide had told us that they view the audience as being the forth wall of the stage and, as such, are a part of the play. I can say that I really could see that as they were always making eye contact and even took the hands of one of our students during the performance! As much as I enjoyed it, standing in front of the stage, I couldn't do it for the second half. Fortunately, the University had extra tickets for the seated area. It was at the side of the stage, which wasn't nearly as good for seeing the show, but it certainly was nice to sit!

As with many trips in town, we don't head back together. I had dinner plans at 5:30 and the show didn't end until 5:00. I had no idea how to get back. Finally, I found a bus stop which listed a stop that sounded familiar as being close to our flats. I boarded, but soon realized that no stops were sounding familiar! Finally I asked the driver if we stopped where I needed to be, only to learn that I was headed in the wrong direction! So, off the bus I went and finally found the right bus and headed back.

Arriving at 6:30, needless to say, I missed dinner. This type of thing sends me over the edge and this was no exception. I let it ruin the evening, so I stayed in for the first time since the first weekend I was in London.