Archive for January, 2011
Hamlet: Reason Behind the Madness
Madness. It is the age old, yet continuously disputed, theme in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and it was clearly present in tonight’s production of Hamlet, directed by Nicholas Hytner for London’s National Theatre. Gazing at the audience with stern eyes, Hamlet, played by Rory Kinnear, glared upon his cohorts, at least at times, with mad intentions. […]
The Globe Theatre: A Step Back in Time
If the world is a stage and we are all merely players, then I played the role of a tourist today – a tourist on a mission. After countless hours of reading Shakespeare, watching Shakespeare, and studying Shakespeare, I wanted none other than to be transported back in time and experience the works of Shakespeare […]
The Magic of Performance
Standing on her bed, belting a song about fighting for fairness, holding the audience rapt with her clear voice and bubbling character, Adrianna Bertola proved beyond a doubt that, playing Matilda, she could fill a giant stage with her three-foot-tall presence. Before the first time she stepped out to sing alone, the audience had already […]
La Bohéme Refurbished
As we continute to study in London, many of my fellow students noted that London has a very clever way of blending the old and new together and refurbishing history or classics. I’ve been much more keen to this thought as I continue to enjoy the time I have left in England. The “theatres” we’ve […]
British Museum: Sugarcoating History
Artifacts from all over the world line the walls of the British Museum. Descriptions of the artifacts are close by for visitors to learn about the world’s history. Who decides and writes what should go into these descriptions? How do visitors know the information is correct? Perhaps these questions are worth exploring. The British Museum […]
Twisted and Delightful
In America, it’s pretty difficult to find someone who does not know the name Willy Wonka. Whether you were introduced to him by Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp, or (hopefully) Roald Dahl, people know him. Roald Dahl’s Twisted Tales has a voice that is definitely related to Wonka; our group went to see the aforementioned show […]
A Flea in Her Ear: A Smile on Our Faces
“Performing farce demands a split-second precision that makes every other form of drama seem like a piece of cake.”—John Morrison, author of Feydeau and the Art of Farce Georges Feydeau’s A Flea in Her Ear was certainly a farcical show. Our group saw this show on Wednesday, January 12 at The Old Vic in Southbank. […]
things are lekker in the Netherlands
This is my sixth day in Holland. I arrived in the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam at 1030 a.m. in a daze. It felt really strange to be in a foreign country on my own. I immediately got harrassed by some military police for straying too far from my bags. I felt so foolish staring blankly at him […]
Reviving the Enlightenment in London: A Conversation with Damian Barr
There is a relic of literary history that many have thought dead since the days of the French Revolution. However, with the help of Scottish writer and journalist Damian Barr, the literary salon has been resurrected as a haven for literati, intellectuals, industry professionals and really anyone with a passion for books. Our class had […]
Experiencing Resolution! 2011 in London
Resolution! is a contemporary dance festival that takes place every year in London. It takes place between January and February. Everyday there are three performances and different dance companies have the opportunity to show their recent work. It includes over a hundred contemporary pieces that choreographers and dancers have created for this years show. I […]