Submitted by Emma Engel on the 2018 winter session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of English and the Department of Theater…
I have had a lot of fun this past week, both in and out of the classroom. This past week, we discussed two well-known plays, Hamlet and A Doll’s House, and talked about the musicals we saw in the evenings. Personally, my favorite evening show has been A Christmas Carol; we experienced a very classic story which was spun in a new and exciting way. The actors really connected with the audience and pulled us all in, and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire show. We also saw Girl from the North Country, which was less enjoyable. The music was great, but the rest of the class also agreed that it was not the best production that we have seen due to its numerous characters and interrupted dramatic plot. I did, however, take away that I might not like every show, and that is completely okay.
A few of my friends and I experienced the Harry Potter Studios Tour at the Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden. It was a wonderful time, and we were able to see a multitude of the real props, costumes and sets that were used in the making of all eight Harry Potter movies. We also got to try butterbeer ice cream- and we all loved it!
Over the last week, I grew a bit more comfortable with the area and the transportation, so my roommate, Abby, and I went to a few markets with some of the other friends we have made on the program. We walked along Portobello Market, one of the more popular markets around London, on Saturday and explored Camden Town Market on Sunday, where we saw a lot of beautiful street artwork. This past week was mellowed in comparison to what we have coming up this week. Abby and I will be seeing Les Miserables and Dreamgirls on our own, as well as Mary Stuart and Cinderella with the rest of our classmates. We plan on visiting Oxford, Stonehenge and Bath this weekend as well! I am very excited for the next week and the weekend ahead!
