Submitted by Emily Toal on the 2018 winter session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of English and the Department of Theater…
As January comes to an end, so does week four of our London theater program. I really enjoyed this week of our program because it was truly unique compared to the first three. Instead of having normal class from Monday to Thursday, our professors gave us the opportunity to travel to some of the most historic sites in the area. I am thankful that our professors were thoughtful enough to put these excursions together as my classmates and I may have never gotten the chance to experience these sites on our own. On Monday, we took a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater and had the opportunity to see a performance of All’s Well that Ends Well later that night. It was fascinating to learn about the Globe’s history and the major impact that theater had on the community in the 16th century(and it continues to play a role in our lives today!). Being able to tour the historic area of the Globe allowed us to compare some of the first major theater performances to the shows we see today, which helps us tie together everything we have learned so far by seeing it in front of us rather than just discussing it. On Tuesday, the class toured Hampton Court Palace, which was absolutely stunning. I remembered studying King Henry VIII and other historical background on the Court in my high school European history class by simply reading facts in a textbook, but being able to immerse myself in this experience has exposed me to a whole new type of learning. The rest of that day, some friends and I explored the small town near Hampton Court and I ate one of the best meals I’ve ever had at one of their local cafes. It was such a nice break to escape the big city feel and explore some of the smaller towns outside the city. I have found that some of my favorite parts of the program are when we stumble upon something new and unexpected on our own. It is always memorable to be able to bond with your peers over those experiences. This held true when some classmates and I ventured out to Camden Town, Portobello Market and Shoreditch throughout the week. Being able to support local vendors and explore new parts of town without a set schedule was a refreshing change to the packed itinerary we had been used to for a good amount of our program! Finally on Thursday, our class visited Shakespeare’s birthplace and had the chance to explore Stratford- upon- Avon before seeing a performance of Twelfth Night at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Being able to get the full experience of Shakespeare’s education and background was a great way to tie in everything we have learned about his plays and gain more appreciation for what inspired his work. I enjoyed how interactive and immersive this week turned out to be. Sometimes it is important to have that escape from a common setting in a classroom to truly learn to the greatest capacity. I can’t believe that we are approaching our last week of the program. It is hard to imagine going back home when I’ve had some of the most memorable experiences of my life in this incredible place!
