A Moment to Breath

Quite a lot has happened since I last posted, dear friends!

I have travelled to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Paris, and Barcelona! I feel like a world traveller - having been to such iconic cities and done some things that take my breath away when I simply say them... what a privilege! While I don't exactly like the English tradition of the Grand Tour, I can understand why a young person such as myself should traverse the globe. The cultural differences between modern London, touristy-but-quaint Stratford, perfectly-poised Paris, and colorful Barcelona have left my mind reeling and my camera full of pictures (over 600 I think!).

In Stratford, the home of the illustrious Shakespeare himself, I took classes in RSC history, make up/wigs, voice, and Twelfth Night at the Shakespeare Institute in addition to attending a master class with James Fleet - Sir Andrew Aguecheek in the current produciton of Twelfth Night at the RSC's Courtyard Theatre. I heard endlessly about some production of Midsummer Night's Dream where the company had real rabbits run across the stage in an effort to create *REALISM*. I also visited Shakespeare's Birthplace where I walked on floors Shakespeare walked upon and listened to oddly descriptive monologues from a man quoting Hamlet's cat. I visited Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare himself is buried with his wife, Anne, and saw his famous bust above the grave. I even saw his birth and death records along with one of the first folios of his complete works. Truly astounding.

One afternoon and evening was spent visiting Oxford and seeing the worst show I've honestly ever seen - Days of Significance - which did not, thankfully, spoil the charm of Oxford. Now, for the Scrippsies reading this, you think we have a beautiful campus? Oxford takes "dorms like palaces" to a whole new level - because they are really castles! The sheer antiquity of the buildings draped with autumnal leaves as the backdrop young men in cable knit sweaters discussing literature is enough to make any academic's heart just die... I wish I had had enough time just to read a book in this place.

After all this I went home, emptied one suitcase full of clothes for another, and woke the next morning ready to catch a train to Paris! I'll end this post here for now, but promise to post about Paris and Barcelona and life since then! Enjoy some pictures from Stratford and Oxford...

~Lindsey