I gazed out the window from the taxi at the busy streets of London. People were rushing to and fro, and bicycles were weaving between the halting cars. The buildings towered above, but not so high as to engulf the sky. The well-known red phone boxes sat on every corner, completing the British scene. Finally, we crossed a bridge, and I spotted the Tower of London, Big Ben, and the London Eye. I have only known these places in movies or pictures, but now I was seeing it in person.
My dad and I landed in London late morning that day. I was tired from the long plane flight from D.C., but I was also in awe at the new around me. We arrived at our hotel, and went straight to the cafe. I ordered the "hamburger and chips" which was not a hamburger as I am familiar with. Then, Dad and I hauled our luggage upstairs to our room. I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
That evening, Dad and I had tickets to The Globe Theatre to see Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The Globe Theatre is a replica of the original theatre where Shakespeare would premier his plays. The original was burned in a fire in 1613, so this close replica stands in its place.
After we arrived, we went to the restaurant attached to the theatre: Swan. We got a table next to the windows, and I had a stunning view of the River Thames. A small waitress with a thick British accent handed us menus, and when I started to read, I realized I had no idea what any of the dishes were. I turned to Dad for his culinary expertise, and we mulled over the mysterious dishes. I finally ordered an eggplant something-or-other. That decided, I had the chance to look around me. We were in an open room with windows facing every direction. Men wearing suits and women in formal dresses crowded the tables. Everything was delicate and classy.
After supper, we headed downstairs to the theatre. A long ramp leads up to the stage which has two stories and multiple entrances upstage. The roof is open with just a little cover from the walls around. Wooden benches line the walls and are three stories high; however, the middle is open where people stand through the whole performance.
The play was incredible. Even though the performance was true to the original play, this interpretation incorporated modern entities as well, making it more relatable to the audience. For example, the costumes were modern clothes (except the fairies which had crazy costumes). Also, the humor was delivered in such a way, either through tone of voice or actions, that made them all the more funny. Often the actors would include or even go out in the audience. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience, and I would definitely go back again.
New British thing I learned:
The light-switches are opposite than in America: down means on and up means off.
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