daily cuppa of rach cro

Tonight I sadly write my last blog post on our incredible study abroad journey. I write this post with a full heart. We have experienced so many incredible plays, sights, museums, and I have gained so many wonderful friendships. We end our journey in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the city of Shakespeare’s birth. Shakespeare is so important to our studies on this trip and in theatre as a whole. The culmination of this trip just seems right to end it in the city of the birth of the author some of the most well known plays in the entire world. Stratford is so different than London. The pace of this town is slower, quieter, and everything sort of stands still at night. The scenery here is green and homes and cottages look like something out of a fairytale. This town is actually what I pictured all of England to look like. I feel safe here. I love London so much and I love the feeling of being in the city but it has been so lovely to get away to the countryside and see so many historical sites to Shakespeare’s life. We saw Anne Hathaway’s cottage and Mary Arden’s, Shakespeare’s mother’s farm, as well as the home Shakespeare was born in. We also got to see the site of Shakespeare’s grave. We get to see such a timeline of Shakespeare’s life in this beautiful little town. It’s crazy to get to experience this place where in my entire academic career I have known about this man- William Shakespeare. Now here I am, in these streets experiencing a similar scenery to what Shakespeare would have known. We saw two productions at the Royal Shakespeare Company in our time here. One was The Duchess of Malfi and the other was Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet is one of my all time favorite plays. I was disappointed in the production we saw. The production tried to modernize the play in costume and sound and dance numbers and I felt that in doing this, they lost a lot of the classical meaning in the play Shakespeare had written. This was my first time seeing a play production of Romeo and Juliet and I felt that the acting and direction was too chaotic. I think I critiqued this production so hard because of the way I truly love this play. I do understand the ways that some productions are trying to modernize their approaches and express their own creativity, however, I feel sometimes some plays work best when acted as they are written; with more minimalistic costumes, set, and production especially for a Shakespearean play. I do think that even though I did not completely love every production I saw in our time being in Stratford, I have absolutely fallen in love with other plays and productions we have seen in our time in England. Some of my favorites were Machinal, Red, Peter Pan, A Brief Encounter, The Rink, and Matilda. It honestly feels like this opportunity to study abroad has been a dream. As my time in London comes to a close, I am reflecting on the ways this study abroad program has changed me as a student and as a person. In analyzing plays and discussing technical elements of production and script I feel my skills in analysis have improved greatly. We have had many adventures since arriving to London. We have seen things from Buckingham Palace to having high tea time to navigating a tube system. Traveling abroad can seem scary, intimidating even. I have found such a home here in London. The rush of the city is like nothing I have ever felt before. We have also experienced being able to tour theatres such as Shakespeare’s Globe and Royal Drury Lane. I feel that without this study abroad program I would not feel as developed in my theatre minor as I do now. I am so grateful for every stranger, experience, and adventure that London has given me. I think study abroad is so important not only for academic growth, but for personal growth. As a person I feel more confident in my navigational skills, in my ability to problem solve in a stressful situation, and in the ways I manage my own stress away in an unfamiliar situation. I think everyone should study abroad. I have learned so much about the history of theatre in the heart of London. I’ve also importantly learned more about myself. This has been one of the most memorable times of my life. London is now where I want to pursue a career. Studying abroad in London has changed the course of my life in ways I can’t even completely imagine. Here’s some photos to end this journey. I think in a lot of ways the journey is actually just beginning.

Cheers.

Rachel Croland

Today we visited the Victoria and Albert Museum which is full of amazing theatrical costumes, scenic designs, and drawings. I saw several items that connected to the plays we have seen. One of the miniature scenic designs was actually a design for a Hamlet stage, which we have seen in the Globe Theatre. This stage design was much more elaborate in scenic design than what we saw on the Globe stage. The Globe theatre had no scenic design other than the stage itself. In this photo we see that the back drops and design are illustrated and intricate in creating the world of Hamlet. This fascinated me because this contrasted the way we viewed Hamlet. This stage design also contrasts the way Shakespeare’s stage would have looked.

I also saw several evening gowns that I felt would have been worn in the production of Absolute Hell we viewed. This black evening gown would have been perfect to be in the setting of the post war club in Absolute Hell. I also believe this black gown really reflected the themes of alluring darkness that Absolute Hell was filled with.

I think the costumes I saw today could have all been placed in a play that we have seen due to the many time periods that this museum held. These items all help to establish the plays themes and creation of the world of these plays. The set design seen for Hamlet establishes the backdrop and gives a glimpse into what emotions the play can evoke.

I also really loved seeing a design for the Royal Drury Lane Theatre after touring it yesterday. I also had the privilege of seeing 42nd Street in the front row at the Royal Drury Lane Theatre. It was incredible to see such a model of the design plans for this theatre and then experience this theatre while watching a show.

One of my biggest take aways from the Victoria and Albert Museum in looking at all the costume and designs plans is realizing how important costumes, scenic design, and type of stage really elevate and establish the world and themes of each play you see. Sure, the acting can be incredible in a play and it be a good play, but without specific costumes, sets, and lighting, the world of the play is not complete. I had a wonderful time viewing all of the pieces at the museum today.

Cheers,

Rachel

Put the kettle on. It’s tea time in London. We visited the Tea Terrace on Oxford Street to have a scrumptious pot of tea, sandwiches, and sweets. Tea time in England is a wonderful and important ritual. Many take tea in the afternoon and can be as extensive as tea with cucumber sandwiches, cakes, scones, and other treats. Afternoon tea can also simply be tea and some scones known as “cream tea” which includes tea and scones with jam and clotted cream. We wanted to experience the full English Tea Experience so Anna Grace, Kelsey, Tanner, Melissa, Brandon and I all had our own tower of treats with tea. I chose to have the Sapphire Earl Grey blend with salmon and cream cheese sandwiches, English cheese and chutney sandwiches, apple and cinnamon scones with clotted cream and jam, and finally some lovely sponge cakes. The setting of the tea placing were lovely shades of pastels. The tradition of having tea is such a sweet way to spend an afternoon. The Tea Terrace had a ton of famous quotes about experiencing drinking tea on the wall. One of my favorites was, “There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be diminished by a cup of tea” – Bernard-Paul Heroux. I find this quote to be incredibly true. I think about all the conversations that have been had over tea times just as we had. I think about the conversations we had over our own tea time. We chatted about how much we’ve all loved being in London. What a privilege it has been to experience British culture. I felt so lovely experiencing one of the fundamental social activities of British such as taking tea time. Tea time is definitely a tradition I will be taking back with me. I think one of the best cures for a tough day is tea. I am so glad I finally got to experience a traditional English Tea time. The Tea Terrace provided a lovely assortment of treats with our tea for only £25.25 pounds. I’ll end today’s post with another one of my favorite quotes involving tea, “a woman is like a tea bag- you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Cheers,

Rachel

Tonight we got to see one of my now favorite plays, The Rink, which is a fringe theatre production, at the Southwark Playhouse. Fringe Theatre in London is equivalent to New York’s off Broadway productions. Fringe theatre is also experimental in style or content. Tonight’s performance of The Rink was intimate, unique, and heartfelt. The story of this play revolves around a mother and daughter and the ways they have dealt with their lives after the daughter’s father abandons them. The mother is left a roller skating rink which belonged to her ex husbands family. The mother had convinced her daughter that her father had died rather than breaking the news to her that he just took off. The daughter returns home to her family skating rink after years of running away to California to find her father is in fact still alive and her mother had been lying to her this whole time. The daughter and mother struggle to heal from the past and also heal their relationship with each other. The play goes back and forth from present day to flashbacks of their relationships with the daughter’s father. The mother and father are seen falling in love and out of love as the man struggles to cope with his life. This play was exceptional in the choreography of the skating, acting, and set design. All of the actors were incredible singers and actors. The neon lights and disco ball created an atmosphere of exhilarating nostalgia. This production created a world that I did not want to end. I also saw another fringe production, A Brief Encounter. This play is one of my top favorite plays I’ve ever seen. The story revolves around a married woman who meets a doctor in a café and they fall in love and begin to have a passionate affair. As an audience member I felt the distaste of witnessing their affair and sympathy to their genuine affections for each other all at once. I think that paradox of emotions was entirely due to how much I liked the script and music of that play. The music, graphics, and lighting of A Brief Encounter made you feel like you were in an old film. Every song and line felt like you were falling in and having your heart broken all in one day. I absolutely fringe theatre for the ways it experiments and gets into your heart. I also find that the audiences in fringe theatre are much smaller and I love the intimacy of that. The intimacy between the actors and audience. The intimacy between audience and audience. For a night or even for an hour we are swept away in the song. We are swept away in the process. I love the way these two productions specifically, have found their way into the walls of my heart- just like this entire trip has.

Cheers,

Rachel.

Tonight we saw one of my favorite plays, Machinal by Sophie Treadwell. This play is not only riveting in content, it is also emotionally complex in the pacing of the script as if a machine is constantly running, without ceasing. The word “Machinal” means ‘of or relating to machines’. The meaning of the title is evident throughout the script. The story follows character of Helen Jones who kills her husband with her lover. The play is based of the real trial and execution of Ruth Synder. I thought the direction and production tonight was superb. I loved all the technical aspects of how the lights went in and out with the dialogue. There is such anxiety and intensity throughout the script and the lighting and sound and set design elevated those emotions. Sound played a huge role in this production. There was constant noises. No silence. No break. This created a sense of chaos. I also loved the mirror at the back of the stage especially in the intimacy episode. The woman is constantly worrying and turning and never shuts off, like a machine- just like the machine of her life that she feels trapped in. When she meets her lover and they go back to his apartment, the tension in pacing of the script falls away a little bit. She is constantly seeking freedom. Freedom from society, her marriage, and the constant inner turmoil she deals with. The music on her lover, Richard Roe’s, record player plays a Spanish love song and Helen begins to seem like a normal woman. A woman who for a second, the wheels of anxiety stop turning. The machine in her pauses, for just a second. I absolutely loved the transitions of the stark white neon doors closing in between each episode as well. I felt this really built the play transitionally. I felt that this production only heightened my admiration for this script and that’s incredible when a director and actors can make you only love a play more. I think this play is full of emotional and relational complexities and I felt the lead actress really developed through the production and conveyed Treadwell’s play. This production in my interpretation of what is success, deepened my relationship with the text so much so that I did not want the last episode to come. I know how it ends and still I want the narrative to end differently. I hope she breaks from the machine of her life and doesn’t murder her husband. I want that freedom for Helen. In the end just like the real life case of Ruth Synder, Helen was sent to the electric chair. The “freedom” from this machine comes to the character only in an eternal fate for her crime. I am fascinated by this play mostly for the ways in showcases such deep issues in society and how human emotion stirs in some individuals. The woman in the play became consumed with anxiety, expectation, and chaos. She fell to the chaos and concluded that the only way to escape this was to get out of her unhappy marriage. Freedom from the machine took over all logical and moral thoughts. This production, direction, set design, and cast encapsulated the machine that Treadwell established and also put emphasis on the ways we’re all in the machine sometimes. This production had such precision, and in that precision I felt the anxiety and feeling of being trapped that Helen felt her whole life. Only in the last episodes was I able to exhale as an audience as well. I don’t emphasize with her killing her husband to finally achieve that freedom. However, I do emphasize with the feelings of feeling trapped in society in certain ways as a woman just like Helen felt. I think the intensity of concluding that murder was the only true escape, makes this story that much more fascinating. The ways humans process the intensity of our emotions is always interesting to me. I think about the ways we’re all in our own versions of machines. I think in analyzing pieces like Machinal, we get closer to finding our own escapes to whatever mechanical confinement’s we face. Machinal is one of my absolute favorite plays and I’m so pleased with the production, set design, and cast excelled in tonight’s performance.

Cheers,

Rachel

Tonight Laura Linney’s performance of My Name Is Lucy Barton, the play adaption captivated me and changed my opinion of the novel by Elizabeth Strout. When I first read this novel I felt emotionally distant and that Strout was on the cusp of impacting me. The novel tells the story of a deeply complex and tragic childhood that Lucy Barton faces and the ways her childhood and the relationship with her family create a lot of emotional turmoil for her. The novel failed to get me to feel the full weight of the stories, in my first reading. My opinion in seeing this play adaptation of Strout’s novel completely changed my viewpoint on the novel itself. I now can see the power and emotion in this story. Linney delivered such a powerful, raw, and exhilarating performance tonight. In adapting a novel to a play I feel that two things can occur to an audience who know both mediums of the story; one: the audience can feel the layers of the story and truth of the message unfold into many beautiful layers and radiate in different lights. The second can also occur for the audience: the audience can feel that the play adaptation of a novel can over dramatize the story to a point of losing the message originally intended in a novels pages. I felt that Laura Linney delivered a performance of the first reaction. I felt the pages of Elizabeth Strout’s novel propel me into emotion. Propel me into the truth of the story of Lucy Barton. I felt compelled to correct my original interpretation of the novel. Did I judge the story too harshly because it hit a little close to home? Did I flip the pages cavalierly because I did not have a performer staring me in the face forcing me to come to terms with the story? I think it may be a combination of everything above. I think seeing Laura Linney, this woman of such talent and prestige present a one woman performance; that made me feel and think and wonder where my heart had gone wrong in my first understanding of Strout’s work is everything that Strout could have hoped for in a play adaptation of her work. I think the translation from a novel to a stage is interesting in the direction of the lighting, the set design, and the ways Linney so effortlessly created a world bigger than her alone on the stage. She would act out the mother’s lines in the play and within an instant go back to telling the story of Lucy Barton’s life forcing me to have to remind myself it was solely Linney on stage. I think especially with this novel, several characters could have been cast but to have only one woman be on stage it emphasized the loneliness that saturated Strout’s novel. My biggest take away from tonight is that maybe I read the novel wrong the first time. Maybe I let my imagination yield when I related to some of the stories a little too closely. Maybe, just maybe, I had concluded that Elizabeth Strout had failed to capture me emotionally, when I had failed to let myself fully feel Strout’s stories. I am so glad that I got to experience seeing the talent of Laura Linney and that I let Strout’s story of Lucy Barton affect me tonight. I think our viewpoints change on some stories when we let ourselves become affected. I am thankful for the ways this trip is changing me and making me a more effected and affected human.

Tomorrow I head to Paris for a weekend of more adventures!

Cheers,

Rachel

Today we toured Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. As someone who has been studying and participating in theatre since I was nine years old, today was a dream. We had already seen a production of As You Like It a few days ago in the Globe, but being able to have our own private tour of this remarkable replica of Shakespeare’s original Globe was incredibly special. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, not only about the history of recreating the beloved Globe, but about the motivation that went into developing the original Globe theatre. The tour guide explained that all of the elements that went into the inspiration for the architecture of the Globe are shown through many of Shakespeare’s production. The weather, audience, architecture, social status, and the world of audience and actor relationship that is created in the theatre are all part of what went into creating the original Globe. In Shakespeare’s time the standing area by the stage where most stand and wait in line today, were for the lower class workers. The butchers, fish cooks, and farmers all came after work to enjoy some theatrical entertainment for very cheap. Shakespeare used to deem this area “Penny Stinkards” where you could obtain a standing ticket for a penny and the area smelled awful from the smells of the day the lower class workers would bring. The tour guide also explained that at that time, Shakespeare’s plays seemed more like rock shows than that of theatre experiences today. The theatre Shakespeare experienced also dealt heavily with class distribution. The lower class people stood by the stage as “groundlings”, the wealthy sat in “gentleman boxes” by the stage showing off their money and status by their clothing, and the aristocrats sat next to the band. Money fueled a lot the components of Shakespeare’s audience and what went in to producing the plays from page to stage. The production we saw today of Hamlet was fairly similar to what some might have seen back in Shakespeare’s today in the lack of elaborate set, costume design, and gender blind casting. In today’s production a woman played Hamlet and a man played Ophelia. However, in Shakespeare’s day women would not be allowed to be actors. The costumes also signified status in the play. The wealthier characters dressed more Victorian and the lower class workers dressed more modern. Some of the costume choices drew me out of the production a little in how modern they were. I understand based on what the tour guide said that they are experimenting with elements of modernization in their productions. However, the modern costumes distracted me from creating the imaginary world of Hamlet. I feel that costumes were especially important for Shakespeare’s plays considering the set was minimal and you had the actors, dialogue, and costumes to rely on for building your imagination as an audience. I thought the actors in this production were incredible, but the lead actor playing Hamlet has also been a director of several productions at the Globe and I felt that because a lot of the choices on stage were actor led, the blocking seemed a little too chaotic and took away from the narrative. I think we are used to seeing Shakespeare in America dressed up with elaborate sets and costumes that helps the audience in creating these imaginative worlds. However, I believe the way we saw Hamlet today is the closest I will see to what Shakespeare originally had the plays performed. I think Shakespeare purposefully had his plays with little set and relied heavily on the actors so that it forced the audience to feel and imagine. I appreciate the production of Hamlet this afternoon, even if it was very minimalistic compared to most theatre productions I am used to seeing today. I think the process of a cast in 2018 experimenting with modernization in casting, costume, and blocking is different to what would have gone on in Shakespeare’s day. I do believe that many aspects of today’s production are similar to how Shakespeare would have it performed in the simplicity of set, design, and the techniques the actors used to connect with the audience. I think even as theatre and our society adapt with color blind, gender blind, and color consciousness casting and the ways these methods evolve, a lot of aspects of theatre will always remain true. Theatre asks us to feel, to create our own worlds, and to take some time away from our daily lives to let go and to welcome change, just as in Shakespeare’s day. Visiting the Globe theatre was amazing and I can not believe I got to see a replica of what Shakespeare envisioned around 400 years ago.

Cheers,

Rachel

Today was remarkable. We visited the stunning Westminster Abbey and had a guided tour throughout the beautiful church. Westminster Abbey is not only the wedding destination of Prince William and Kate as I had so eagerly watched along with many of on television years ago, but long before that Royal Wedding it has been a famous church, place of worship, place of incredible architecture, and monumental burial site for many notable people in society. It was hauntingly beautiful to be in a place where so many renowned people lay to rest. The architecture and stain glass that fills Westminster is breathtaking. The history of the burials and monuments to Sr. Issac Newton, who is the physicist who discovered the laws of motion and other phenomena are eternalized in Westminster. The place where Sr. Issac Newton lays to rest is called “Scientists Corner”. Only several feet away from him Charles Darwin is buried. Darwin was a scientist and known for his theories of evolution and his famous “Origin of Species by natural selection”. When the tour guide was explaining where Charles Darwin was buried she brought up the obvious controversy of the ideas of evolution paired with the churches beliefs on creation. However, when the tour guide, Molly, was explaining she said she had several conversations with her Priest at her church about these ideals. I really appreciate what the the quote from the Priest who said, “I believe there is room for both”. I think that respect and understanding of the ideas of the church and science was a very graceful notion. Darwin was also respected by several Bishops and contemporaries as I have read on Westminster Abbey’s website. Another notable monumental and burial site is that of Queen Elizabeth I. She lays to rest with her sister Mary. The burial site of the Queen was stunning. I learned that the statute of Queen Elizabeth I on top of the burial site is a an actual representation and molding of her face. Which was unique to paintings and statues for the time, as usually the paintings of Royalty were done to a specific style. Another burial site that was amazing to see was that of Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens was a writer and novelist who is buried in Westminster Abbey’s “Poet’s Corner”. Dickens is famous for writing Oliver Twist and one of my favorite works, Great Expectations. One of the most surreal moments of my life happened in Westminster Abbey today. Here I am at twenty one with all the possibilities for my life ahead of me and I am walking among the burial sites of so many remarkable and world changing people. People who I read, people who I research, people who I strive to be like. There was this haunting and beautiful feeling of experiencing the weight of these peoples discoveries, stories, and bravery echo through the church. I feel that Westminster is such a beautiful space of worship, praise, and remembrance. I am so thankful I got to explore Westminster today and got to take in the history of the people and architecture today. Westminster Abbey is one of my favorite jewels of England I have experienced.

I’ll end this blog post with a quote I found on a burial site of Mrs. Aphra Behn, who died in A.D 1689,

“Here lies a Proof, that wit can never be Defence enough against Mortality”.

Cheers,

Rachel

Today we visited Stonehenge and Bath. It was remarkable to visit such a landmark as that of Stonehenge. I found the surrounding countryside of Stonehenge to be absolutely beautiful. We then travelled on in the coach to visit the city of Bath for a while. It was much different than the hustle and bustle of London. I spent the majority of my time in Bath visiting the Fashion Museum. I love fashion and it was amazing to get to see the evolution of the costumes in the museum. The Fashion Museum had a section of dresses worn by Royal Women from Elizabeth I and Margret which were just beautiful. It’s also interesting to study the different style of dress and what was admirable in size of women throughout history. Some of the dresses had extremely small corsets and others were covered in fabric and designed for fuller women. The design and intricacy of the sewing techniques were fascinating to look at. I really enjoyed seeing a different side of England today. I find that I much more enjoy the atmosphere of the city life of London but it felt comforting to get out into some nature today. It’s funny to be so far away from home and feel some similarities in the country side of England to our tiny corner of Arkansas. I wish we had spent a little more time in Bath to see the Bath houses but I am glad I had the opportunity to view the fashion museum and city today. The beautiful architecture of Bath, visiting the Fashion Museum, and getting to explore more of England today was an awesome experience. I will definitely have to go back to Bath one day and spend some time seeing the Bath house and exploring more of the beautiful country side of England. I have attached some of my favorite photos of the dresses I saw today along with some shots of Stonehenge.

Cheers,

Rachel

Today we visited Stonehenge and Bath. It was remarkable to visit such a landmark as that of Stonehenge. I found the surrounding countryside of Stonehenge to be absolutely beautiful. We then travelled on in the coach to visit the city of Bath for a while. It was much different than the hustle and bustle of London. I spent the majority of my time in Bath visiting the Fashion Museum. I love fashion and it was amazing to get to see the evolution of the costumes in the museum. The Fashion Museum had a section of dresses worn by Royal Women from Elizabeth I and Margret which were just beautiful. It’s also interesting to study the different style of dress and what was admirable in size of women throughout history. Some of the dresses had extremely small corsets and others were covered in fabric and designed for fuller women. The design and intricacy of the sewing techniques were fascinating to look at. I really enjoyed seeing a different side of England today. I find that I much more enjoy the atmosphere of the city life of London but it felt comforting to get out into some nature today. It’s funny to be so far away from home and feel some similarities in the country side of England to our tiny corner of Arkansas. I wish we had spent a little more time in Bath to see the Bath houses but I am glad I had the opportunity to view the fashion museum and city today. The beautiful architecture of Bath, visiting the Fashion Museum, and getting to explore more of England today was an awesome experience. I will definitely have to go back to Bath one day and spend some time seeing the Bath house and exploring more of the beautiful country side of England. I have attached some of my favorite photos of the dresses I saw today along with some shots of Stonehenge.

Cheers,

Rachel