The Bustle of London: Week 2

Programs for this blog post

Theatre Arts on London’s Stage

Authored By:

Kaylin M.

We have two new classmates. They joined us at the Tower of London. Here are their physical descriptions: pink, sparkly, and loud. Our two new classmates are plastic recorders that a couple of students bought at a gift shop for a reduced price. I’ve probably heard Hot Cross Buns ten times now. The thing is, I haven’t minded it much. I love the creativity and levity this group contains.

It’s been two full weeks since I walked through Heathrow with a group of students I had just met. Everyday has generated a new and thrilling adventure and somehow, through all these occurrences, I’ve managed to follow a makeshift routine.

A typical day in Theatre Arts Behind the Scenes starts with breakfast at our hostel. I’ve opted to take the stairs nearly everyday from our room 303 to the main dining area on Level 0. Followed by breakfast, is a short walk to the CIEE building in Central London. I love the walk over there. The morning streets bustle with people, cafes, and a fruit stand on the side of the road. One thing I have learned while walking the streets of London is to be aware of bicycles! Believe me, they are nearly more dangerous than cars, they hardly ever stop.

Once we arrive at the CIEE building, we promptly start class. We have two instructors, Simon and Abraham. They alternate every two days to teach us. During class, we discuss the shows we have seen, learn about different forms of theatre, do acting exercises, and read plays. We even have had two guests visit us during our classes, Alice Hamilton, a professional theatre director, and Arinze Kene, who is an actor and writer. Our instructors and guests have been very inspiring to our group and they are amazing to learn from.

After class, we have lunch and following lunch are our afternoon excursions. This week, we have been to the Victoria and Albert Museum (which had a killer theatre exhibit), the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and a couple of markets.

If we do not have classes in the morning at CIEE, then we are touring other places. We’ve been to Oxford and learned about all the interesting school traditions and stories. Touring the National Theatre was another full-day excursion. We literally got to see theatre behind the scenes (i.e. set design, practice rooms, etc…). My favorite part of that tour was playing with the props. I probably got a little too carried away with the huge stack of pancakes-they never fell from the plate. Stratford Upon Avon was an overnight trip. Once we arrived after a two hour train ride, we visited Shakespeare’s birthplace, his wife, Anne Hathaway’s cottage, his “New Place,” and other attractions in Stratford.

Whatever we do, wherever, this program never fails to deliver learning in a fun and interactive environment. I can’t believe that it is already more than halfway over! Next time I write, the program will be almost finished or finished.

 

*Recorders playing in the background*

See you next week!

-Kay

 

(If you're interested, here is a video I made about our trip to Greenwich. This experience was mentioned in my "The New Kids" blog)