Easter and Acting

Easter Sunday

Besides updating this apparently procrastinatory blog, I decided to make the best of where I was and actually attend Easter Services at, drumroll please, Westminster Abbey. You know that big old church that was built in about 10^th century, houses the bodies of England’s most famous monarchs and other dignitaries, and in case those don’t clue you in, apparently there’s going to be some sort of wedding there on Friday that the whole western world is apparently going to be watching. Yeah, went to church there. The only time I’ve ever been to church for actual services were during funerals, weddings or my friend inviting me to her Awanas club meeting. Being as naïve as I am to the whole clerical institution (but thankfully being invited with welcoming arms) I was looked on (or maybe I looked on myself as such) as “searching”. Just what I’m supposed to be searching for I’m still not sure about. There was a message at the beginning of the service (which was the Evensong and Procession) they welcomed followers of the Church of England, other denominations, those who were searching or lost. Now isn’t that the way that churches should be run? I’m not saying that the churches I’ve been to have been particularly unwelcoming, that’s not the case at all. But I hear stories of people’s churches who though they say all are welcome they always look down at the people who are there because they are questioning things, or maybe just going with a friend. I don’t know, I liked being somewhere where literally everyone made you feel welcome. Plus being able to sit among the dead who reside in Poet’s Corner (the place where Chaucer, Handel, Oliver, Tennyson and others are buried) was not too bad either.

I’ve never been to an Anglican service. Although from what I hear of the Catholic ones it sounded about like that, a lot of standing and sitting and standing and sitting, a little bit of singing (although less call and response), burning some incense to cleanse and bless the high altar, reading meaningful passages from the Bible (of course that happens everywhere) and the beautiful boys’ choir. If there was anything to be taken away from this event is that the Westminster Boys’ Choir is fantastic. Now I have a friend who is Catholic, and that morning she went to a Catholic church down the street from us and she said it was one of the most depressing things she’s ever witnessed. The priest apparently condemned them for either not following through with their Lent plans or for being prideful that they did. So I was completely prepared for something horrible. Thankfully at Westminster this didn’t happen, instead we got the lovely Dean give us a nice little sermon on how he’s been band from using all electronics in his house without proper child supervision. He went on to talk about where had the respect for the 5^th commandment gone (was it the 5^th? Honoring your parents?) and that how on Easter we should celebrate the resurrection and remember that He was once alive but now He is not dead (or something that sounded a lot like Jesus was actually a zombie or a vampire). But I like the celebration attitude, it left me feeling good about everything and even though I’m not religious in any sense, in fact I don’t think there’s a religion out there that covers everything I believe. I believe in people. I believe that everyone has the capacity to do well and that we all try and be the best we possibly can by what we think is right. I’m an optimist that believes in evolution, that we all evolved from a single celled organism that crawled out of the ooze when the earth was still its thing out. I believe that one person can change the future and that we should all try and make it the best possible future we can and not be so cynical all the time. I believe that someday I’ll see the ones I’ve lost again. I believe that I have the power to make my own destiny and my own path and that nothing is pre-determined but that everything works out in the end. I believe that everyone should enjoy the same rights as everyone else regardless of race, gender, sexuality, background, language or age. I believe that if you do what you love and that your kind then great things can come to you.

After the service was over and all the singing had stopped, we left the historic church and there were all of the deans, deacons, preachers whatever they’re called, they were all lined up to greet everyone with a simple, friendly, “Happy Easter” and a handshake. It was just a nice little evening out at church. And I may not have come away feeling enlightened or feeling like I should go convert to the Anglican church, but it did leave me feeling nice, and almost good about myself because I went, plus I was happy to say I got to sit with Chaucer on Easter Sunday.

Monday

A friend of mine told me about this huge sporting goods store in East London that sells stuff for super cheap. A friend and I wanted to get some tennis shoes (Our acting class about did our feet in) for super cheap. Well we went and it is huge and they have some great deals on things and yes I got caught in their trap of good prices. Although I was unable to buy the £10 pair of trainers (as they’re called here) because I found it pointless to buy a pair of shoes that had no arch support at all. So I upgraded to shoes that I’ll probably use other times as well, Hiking Shoes! They were £30, so not too bad, they were given the seal of approval from my backpacking friend on the trip so hopefully they last a while. Besides it’ll be good to have a nice pair of shoes with some support after the program ends and I have a week and a half to gallivant on my own.

Matinee of Chouf Ofchouf at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank.

A group of Moroccan acrobats putting their skills to use to tell a story of Moroccan life to another wise Anglo audience. Really interesting but most of all amazing how they are able to contort their bodies into such unique ways and can fly through the air. A fun afternoon out.

Tuesday: Moving Day

Last term we were given the option of living in one place for the whole eight weeks (which is what every group has done in the past) or to move halfway through to a completely different area of town. We chose to move (not unanimously). So we packed up all we had and moved from our lovely little flat on Brechin Place just off of Gloucester Road to Bloomsbury (more centrally but far from the other place). Moving wasn’t the most fun event in the world, it never really is, but nevertheless we made it to our new little home here in WC1B. I’m still kind of amazed as to just how close we are to everything now. The British Museum is literally right next door to us!  Well maybe not right next door but it’s about three blocks west. Whole new area to get used to now!

Hamlet at Shakespeare’s Globe

You may remember from a previous post that we already saw a production of Hamlet, well we just saw another one. This one was less concerned about making a point or making it relevant but they were telling the story of Hamlet the way it may have been told way back when. No connections really made to modern time or some through theme of that is different from the original text, they just stuck with what they had and went with it. And it was good! For the first time that I’ve seen the guy playing Hamlet actually looked young, and it was interesting that he was a short as he was (Tim V, he reminded me so much of you and it wasn’t just the height, his mannerisms, way of speech and everything about him, it was pretty much you sans American accent), not that Hamlet can’t be short it’s just that usually they cast the tall, moody, guys who are all emo about things, which can get boring sometimes.

Wednesday

Acting with Imogene 2: This Time, its Shin Splints. I love these acting classes but they may kill me someday. Well that’s a bit dramatic, everything we’re doing is great and I’m happy that I’ve done it, but when you have as many strange problems with feet, calves and knees, it makes the warm ups damn near impossible. But I kind of love it at the same time. It’s really a love hate sort of a situation. We also worked on just capturing slices of life, like walking down dark streets during the winter and seeing into the windows of houses and getting just those glimpses into people’s lives. Plus we worked on the extremities of emotion and how to interact with people, which is not only interesting to work with the non-extremes but also fun to watch and be a part of. It was only after class when I had a chance to rest and everything, my shins began to bother me, now they’re really bad and seem to be getting worse, we’ll see how they are in the morning I guess.

The Knot of the Heart at the Almedia Theatre, Islington.

Woah. What a beautiful production and a wonderful cast. The play focuses on the life of a 27 year old who takes opium recreationally and how her life literally spirals downward until she hits rock bottom. The thing about this is she doesn’t come from a poor family, she had a good upbringing and was well looked after. The play also focuses on her mother and touches on her sister and all of their relationships together. Come to find out that nothing is as good as it seems and that they all are at flawed in some way. But they try to work through it all and therein lays the challenge. It was well acted and the was a revolving glass house (sort of) for the set which changed every scene. Still mulling over if I liked it or not though, it is defiantly one you have to think about because of how many questions it brings up: Is addiction an illness? Does your family life contribute to your addictions? Are you safe from it? Family history and how that can alter a family?

Tomorrow: All’s Well That Ends Well at Shakespeare’s Globe.