A Night at the Theatre

The Theatre is a huge part of British culture. I have always loved going to plays and musicals with my family so naturally I wanted to go to some when I was in London. Most of the shows are in the West End of London (feels like home). I was pumped when I found out I could take a class called London Theatre and Performance. I am getting 4 credits to go to a theatre show every week, meet actors and other important people in the theatre industry, and get tours of different theaters, one being the Globe Theater. So far I have seen 2 different shows. I have tickets for 2 more on Monday and Tuesday as well.

The first show I went to was "The Woman in Black". This show I had to go to for my class. The movie was based off the play which has been running in London for over 2 years. I was very curious to see how a thriller would be portrayed on stage. It was much scarier than I anticipated. There were only two actors throughout the whole show and then of course someone who played the women in black. The two main characters played many different roles throughout the show. It was a simple set. Props were the same throughout the show but they changed roles, so to speak, and represented different things. For example the trunk on stage was a trunk, a table, a bench, and a horse cart. It was really interesting to see how the show was put together . The effects they used to make it scary was really interesting. I was actually kinda terrified as I sat in my seat.

Colleen, Caitlyn, and I after the show

The second show I went to was called "Our Boys." Colleen and I wanted to see this one for fun so we decided to go tonight. The show was about 6 guys who are in the army but have all been injured in combat and are in recovery.  Matthew Lewis, who plays Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter, was one of the six actors. It was so cool to see him act in a theatre production rather than on screen. Again it was a simple set. They would have small set changes but what i found interesting was when the lights went down, the actors stayed in character since you could still see their shadows. It definitely made the show and their injuries seem more real. After the show Colleen and I made it a mission to find the stage door and meet Matthew Lewis when he came out. We did just that. We got autographs and pictures. We are partners in crime when it comes to things like this. We were both in heaven! We could not stop smiling after we left. Matthew Lewis is so nice. We were able to talk for a few minutes but there were a lot of people around. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy. It was such a great night!!

 

Casually hanging with Matthew Lewis

Partners in Crime

Autograph!

Paparazzi moment

I am excited to go to more shows and maybe meet more celebrities!?! (Taylor Swift is currently in town) I have a list of more plays and musicals I hope to go to before I go home. It is so fun to dress up for a night and go to the theatre. This whole trip is so surreal. It's amazing.

Cheers,
Allie

PS. I know I am normally a horrible speller but Theater is spelled "Theatre" out here so I promise I know how to spell it I just figured I would try and fit in with the British.