It all started the last time we were in London and I saw a flyer for a production of Hamlet that Jude Law was in. I thought about how I would love to see it, but seeing as we weren't going to be in London for that, I started planning with some of the other girls to see if maybe when we went back into the city right before we flew out we could try and get tickets. THEN Tom and Katie got word of what we were planning on doing, and Tom said that when we went back into the area of the country to go to Cambridge, we could probably try and go see it. Then when we called the theater it turned out that all of the performances were sold out, so we were going to have to line up early in the morning to get tickets. Well, since there was no way we could catch a train from Cardiff to London in time to get a good spot in line, we decided that we were just going to have to sleep in front of the theater all night to get tickets. Yup. And that's exactly what we did.
However, that Tuesday we had a whole night in London to do whatever before we qued up in front of the theater. So Tom, Katie, Zoe, Elizabeth and I went to the Globe to see if we could get standing groundling tickets for Romeo and Juliet. We found out when we got there that that show was also sold out, but if we waited for personal returns we could see if we could get tickets. We got in that line and were probably about the 15-20th people so we were pretty hopeful for tickets. However, we had resigned ourselves to the fact that we were going to be in the middle of the crowd, not right up by the stage, because we weren't going to be able to get into the groundling que in time to be that close. So, Elizabeth and I were the first to get tickets (the family decided that if only two became available that we would be the ones who got to go - how nice of them!) and when we went around to the other side of the theater to que we were the 4th and 5th people in line!!!! I know!! We could hardly believe it! At that point I went to the toilet and when I came back like, 10 minutes later there were about 50 people in line. Yeah. So we really lucked out. Zoe came to join us soon after that and Katie bought a seated ticket so we were all just waiting and hoping that Tom would get a ticket. So they let us through the gate to que right in front of the entrance door and by the time Tom finally joined us the line to be groundings was wrapped ALL the way around the side of the theater and like, doubling back on itself. Like, I still can't get over how lucky we were! So we got in, got to stand right at the center at the edge of the stage and it was phenomenal. Just like at Midsummer they had some guys come out before the show started who sang and did all sorts of entertainment types of entertainment type tings before the show started. This time is was 3 minor characters and the actor who was going to play Benvolio and the totally serenaded Zoe! I have to admit I was a little jealous because They didn't even pay ANY attention to me but it was hilarious. They started out just crouched down near the endge of the stage, and then they like, got on the stomach and kept singing to her, and then they all grabbed the edge of the stage and pulled themselves towards her - man it was great! Plus, Benvolio was SUPER attractive so that made it even more entertaining haha. Then, later on in the show, Friar Lawrence had Elizaeth smell some flowers that he was picking. So, bascially people on either side of me got paid attention by the actors. Like I said, I was a little miffed but really - it was all entertaining and lovely so it doesn't matter. ha the show was PHENOMENAL but it was also like, 3 hours long. So, we stood for an 1.40 and then had a 15 minute break to sit down, and then we stood for 1.15 until the show was over. Needless to say me feet were pretty thrashed. We had walked a long way to get over there in the first place and were carrying out backpacks which were full of provisions for that night (our building foam, trash bags, etc.) PLUS we had done like a 1.5 hour walking tour of Cambridge earlier that day. Anyway we walked to the tube station and then hopped on over to the theater to stake out our tickets for Jude.
So, there was like the 2.5 foot wide marble step in front of the box office doors and the sidewalk, which is where we planted ourselves for the next 12 hours. The theater is in a place in London called Leicester Square, which has a few clubs and a LOT of drunk people. Let me just list some of my favorite quotes from the night that were made to us
"She looks like a yummy turkey!"
"Are you all right?"
"Are you guys of the Baptist congregation?"
"If you don't mind me asking, what the h*** are you all doing out here?"
*handing Tom 5 pounds* "Here you go....this is for you. ALL of you to share"
"Passed by red buses
They made no fuss
They just waited 'til they left before they started to discuss
They found the English heathens
Weaving
Trying to decieve them
Stuck in their own conceit
While they sat back on their own seat
of marble and floor
Unsure of the certainty of the
ever after
or of the disaster that lay before
these non-Christian
Bastards"
*This guy actually talked to us for quite a while, his name was John and he was quite sober and very nice. In fact, he came back about 20 minutes later and had bought us each a can of Pepsi to help keep us awake during the night. Which was, admittedly, really cool of him.
and there were numberous others that someone wrote down...but that someone wasn't me so I'll have to get back to you.
Needless to say it was quite a dramatic and entertaining night. However it didn't rain, it was warm, and the people in the theater left the light that was over our area on for us.
And in the end it all paid off because the manager of the theater got wind that we slept overnight to get tickets and took us backstage after the show!! Yeah! We didn't get to meet Jude, however because he only has so much time between performances so he was recouperating and such. But we did meet Laertes and walk on/around the stage and see the SM's booth and stuff. It was really cool. Like, REALLY COOL. GAH!!!!
And as for the show itself, man words just cannot even describe the beauty of the performace. Everything was in greyscale - the costume and the cold, hard, stony set. However every now and then there was a splash of color. When the stage turned into the court a big red curtain was dropped down. When it was Gertrude's chamber a yellow curtain came down. And when the players acted out The Murder of Gonzago for Cladius and the court they were all in white and their stage was bright white light like an interrogation room. Ah I can't get over it! By far my favorite part was the scene between Gertrude and Hamlet in her chambers.
To set it up, because Polonius is behind the curtain/tapestry listening in the scene it usually played with the curtain going up the stage so that you can see either side of it. However, the yellow curtain was straight across the front of the stage and when Gertrude and Polonius were talking about their plan it was opaque and they were standing in front of it. However, when Hamlet comes in the sheet became translucent and you could see through it to the other side, which was where the scene was played, until Hamlet stabs Polonius. And when Polonius fell - he took the entire curtain down with him, exposing the action on the stage and making everything feel suddenly more naked and more vulernable - just like Gertrude, now that her "back up" was dead. For the rest of the scene Polonius lays half wrapped up that curtain as a constant reminder of what has happened until Hamlet drags his body away. Amazing.
Jude Law wasn't the only decently famous person in this show. Cladius was played by an actor named Kevin R. McNally who was Gibbs in Pirates of the Carribbean and was also in Valkyrie and The Phantom of the Opera, Matt Ryan who was in an epsiode of The Tudors and Penelope Wilton who was in the new Pride and Predjudice and an episode of Dr. Who. So - it was start studded cast and one of the most phenomenal plays I have ever seen.
Plus, since we didn't get to see Jude that afternoon, Alison, Elizabeth, Marianne and I are going to go to the backstage door the night before we fly out before anyone from the performance that night can get there so that we can get our programs signed and maybe a picture! That would be a great way to end my trip - right before I have to wake up SUPER early to get through customs and catch my flight home.
WELL FOLKS - that's really all I have for now. I hope you've enjoyed this massive update and I'll see you in a little more than a week!
Cheers!
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