While I knew that we would be seeing performances of Shakespeare’s plays during this trip to London, I had no idea that I would enjoy them as much as I did. When reading Much Ado About Nothing, I did not find it funny – a common problem I have when reading many of Shakespeare’s comedies. However, watching the play live was a whole other experience. I laughed quite a lot, and found the performances amazing! Seeing this play was a bit strange to me too, as we saw it in the Globe Theatre in the standing section. As I have been to many concerts, a standing room section was nothing new, but this was a whole new experience, as I have never stood for an extended period of time to watch a play. However, it was amazing to be so close and sometimes within the action, as the actors often walked through the crowds of people or called on those in the crowd to make them part of the performance. This felt relevant to me, as I have often found in entertainment across all cultures that the feeling of being so close to the performance can be quite special. In my personal experience, everyone who goes to a concert wants to be as close as they can to the stage, or taking the opportunity to reach out and hold hands with a musician. This was slightly different, but the idea remained – people love being involved in performance, and this form of entertainment can bring people closer together.

In comparison to the performance of The War of The Roses in Stratford, however, there were some differences. Obviously the genre of plays are different, with Roses being a war drama while Much Ado is a comedy, but I found the viewing experience different too. At the Royal Shakespeare Company, we were able to sit down for the whole show, but our seats were actually very close to the stage. We felt right in the action as well, albeit a bit less since the ramps the actors ran on were not on our side. As I mentioned in another blog post, the character of Margaret of Anjou made an immense impact on me, as I think it is very important to have female characters who do not fit into the stereotypical gender roles forced upon women. I think I liked watching The War of The Roses more, but both plays had about the same impact on me (although Margaret in The War of The Roses edges that play out to be my favorite).

After my two weeks in the United Kingdom, I think I can only describe Shakespeare as “adaptable”. Clearly, his works have been around for generations, yet they still are produced and performed today. As well, infinite discussions have been made about different aspects of his plays, such as race, gender, and sexuality, and how those plays can be changed to have a different meaning in a different time period. Shakespeare has adapted to the culture in every era since his debut, and pieces of his work are everywhere in popular culture and society as a whole. There truly is no limit to how far Shakespeare can reach, and I would not be surprised if he adapted to society decades from now, with even new takes on his works.

Given that this study abroad trip was the first time that I have left the United States, especially without knowing anyone, I was understandably nervous in the days leading up to this trip. Waiting in the airport for the plane was agony, as was the tube ride from the airport to our flats. Even before then, when I was packing, I meticulously checked over my list I made to ensure I had everything I needed. However, after an admittedly bumpy start, I have assuaged those worries and feel much more comfortable.

One of my biggest worries about going on this trip was the fact that I did not know anyone, and that this would be the first extended period of time where I would be without family. I would have told my previous self to not worry about it, as I would eventually find a great group of people. I am extremely thankful that I am now comfortable, and that the group is kind and fun to be around. Many of the adventures and sightseeing that I have done have been with the other students in the group, and I honestly do not think that this trip would be as fun without them.

Another thing I wish I could tell myself before I left for this trip is to just lean in and have fun. I am a very anxious person by nature, and, as previously mentioned, I was anxious leading up to the program start. It took me a bit to figure out the bumps, but I eventually learned that doing things outside of my comfort zone can have great results. For example, I accompanied friends on trips that might have been something I wouldn’t have done otherwise and tried some foods that I have never had before. As well, if this were not a Shakespeare-based program, I find it unlikely that I would have gone out of my way to see The War of The Roses and Much Ado About Nothing, but I was pleasantly surprised when I did see them. For me, this whole trip has been about getting out of my comfort zone, and once I got over the early bumps, I was able to just lean in and have fun. I know that I will be happy with all that I have done once this trip is over.

On our mini trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, our group was given the great opportunity to see a performance of The War of The Roses (or, Henry VI Part 3) performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Despite this study abroad program as a whole being based around Shakespeare and his works, this would actually be my first time viewing a performance of a Shakespeare play. I have had mixed feelings about reading Shakespeare in the past, as I have felt that some of the dialogue was too far disconnected and some of the humor that might have been funny during his time was not as funny to me. Due to my previous experience, I was nervous that might happen when I viewed the live performance as well.

I am quite happy to say that I was mistaken.

Everything about the performance of The War of The Roses was phenomenal to me, from the sets and the use of lighting and projection, to the sound design from booming speakers, and the intense choreography of the action sequences. However, nothing stood out to me more than the performances of the actors, specifically Minnie Gale as Margaret. I have heard that the Royal Shakespeare Company is top tier when it comes to performing the Bard’s works, but I was absolutely blown away by Gale’s acting. She was intense, most of the times shouting so loud I was surprised that her voice didn’t give out towards the end of the performance. Her anguished cries and curses of rage throughout the play became more and more fierce, with saliva expelled at one point in a particularly passionate performance in the later section. As well, we were very close to the stage, so we could see every minute facial expression that channeled how her character (and the other actors and their characters) felt. With every word I was absolutely entranced.

This, to me, is absolutely crucial to the performance of Shakespeare now. Many times when I have read Shakespeare, that passion does not translate the same way through the text as it does when performed, making the reading seem somewhat boring. General audiences might be turned away from the language, as it often feels inaccessible and held in high regard. However, when the passion for the work is clearly put on stage by those performing, such as Minnie Gale, it makes the story much easier to follow because you become fixated on what might happen next. While certain words may not make sense or some jokes might go over the audience’s heads, I could clearly follow what was happening within the play without having read the text before due to how every actor felt so strongly passionate in their roles. An actor’s performance can truly pique the interest of an audience who might have been put off by just the text, and this performance of The War of The Roses did just that.