Notes from the Underground Wind

I went down to London yesterday. It was my first time. While I technically landed in London at Heathrow it still doesn't really count.

I went down to see a play. Inherit the Wind at the Old Vic. Kevin Spacey was in the lead. I'll get to that later.

I woke up pretty early yesterday to catch a 9:30 train. The night before I had asked my flatmates on advice for traveling around that area. Mostly about the Tube but also about whether or not I should take my backpack. They said "Yeah. Just don't jump any barriers and you should be okay." There was an incident of a man getting shot to death for jumping the barriers with a backpack on. They also figured out which lines I needed to take. The Victoria to Green Park and from there I should take the Jubilee to Waterloo. The Old Vic is down the street from Waterloo.

I woke up, made myself some breakfast. Scrambled eggs, an English Muffin with cream cheese and Heinz baked beans. Beans on toast is also another wonderful meal I've discovered since being in country. Sounds disgusting but it isn't. I digress. I showered, shaved and hurried over to University station. Trained over to New Street and printed off my tickets there and hurried onto the train.

The train ride itself was about an hour and a half. It was a bit cramped but I managed. I just read a book for most of it.

Once I got to Euston station, it was ridiculous. So many people. The underground was flooding with patrons that they decided that people would pay at their stops rather than at their departures. I waited in line though. I bought a day pass just to make things easier on myself. I could ride any underground train I wanted as long as I had that card.

I got to Green Park and walked around. Green Park is located on Piccadilly one of the major thoroughfares in London. It was pretty cool seeing all the building around there right next to Green Park which is essentially like Central Park in NYC. There were also street vendors selling T shirts and oil paintings and everything in between.

I went back to the station only to find out that the Jubilee line was closed for repairs. I checked the map and went to Leicester Square though and walked around there. I took many photos. I want to go back when I'm not so stressed for time. That area had a lot of theatres for musical theatre and plays of that sort. I took photos of the marquees and of everything in between. I also walked around the National Gallery outside. It's free entry but I didn't have time to go in.

I did find a fish and chips shop and finally had fish and chips. It was pricey but I figured it would be. It's London basically add a pound to what you think it should be and that is what you're going to be paying.

Also the underground is hot. I sweated so much in there because of my coat, the number of people in such a small space and all the walking around just to get through the terminals.

After eating and wandering around I finally went to the Old Vic theatre. It's sort of out of the way and the building itself is a bit misleading. It looks small but it isn't. Once inside, and after I had picked up my ticket, I went to one of the bars in the theatre, they have those in theatres and I bought myself a drink. I also purchased a program for £4. It's pricey but it is a good memento.

I had arrived pretty early too. I couldn't remember if the performance was at 2 or 2:30 so I arrived at 1:30 just to be on the safe side. I just found a corner and kept reading my book.

I got my seat too. I was up in the top balcony. Even though I was that high, I didn't mind. There are aspects of theatre which you can see from that high up which you can't see from front and centre stage.

It was a hell of a show. The performances were really good. It started off slightly sluggish, I would chalk that one up the material itself. It's the last 2/3rds of the play that really shined. The challenges, the political undertones and the performances all come into full flower at that point. Also, the stage itself was pretty cool at how the actors brought everything on stage but you couldn't notice it. It was done so subtly.

Kevin Spacey was magnificent in his role but he didn't overplay it. It felt like an ensemble performance not a one man show. Everybody was solid and I felt like I had gotten my money's worth. Even the small performances which could get lost in the shuffle weren't.

Here's the trailer for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs8l8_ChRjg

I walked out of that theatre empowered. I also walked out of that theatre realizing that there is such a life to theatre which you don't really get in movies. Also, you don't get it in high school performances or amateur theatre (usually). Most plays I've been too, I've sat there bored but this one, I finally felt something. I finally felt pulled and sucked into the stage rather than sitting there objectively.

After the show, I wondered around a bit more. I saw some of the sights I had seen in the morning at night just to see if they were different. I went to Burger King and got a double whopper and after that I went another avenue on the underground and walked around some more. I went to Cafe Nero and bought a cafe mocha. Not bad, but not the best coffee I've ever had in the world. It definitely was a step above Starbucks.

I went to the train station and went home. I ran into some of my flat mates as they were on the way to the pub. I joined had a pint and then once we got home, I crashed.

It was a very long but very good day.