The Roads Back and the Roads Forth

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace was initially built by Cardinal Thomas Wosley, before Henry VIII seized the structure during Wosley's fall from favor at the start of the Reformation. Wosley was charged with securing King Henry's divorce from his first wife, Kathrine of Aragon, and Wosley's failure in this enterprise prompted both his fall from grace and the Anglican faith. The Catholic iconography, including Wosley's coat of arms, were replaced with the many depictions of Henry VIII and the coats of arms of his six wives. The Palace was extensively remodeled by King Henry and featured the first chimney pots in the country, all artistically designed and unique in a display of wealth. The design of the palace is in similar layout to the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, with structures encompassing the various open air courts. The Great Hall and Chapel Royal feature marvelous and intricate ceilings, with a network of kitchens and cellars beneath. The gardens feature everything from Royal Tennis Courts, Tiltyard, hedge-maze, privy and rose gardens; sprinkled with statues and fountains.

After the palace survived an occupation by Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth, King William III added massive extension to the structures and gardens of the palace, hiring Christopher Wren and hoping to parallel the brilliance of Versailles. However, when construction was halted around the turn into the 18th century, the palace was left in part Tudor and part Baroque style. Since this time, the palace has not been inhabited by the Royal Family and is open to the public as a museum on the Tudor and Georgian periods. However, as the palace is a model of Tudor and Georgian methods of heating and insulation, the drafty palace may be best enjoyed in the warmer seasons. Though there is usually a fire burning in the kitchens during the winter months.

New Palace of Westminster

With the original building constructed under Edward the Confessor, the Palace of Westminster has not been a Royal residence since the early 1500's when a fire ravaged the old structure. In the early incarnation of the palace, the building housed the Royal Family, the two Houses of Parliament (the Royal Council before that), and the Justice Courts (long before the Royal Courts of Justice were formed in the mid-1800's). After a second devastating fire in the early 1800's, the palace was rebuilt in Gothic Revival style as seen today, with the Justice Courts moving out of the structure as well. Since that time, the Palace is home exclusively to the two Houses of Parliament: the House of Lords (appointed) and the House of Commons (elected).

While the parliamentary procedures have been updated to modern times (iPads and emails), several old and interesting traditions still stand. Votes are still taken via head counts as members of the house physically divide into “Yaes” and “Noes” lobbies, a system they describe as incorruptible. Most interesting is several traditions developed from King Charles I's reign: no monarch is allowed inside the House of Commons. This leads to an interesting ceremony during the opening of Parliament every year, when the monarch arrives at the Palace and must summon the members of the House of Commons. There is an odd traditional ceremony where the “Black Rod” (messenger from the monarch) approaches the House of Commons and gets the door ceremoniously slammed in his face. After knocking with the ceremonial black rod, he is allowed to enter the chamber and summon the members before the monarch. Traditions like the “Black Rod” keep the history strong, while new referendums (like curbing the House of Lords to below a thousand members) keep the Palace of Westminster evolving into the modern age.

Her Majesty's Theatre; the Phantom of the Opera

A pillar of musical theatre (along with Les Miserables) holding up expensive tickets to cover obscene production costs. The original story might have more Frankenstien meditations, however Andrew Loyd Webber's musical gets awkwardly caught between Stockholm syndrome and yet another ingenue romance. I couldn't feel pity for the over-manipulative and controlling Phantom or interest in the ugly duckling story of the chorus girl. And I made effort to care, but after the Phantom's manipulating the young ingenue into a leading role and blackmailing the opera house with violent acts, I found that the "angel of music" anti-hero was just an asshole and the ingenue stereotypically dim-witted for going along with his manipulations. The saving grace of the production (not the repetitive musical score) was the basic magic tricks used with flash-paper, body doubles, and vanishing acts. The design of the show (featuring multiple set and costume designs with the plot being within a Opera House) were pretty incredible, and sparked the realization "oh, that's why these upper balcony tickets cost double what other West End shows charge for the stalls". There's no business like show-tune musical theatre industry.

Trafalgar Studios; The Homecoming

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Harold Pinter's award winning show, directed by celebrated Pinter interpreter Jamie Lloyd, and with an acclaimed all star cast. First, a quick recommendation for Trafalgar Studios: go to this theatre. Situated right off Trafalgar Square, this smaller Art Deco theatre has electric charm and offers more 'off the beaten track' works of theatre goers. Jean Genet's The Maids is opening after I leave as an example of the works that happen in this space. So yeah, definitely visit this place for a taste of alternative theatre.

The Homecoming is one of Pinter's most celebrated works, with a world of visceral tensions and sexual depravity. The eldest son returns home with his wife, to an all male environment seething with loathing. Featuring Pinter's signature style of power dynamics with fully loaded pauses. Best moment of the show was possibly the extension of one of these pauses through the use of a fly (localized sound effect) buzzing around the auditorium. Upbeat 60's pop music contrasted the menacing nature of the show. Got my ticket (middle house) for half-price at the Leicester Square ticket booth. Left the theatre enthralled by good theatre and simultaneously feeling disturbed (like I needed a good shower) which I think are all signs of Pinter done correctly.

New London Theatre; War Horse

So I went to this show for the puppets. I had my expectations for the story set really, really low. Pleasantly surprised. The puppets were amazing and used more than I might have expected: the main character was really the horse Joey, an elaborate puppet operated by three puppeteers. The story of a boy and his horse through WWI: the basic (and mostly predictable) story was well conceived in a devised theatre fashion similar to Jane Eyre; probably because this show is also a National Theatre conception. Probably the best merger of modern technology (specifically projections) and physical theatre/puppets seen so far on the trip (sorry Lion King). Worth seeing for the technologies, though the basic tear-jerker story is well staged enough to pluck your heart strings. You'll probably laugh, you might cry. You'll most definitely walk away saying "damn, that's quite an incredible use of puppets."

The Garrick Theatre; Winter's Tale

I'm not a person who gets very star struck. I shrugged at seeing Cumberbatch and haven't really been searching for celebrities while here. However, OH MY GOD KENNETH BRANAGH AND DAME JUDI DENCH DOING SHAKESPEARE!! I paid a good amount of change (and stood in the cold for two hours) to get a ticket to this show, and yeah I counted letters of the alphabet to find out exactly how close I was to Judi Dench (15 rows away at Row O). Though I will state that why I was so impressed is that this show was by no means a 'star vessel' like Hamlet was. Judi Dench as Paulia, though perfectly cast and wonderfully performed is not a massive part. Branagh as Leontes has a larger part, but Winter's Tale requires a strong supporting cast, and the production was tailored to deliver a strong Shakespeare production, not to showcase the talents of Branagh and Dench.

Therefore, this odd fairy tale problem play was ironically the best Shakespeare production of the trip. And I say that as there really was nothing to complain about (without being absurdly picky) and this is in the play where your production team has to tackle "exit man pursued by bear" while keeping the dramatic momentum. The production handled the tonal shifts of the play with expertise: from 'Christmas time' Sicilia to 'spring festival' Bohemia, nothing felt forced or awkward, instead with the contrast feeling of welcome relief. Also that Bohemian song and dance. Also that hilarious cut-purse character. Anyway, the production was fantastic, and a happy note to end on for Shakespeare productions this trip. Overall, wonderful and well-rounded production. That being said, seeing Dame Judi as a spunky lady-in-waiting overstepping her bounds to tell off an enraged King Branagh was worth the ticket price, but supported by the rest of a well-developed production.

The Gate Theare; Medea

A modern adaptation of the classic, this new production of the Medea plays at the Gate Theare in central London and not the Almeida Theater in Islington. The Almeida Theatre is in the completely opposite direction from the Gate Theatre, so don't get on the 38 bus going in that (wrong) direction. Obviously, I ended up in Islington this night, and missed the show. Therefore all I can tell you about this show for now is that it is playing at the Gate not the Almeida. That is all.

Winter has arrived in London with cold temperatures and colder winds delivering rain. 

Christmas lights arise en masse, with no Thanksgiving to feel guilty about skipping over. 

I write my final papers and we see our final productions of the trip as the term winds down. 

Malexander Supertourist receives his revenge, deserting Billy Pilgrim to the cold in his time of need. 

The road ahead and the road behind are ruled by the monster, with the dragon sweeping skies above.