Scratched it off the list! I went to see the RSC the other night with my co-worker. I got lucky that she had an extra ticket to the festival going on in London and invited me to come along as her date. Then I got extra lucky that it was a nice, sunny, evening and so we went to the pub beforehand for dinner and pints, and sat outside on picnic benches soaking up a bit of rare english sun while we munched.
The Royal Shakespeare company performs completely original script, but with modern sets and costumes. So, since Shakespearian English can be a bit difficult to understand, we decided to read a summary of the show we were seeing beforehand so we could try to follow.
Jo told me we were seeing "As You Like It," which the great love story of Rosalind and Orlando. One of my favorites, but quite a confusing and detailed plot which we read over together to jog our memories, and felt prepared to go watch the show after our studies were over.
Imagine our surprise when the lights dimmed, and there was no Rosalind or Orlando in sight. Jo had the show wrong - we were seeing "The Comedy of Errors."
Cue the irony.
I had no idea what "The Comedy of Errors" was about, and all our research had been for naught! As I sat there, utterly confused trying to understand where this plot was going, I felt like declaring, "I am fortune's fool!" Romeo & Juliet is, of course, my favorite. I'm a sucker for star-crossed lovers.
Before the first act was over, I surprisingly had a pretty good gist of what was happening; and after a quick Google search, everything became clear. "The Comedy of Errors" is one of his earliest plays, it's about mistaken identities and it's very pun heavy, which I love.
After the show, I found this guide to speaking Shakespeare online and decided to speak as much Shakespearian as I could for the following day. Methinks the guide tis quite instructive.
Instead of you, say thou or thee (and instead of you all, say ye).
Rhymed couplets are all the rage
Men are "Sirrah," ladies are "Mistress," and your friends are all called "Cousin."
Instead of cursing, try calling your tormenters jackanapes or canker-blossoms or poisonous bunch-back’d toads.
Don’t waste time saying "it," just use the letter "t" (’tis, t’will, I’ll do’t).
Verse for lovers, prose for ruffians, songs for clowns.
When in doubt, add the letters "eth" to the end of verbs (he runneth, he trippeth, he falleth).
To add weight to your opinions, try starting them with methinks, mayhaps, in sooth or wherefore.
When wooing ladies: try comparing her to a summer’s day. When wooing lads: try dressing up like a man.
Cross-dressing is quite a common theme in Shakespeare, and it is actually still quite popular among English lads today. Just give them an excuse to dress up as Maggie Thatcher and they'll do it. Wig and all. Quite pervy really.
I was glad to scratch this important thing off the list. I've got this weekend in England, hopefully heading out to Brighton tomorrow if it's not raining. And then the madness begins.
By madness, I truly mean madness. You see, summer in England is not summer at all. It is cold, and rainy and depressing. So, I have decided I am not spending my summer in England. I got an email from Easy Jet advertising £30 return flights to just about everywhere last week - and I took action. I am going to have a permanent suitcase packed because holy jam roly poly - the adventures begin as I make the most of my last 4 months here! I am going to be in a different country almost every weekend from July-September. My passport is going to implode before this is over....
June 30-July 1 - I'm exploring the glorious country of Wales! Which is attached to England, but is actually a different country.
July 6-8 Josh arrives in London! We're trotting off to Cambridge to go punting, in between attending some 4th of July parties here in London where I plan to dress in head to toe American flag print.
July 13-15 I am resuming my life as a Magic WAG in the lovely town of Blackpool with Josh at the world's largest magic convention. Bring on the tigers.
July 16-24 You will find me baking my biscuit golden brown and filling myself with feta in the Greek Isles. Josh will be reading in the shade next to me and will refuse to participate in poolside chit-chat, but we will hold hands from across our lounge chairs.
July 27-29 Popping off to Prague! My mom has a Czechoslovakian heritage on her side, so I've got to pay hommage.
August 3-5 Joining my parents in Munich where I will be able to EAT ANOTHER DAMPFNUDEL!!! This is surely going to be the highlight of my adventures.
August 10-12 Strolling around Bruges indulging in Belgium waffles and chocolates and Belgium beer.
August 17-19 Trying my luck at the casino in Monte Carlo and doing a little bit of brunir on the beach in Nice with my English friends!
August 24-29 Flying home to NYC over the bank holiday to spend the weekend Stateside with my magician, and to work from our New York office for a few days, and replenish my peanut butter stock.
August 31 - Sept 5 - I will be in a sea of pasta, pizza, and wine on a Roman and Tuscan holiday with my sister!
September 7-9 Saying my final goodbye to Paris, Didier, Valerie, and of course - the tour!
Sept 14-16 Zipping off to Zurich for a weekend of Swiss cheese.
Sept 21-23 My job requires me to be in Monaco for a Yacht Show and cocktailing with clientele. What a drag.
Sept 28-30 packing up my life and shipping it to New York - because as of October you will find me once again permanently in the United States of America!!!!!
And I think I will have no problem sleeping that entire flight home, because I will be EXHAUSTED!
I know the summer madness tour of Europe is slightly mental, and that I will probably pass out in a pool of airplane tickets and cheap souvenirs at some point in the middle of it. But I am young - and I need to live! When I'm a mere two hour flight or train from everywhere in Europe I can't just sit in my flat in rainy England hoping for sun. So yes - it's an ambitious 3 months ahead, but this is why I came here. This is why I left everything and everyone and a rent stabilized apartment in Chelsea and moved to England. To travel, to experience, to learn.
And so I do...
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