Hello Mates!
This past week in England we saw three wonderful shows! On Tuesday, we saw the debut of In Basildon. Set in present day, this play examines the chaotic life of a working-class family living in a London suburb (Basildon) that was established post WWII. The recent death of a family member elevates tension within the entire family. By portraying common family issues, In Basildon was well able to connect with the audience.
On Wednesday we saw Eugene O’Neil’s American classic A Long Day’s Journey into Night. Like In Basildon, O’Neil’s play captures family tension. However, this family deals with drug and alcohol addictions. After watching the two excellent productions, we were emotionally exhausted yet satisfied.
The final production we saw this week was a stage adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita. This play was a striking contrast from the realism of the previous two productions. Set in Soviet Russia, the play provides a frightening satire of life under Soviet rule. The production company, Simon McBurney and Complicite, produced a work that captured the eye with its magnificent use of media. For example, they used video to emphasize the actors’ facial features. In some ways, it was like watching a movie. Although the plot was confusing, the special effects made for an overall great experience.
[Carmen (middle) in front of Westminster Abbey]
As most of you know, Easter was also this week. I (Carmen) attended Easter service at Westminster Abbey. It was such a beautiful service. We arrived early so that we could have a seat. I heard someone mention that there was probably close to 5,000 people attending the service! The Reverend’s message was more contemporary than I expected – he compared Easter to a pawn shop (Christ has redeemed us), and he even brought up instant messaging (he tied that to how Christians communicate with each other through the act of communion). I don’t think I will ever forget the Easter I spent in London.
I (Katie) was in Paris for the weekend! Although I had planned to attend Easter mass at Notre Dame, the church was very crowded and the lines to enter the church were massive. After deciding that the lines were too long, I took the metro up to Sacre Coeur, a beautiful church on the north side of Paris that overlooks the city. There I was able to enter the church and attend a service while also enjoying the lovely view of the city from the top of the hill!
We hope you all had a wonderful Easter break!
XOXO,
Carmen and Katie
*Katie Caffrey is a junior psychology major with a linguistics concentration from Oak Park, IL. She is currently splitting her semester abroad between Florence and London where she is studying both art history and theatre.
*Carmen Stubblefield is studying abroad in Italy and England on the ACM Arts in Context Program. She is a junior psychology major from Oregon, her favorite foods are pizza and ice-cream.