Seeing Six at Vaudeville Theatre
Author: Taylor Seupaul | Major: Anthropology
As I write this blog post, I have realized that my amazing and enriching experience in London has truly come to an end. There is so much to talk about, as I have learned more than I ever could have imagined on this excursion; however, I will start at the beginning, and go on to relay my adventures with you all.
How exactly did I choose Theatre in London as my study abroad? I think it is more accurate to say that this study abroad chose me. I applied to many different programs, all of which were getting cancelled due to COVID-19. This left me with one choice: Theatre in London. This ended up being perfect for me because I have been heavily involved in theatre throughout my life through my performances in pit orchestra. This made up a majority of my high school career, and I have been absent from the theatre community since entering college- it was sorely missed by me!
I knew that through Theatre in London, I would be able to see more productions in 27 days than I had in my whole life. This was something that would be an eye-opening experience by allowing me to fully understand different cultures. This is especially true when considering how different cultures can be portrayed in different forms of media. This is useful to my major, anthropology, because I now have more solid grasps on things like the artistic expression of cultural values. I was able to see this in productions similar to Girl On An Altar, where our group observed sacrificial rituals and the emotions that charge these rituals in the context of Ancient Greece.
Classes for Theatre in London were very immersive. This is because we did not have a formal classroom but were instead encouraged to reflect on our own thoughts through assigned blog posts at certain points throughout our study abroad. We did have one class meeting to discuss the first half of shows we saw; however, it was a very relaxed atmosphere. Our instructors, Shawn Irish & Casey Kayser, were fabulous. I felt like my opinions on productions and my overall impressions of London were validated and genuinely interested in by them. I was always excited to share what I did each day, even when it centered around my individual excursions and experiences. This class was unique from on campus classes at the U of A because when we learned about something, we were able to walk there afterwards. One thing I loved about London was that nothing was more than a 30 minute walk away. It was like we had a field trip every day, and I valued that experience more than anything else because in Arkansas, it sometimes takes me 30 minutes just to commute to classes.
While in London, I had the opportunity to attend both class assigned and individualized events. Our curriculum centered around theatre, and I had to opportunity to see shows such as The House of Shades, The Father and the Assassin, Straight Line Crazy, Lift, The Woman in Black, The Corn is Green, The Glass Menagerie, and Legally Blonde. In my free time, I went to see even more productions which included Mad House, Back to the Future, Six, Doctor Who: Time Fracture, The Haunting of Susan A, and Harry Potter and The Cursed Child. I feel very well versed in theatre now, especially since I was able to bounce my thoughts off both theatre students and faculty members. I also enjoyed the architecture we saw throughout London, especially in the theatres we attended like The Bridge Theatre, The Kiln Theatre, and The Palace Theatre. We also saw beautifully constructed sites such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, the Westminster Abbey, the National Gallery, the Tower of London, and the V&A Museum! Even though we visited so many sites and productions throughout our stay in London, we had ample free time. I was personally interested in the Harry Potter excursions. I went to a lot of wizarding themed shops, and even took a day trip to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour. I also took day trips to Bath, Brighton, Oxford, and Stratford Upon Avon to take in new sceneries, and I went to places like Chinatown, Spitalfields Market, Borough Market, and Piccadilly Circus virtually every day for meals. The food scene in London is like no other, and these parts of the city are places to hit if you want a delicious meal! Traveling to these areas is very convenient using the tube system, and even when tubes are not running, London is a place where walking is convenient due to the proximity of everything! I will miss being able to walk to beautiful places like The British Museum and Hyde Park on a whim.
To future students contemplating over this study abroad, I highly recommend it. I was not expecting to love London and its sceneries, people, history, and cuisine as much as I did. I even ended the study abroad hoping it would be longer! I do wish I had known beforehand the extent of what there was to do in London. By the end of the trip, I did not get to finish all that I wanted to do, and I regret not planning out my days better. I also recommend budgeting out and planning for meals. There is great food in London that you will want to spend your money on; however, you must account for the small necessities you’ll have to buy, like water. I think one of my highest expenses for the trip was water! These costs add up, and this was especially true for me since I bought at least two water bottles a day. Now that I am home, I am glad to say that I can safely drink tap water. After I get more settled in, I will be participating in lab work in the DEMBER Lab at UAMS in Little Rock, an MCAT course, and my Intermediate Spanish I class I have enrolled in for Summer Intersession II. I will be busy for the remainder of my summer, but there is no chance that I will forget my life changing experience in London for even a second during it!