Hello, dear readers, who are few and far between…yes, we few, we happy few…Henry V, anyone? It’s been quite a long time, hasn’t it? And that’s because I’ve once again gone on holiday, this time road-tripping up and down beautiful Britain with my twin sister. And now I have so much to blog about, having just had the best week of my life enjoying some of the most beautiful places on earth.
Our trip started in London and took us to Cambridge, York, Manchester, Stratford-upon-Avon, the Lake District, and dear old Scotland. Of course, it’s far too much to talk about in one post, so I shall split each day’s events into its own post, starting with our first day in lovely London.
We arrived in London far ahead of schedule, and took the Tube to our hotel in the West End. Our dad had been working in London for a while, so he gave me his Oyster Card to use for our visit, saving me a bit of time, though the same cannot be said for my sister, who had to queue to get herself an Oyster Card. Long has my worst nightmare been the crowds of the London Underground, but we arrived at a nice off-peak time, so crowds were minimal.
The Grant Museum of Zoology
After picking up some groceries at Sainsbury’s, we were off for our first destination: University College London. Now, as one who is soon to apply for postgrad degree programmes, I really should have been looking more closely at the campus and finding out what sorts of things I should know before applying, but like the good student I am, we merely visited the Grant Museum of Zoology located in the university’s Rockefeller building to marvel at the curiosities within.
A case of various skulls.
My sister investigating the microscope slides room.
Apparently, this little gem of a museum isn’t very well-known among tourists, but boy, is it worth a visit. The items within range from fascinating to grotesque, some of the more interesting objects including a jar full of preserved moles and a dodo bird skeleton. I wouldn’t recommend visiting this place if you’re rather faint-hearted, or if dissected animals aren’t quite your cup of tea. My sister, who is fascinated with taxidermy, found the museum to be great fun, as did I. It’s not very big, so it’s easily explored within an hour.
Once we had finished our investigation of the museum’s specimens, we headed over to RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) just a stone’s throw away down the street. I was a bit too disheartened to try going inside for a look, so I really just stared sullenly at the entrance before departing. I was supposed to be on holiday, after all, and the last thing I wanted to think about was what to do with myself after my impending completion of an undergraduate degree…
At RADA!
Along the way, we also spotted a bit of Banksy, a real treat for my sister, who is quite the art enthusiast.
A bit of Banksy.
After a quick meal at the nearby Zee Cafe and a brief nap, it was time to head off for the bright lights of Theatreland! As a theatre student and a long-time theatre enthusiast, Shaftesbury Avenue was my personal little slice of heaven on earth. The hustle and bustle, the lights, the theatres, the big bright signs emblazoned with the names of all sorts of plays! Naturally, it’d be a great shame to go to London, the theatre capital of the world, and not see something. We’d booked tickets a few months prior to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, winner of seven Olivier awards including Best New Play and a great favourite among London theatregoers. After a ridiculously successful run at the National Theatre, it’s been transferred to the West End. My sister and I had both read the book several years ago and were eager to see how it’d be adapted for the stage. At seven o’clock on a Thursday evening, the street was absolutely packed. We fought our way through the crowds to the Apollo Theatre, the first theatre to be built in London during the Edwardian era, opening in 1901.
Welcome to Theatreland!
The Apollo Theatre.
The Gielgud Theatre, advertising Private Lives.
As everyone knows, theatre prices have gotten quite ridiculous in the past few years, so we’d opted for not-so-great seats, which still cost us a hefty £32 each. But if we leaned forward, we could rest our arms on the balcony and see everything perfectly well.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based off Mark Haddon’s beloved novel, tells the story of Christopher Boone, a fifteen-year-old boy who has either Asperger syndrome, high-functioning autism, or savant syndrome (it’s never specified which). After the mysterious death of Wellington, a neighbour’s dog, Christopher decides to do some detective work and find out who killed Wellington. His investigation leads him on an unexpected and sometimes frightening journey, where he makes all sorts of discoveries about himself and the world around him.
The stage!
The ceiling!
Well, what to say about The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time? It was absolutely incredible! Everything about it – the staging, the design, the acting, the music – all even more brilliant than I possibly could have imagined! Trap doors cleverly opened up in the floors and in the walls so actors could take props out, and at one point, the bottom of the stage even opened up to represent the train tracks of the London Underground! Young Mr Luke Treadaway, who played Christopher, was nothing short of fantastic. Clearly deeply invested in the role, we witnessed him running, crawling, and being carried all around the stage and even up and down the walls. It’s no wonder he won the coveted Olivier for Best Actor.
It’s an utterly wonderful play full of humour and heart, and if anyone’s in London or will be visiting soon, I would whole-heartedly suggest that you do not miss it. I was so blown away that I was nearly in tears at the end and had to stop myself from blubbing at the curtain call. The raucous applause was so enthusiastic that the whole building rattled, and high on a sense of just having witnessed something truly extraordinary, it was time to head back to Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly Circus at night.
We spent a few moments soaking in the ambiance of Piccadilly Circus at night, marvelling at all the flashing neon signs and the commotion of activity. Then, it was time to descend back down into the Tube station for a quick ride back to the hotel. It turns out having fun is quite exhausting, and we needed a good night’s sleep to refuel us for the rest of the holiday we had ahead.
For those who are interested, here’s the trailer for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time…
To be continued, naturally!
♬ Song of the Day: Maths Appendix by Adrian Sutton, from the soundtrack of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Tragedy of Errors. 