April 19: Shakespeare Day – and parting is such sweet sorrow.

Today we met up at St. Pauls and listened to the church bells frantically calling the faithful to worship.  We were happy to oblige, but our destination was the Globe Theatre which was hosting an Open House in honour of Shakespeare’s birthday, which is April 23^rd.  It was amazing!  We enjoyed the exhibit, but decided not to play in the “Elsinore” bouncy castle.  The best part of all was walking into the Gobe itself, which is as historically accurate a rendition to Shakespeare’s theatre as it was possible to produce, and located exactly where his theatre stood.

Kathleen can't change into Superwoamn in this phone booth.  It's see through!

St. Pauls Cathedral

My new outfit, from the Shakespeare Exhibition.

I was rubbernecking the entire theatre, and forced Ian to take a picture of me with my hand on stage at the Globe.  People were taking seats, but we stayed standing, not exactly sure what we were going to see.  

First, two actors came out and explained the basic plot of Hamlet, with comic arguments about who had to play the women, and lots of audience participation.  The highlight is when eight different actors, male and female, came out and did soliloquys or set pieces from the play.  Each of the actors really owned the part, from the youngest one, who had done it at drama school, to “Jimmy” who admitted to having been Hamlet 22 years before.  A young girl came out and played Laertes for the sword fight, and she was amazing!

"Now Imight do it, pat, while he is at prayer . .  |"

An even greater highlight was when all the kids got a chance to go on stage.  So of course, the three of us went up, and I can honestly say that I have tread the boards, and been on stage at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre!  What a high!

We had only a short time left before Ian had to go, so Kathleen and I arranged to meet at our hotel in North Acton, and Ian and I headed back to the hotel to retrieve our stuff.  We made it to Paddington Station, and I took one last picture of Ian as he sat in the coach at the front, unawares.

Then began my own trip through the seventh circle of hell.  We chose to stay in North Acton, near Alanna, right above North Acton Station, but unfortunately, the tube line was closed for the weekend.  I thought I knew where I was going next – Wood Lane, but decided to check with the employee.  He told me I needed to go back to Notting Hill, and catch the “replacement bus” that ran over-ground from station to station.  I followed his advice, only to find that the replacement bus didn’t stop at Notting Hill, as it is served by other lines.  The next employee directed me to take the number 94 bus to Shepherd’s Bush, and with a few other people, we walked the three blocks to the bus station.  I asked, “Is it two stations to Shepherd’s bush?” and the driver replied, “No it’s six.”, so on I got, standing and wearing a pack and pulling luggage, until the 6^th stop, Marble Arch.  Another rider, who had boarded with me, asked if Shepherd’s bush were nearby, and was told that it was actually in the opposite direction.  I walked around until I found Marble Arch station, and went in and asked what I should do next.  I ended up going from Marble Arch to Bond Street on the Central line, Bond Street to Baker Street on the Jubilee Line, and Baker Street back to, you guessed it, Wood Lane.  From there I walked four blocks to the replacement bus at White City, and spent half an hour on a bus to the North Acton Station.  It took me more than two hours, more than 500 stairs, blocks of walking, and literally not getting a seat on any tube or bus, and of course I was upset because I couldn’t let Kathleen or Alanna know where I was, and we were wasting valuable London time!

By the time I showed up at the hotel, Alanna had gone home to make lentil stew, but she came back for sandwiches and blogging and planning time.  I think we have a game plan for tomorrow:  British Museum in the morning, Masonic Lodge at 12:00, River Cruise in the afternoon, and Gyspsy in the evening.  It doesn’t give us time for meals, but breakfast is included and we don’t have to get to the Museum until its 10:00 opening.  Sleep in day!