Tangled Update

I do have one last England post to make, but in the meantime, here's the latest Tangled trailer. I'm liking it better the more I see of it, but I still just wish it were 2D. My 9th grade concept drawings are spinning in my head!



It's pretty interesting to me that they still haven't shown any inkling of the Menken-penned musical aspect of this film so far. Kind of interesting to see the marketing spin they're putting on it. I still have to ask... is it Thanksgiving yet?...

Ye Olde Englande, Week 7: A Lot of Last-Week Sight-Seeing

We were amazed at the start of last week to realize that we were down to single-digit numbers of days before we left London for home.  Time has been going fast, but we're making the most of our time here.  Julie has done a wonderful job of summarizing all of the events of this past week, but I'm going to share one highlight here, which incidentally revolves again around the theatre.

As much as I love musical theater, there are a lot of sort of standard shows that I still just haven't seen for whatever reason.  Sometimes it's just because, while I really like the show and/or the music, it's just sort of trendy at the time, and I'm not willing to stand in line for hours or pay hundreds of dollars or travel thousands of miles just to see it.  So, when I discovered Wicked was playing here, I figured it would be the perfect time to see it in a permanent venue (as opposed to a touring production), and probably at much less cost and time commitment than if it were to come back through Salt Lake City.  I found a really good deal on tickets online for a day that was perfect, and took great comfort in knowing that, rain or shine, the show would go on.  Sure enough, it was raining as we walked into the beautifully-decorated and green-lit lobby of the Apollo Victoria Theatre.

Though I have long loved the music and the Oz origin story concept, I was fully prepared to find Wicked satisfactory at best, as most contemporary shows are a lot of hype and, ultimately, fluff.  Well, Wicked was a little fluffy in parts, but I also found it thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish!  Julie, who isn't quite as into any and all musicals as I am, endured this very poppy, perky musical like a champ, and we agreed that its spectacle and flash of effects and design make Phantom and Les Mis look even more dated than we had already determined.  I'm not going to gush ad nauseam about the show, but I will say the following:

•  The cast was excellent, and I think Rachel Tucker should have been the featured actress for Elphaba on the recording.  She had me asking myself, "Idina who now?"  (Fiyero struggled in parts and his voice even cracked in the love duet.  Wups.)



•  For some reason seeing it with an English cast made it seem a little more authentic.

•  The orchestra and chorus were spot-on (and much more in tune than on the recording).

•  The expected and oft-hyped effects delivered, and the unexpected effects were great illusions.  I liked the dragon puppetry and Glinda traveling by bubble.

But the funniest part about the whole affair was the process of getting the tickets.  So I bought them online, like I said, but due to a few negative reviews about the ticket company, I was a little anxious we would have legit tickets, so I was already a little on edge as we approached the booth in Piccadilly Circus to retrieve them.  It should also be stated that I forgot to take note of my booking reference number beforehand, but I had ID aplenty.  We walked up to the desk and the ever-not-so-cheerful girl behind the desk (who we had encountered before in looking for tickets to other shows) was her usual irritated self.  She asked for my reference number, I explained I didn't have it, and then she asked for my ID.  What followed was a series of her snottily asking me for further forms of ID (just showing it would never do, I had to take it out of my wallet and hand it to her), and signing a receipt confirming that I had picked up the tickets.  She compared my signature to my two or three forms of ID in hand, then asked me to sign again (and compared again).  She asked if I had another form of ID with that signature on it, and I showed her that I have my old BYU student ID, even my bloomin' Social Security Card (which has an even older signature).  I mean, I could even have shown her my temple recommend if that would have satisfied her!  I told her I don't know what else I could show her, I have four or five or six forms of ID here and I'm obviously me, and my signature is what it is, and really, who signs their name the same way every single time??  Also, I think my signature is actually pretty consistent.  When I showed the slightest bit of resistance she finally relented and gave us the tickets, citing as her reasoning for such intense scrutiny the fact that I might have a twin who is trying to pick up the tickets.



...



Yes, really.

So, (as Julie said) just in case my Wicked-loving evil twin happened to be trying to swipe my tickets before I had a chance to collect them, she was being especially picky about verifying my identity.  I guess I should thank her.  Like she said, if evil-Drew were to beat me to picking up the tickets, I might have been quite upset and she would have been "the first to hear about it."  Though really, if I did have a twin, I think it would be rather convenient to be able to send him ahead with my wallet to pick things up for me.  If only.

So the tickets were fine, and the view was awesome, and the show was great.

The wicked.  Evidently no one mourns them.

Ye Olde Englande, Week 6: A Lot of "Agony"

Time yet again for my weekly installment.  Last week was cloudy and grey nearly every day, which will prove to be significant in the details that follow.  It's a long story, but I think it's funny (in its way), so here goes!

Ever since we lived near Regent's Park, I had been really excited to see Into the Woods at Open Air Theatre.  It's been one of my favorite shows for a good many years, and it seemed like an outdoor venue would be the perfect environment for it.  When it finally started playing toward the beginning of August, I found tickets for a night that worked for us and looked forward to a nice evening in the evening cool of the out-of-doors.  Imagine, then, my dismay when, as we exited the tube station and hurried through Regent's Park, it began to rain.  Imagine further, then, my increasing despair when the rain didn't seem to be letting up, and the show was canceled before it had even begun!  The days are getting fewer and fewer, so it was unfortunate that an evening's plans were ruined by the rain which I usually love so well.  Luckily, the theatre has a wonderful weather cancellation policy, and offered tickets to all interested patrons to return another night.

I really loved how they actually were IN the woods, and how the stage was dirt and leaves.

A couple days later, we had a new pair of tickets for the following Tuesday night.  The skies looked clear and cloudless all that day, and we were in our seats with time to spare.  Then, just as the intermission started, light rain began to fall.  Then, as the second act started, heavier rain began to fall.  Then, just as the princes were finishing their reprise of "Agony," an announcer asked the actors to leave the stage, and informed the audience that the show would be placed on hold to see if the weather would let up.  Then, as the audience were filing into the covered dining/bar area, pouring rain started to fall, and we again heard that dreaded announcement of cancellation, again with the option of obtaining return tickets.  This was starting to get a little ridiculous, and those who know me know how I hate to quit watching something halfway through, so I thought about what evenings we had open for the rest of them week and picked one for our return to see the final episode.

Two days later, I was checking forecasts on three different websites, praying I had made the right choice for the night of our return.  Imagine, then, my amazement when, as we exited the tube station again and hurried through Regent's Park again, it began to rain, again!  This time we were arriving considerably later, hoping to just catch the second half.  The park was closed, but we were allowed in, only to find the box office had also closed when the show started.  We decided to wait it out at the entrance until intermission (we could hear Act I coming to a close from within), but a police officer recommended we try to enter through the back way, since the front gates would be closed for the remainder of the evening.  We couldn't seem to find the "back way," but we did find the emergency exit, blocked though it was.  A very nice usher, who might at first have thought I was some kind of transient or madman, or both, heard me out, had a momentary struggle about finding his manager and seeing about the closed box office, then finally just decided to let us on it, with instructions we just be discreet about where we sat, and also with a warning that they expected heavy rain showers to start halfway through the second act.  We figured we might as well give it a try, so we stuck around, and even had better seats this time around.  When "Agony (Reprise)" began, I looked skyward, and sure enough, the rain had begun to fall.  Some of the audience put up their umbrellas and Julie put on her coat, and amazingly, fittingly, while the rain continued throughout the entire second half, it never fell harder than a steady drizzle.  The show was wonderful, the cast was mostly good, the costumes and staging were inventive, and of course the music was excellent.  Success at last!  And in phases!

I guess it's part of the experience to see so much true London rain.  Much thanks to my patient wife for putting up with my persistence (read: obsessiveness) in seeing the show, and much thanks also to unnamed usher for your assistance.

(As ever, check out Julie's blog for other exciting events from last week as our return home fast approaches!)

Ye Olde Englande, Week 5: A Lot of Lakes

So, just to keep up with things, I'll give a few highlights from last week and of course refer you to Julie's blog, where she has posted another update about our recent goings-on.

As for me, the highlight for this week was of course our anniversary trip to the Lake District.  We had made plans to try to make our way to Disneyland Paris for this momentous occasion, but due to some unforeseen paperwork issues at the UK border, we were afraid that if we left the country, we might not be allowed back in.  So, England-bound, we decided to visit the picturesque Lake District.

On the walk up to Hill top, Beatrix Potter's home.  It looked like a setting out of Lord of the Rings.

Oh, that Mr. McGregor.  Such a hata.  His face also seems to have been fashioned out of some kind of gourd.

We stayed in a charming Bed & Breakfast in Windermere called the Hillthwaite House, which featured a posh dining area and a wonderful selection of breakfast options in the mornings, which included a Full English Breakfast, complete with black pudding, also known as blood pudding.  (!!!!!)  There were many lakes, but our adventures centralized at the biggest, Lake Windermere.  The town, which reminded me a lot of Park City in style and tourism aspects, was fairly uncrowded and we enjoyed taking our time there.  We did a lot of walking, rode a ferry across Lake Windermere, visited Beatrix Potter's home (parts of which are featured in many of her book illustrations), dipped our feet in the lake, had some amazing ice cream, did a little window shopping, ordered and ate way too much Indian take-away, and watched some movies on TV and from the hotel's DVD selection.  It was a wonderful, two-night stay and we were sad to go back the work the day after we returned to London.

Anyway, as you can surely tell from my previous post, I certainly adore my wife, and this weekend away was the perfect celebration to commemorate and remember the events of last 15 August, which we did in great detail in our conversations throughout the day.  Best year of my life!  (That's right, the best.)

One Year Ago...

... I married my one and only.  I loved you as much as was humanly possible then, but my capacity to love expands every day I spend with you.

Wife, companion, best friend, confidante, lover, advisor, supporter, you make me a better person by knowing you.  You make me laugh and you make me smile.  You encourage me and you challenge me.  I'm ever learning to be a husband and you are ever patient and understanding.

Here's to one glorious year so far, and to an eternity more.

Ye Olde Englande, Week 4: A Lot of Revolutionaries

This was a busy and interesting week!  A couple highlights include the following:

As The Wife had never before seen Les Miserables, we were determined to see it at some point during our trip, especially considering it's currently celebrating its 25th year in production.  We found a pretty good deal on tickets, and enjoyed our balcony view of (almost) the entire stage.  The cool thing about seeing shows in London, as opposed to a touring cast, is that you a lot of times will see names and faces you recognize from other cast recordings (I recognized Valjean as the original Chris from Miss Saigon and Javert as the original King Triton from The Little Mermaid as well as a couple other shows).  We both enjoyed it, but I think we both decided that it has its flaws.   It's a little bit too much information and so many characters squeezed into three hours, which leads to less character/relationship development, especially in the second half.  It also seems like if you've seen Les Mis once, you've seen it a hundred times--it's exactly how you picture it every time, and no matter where, you see it.  Still, it has some very good music, and I still felt chills all over during the finale of Act II.  It was also great to catch some local pho at the Vietnamese restaurant across the street.

"One." (as in "Day More")

We also had a great time over the weekend exploring Westminster Abbey (Poets' Corner!) and Oxford.  We have also moved into another (our fourth and last) dwelling place.  It's so deluxe!  It's spacious enough to be comfortable, but small enough that we can get around and find what we need when we're on the go.  And the internet connection is glorious, fast and consistent!  It's very convenient for my work situation.

 Dinner in our new place!

 

John Locke!  In the Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford!

At the Bridge of Sighs.  Get it?  I kiss her and she sighs.

As ever, see Julie's blog for more details and facebook for plenty of pictures.

More fun things planned for our final weeks!  Stay tuned!

1st Annual (and Probably Only) Graham Regent's Park 5K

Okay, so we did have plans to find an actual 5K for August to continue our at-least-one-5K-a-month goal for this year, but I was kind of afraid that our Saturdays are going to be rather full for the next little while, and I didn't do enough looking around, so we just decided to organize a little 5K of our own.  There is still the chance that we could find one, but just in case...

We took a nice course I had mapped out and run a few mornings around nearby Regent's Park, with great views of the ZSL London Zoo and some of the park's gardens, fountains, ponds and surrounding estates.  With only two participants, we were both sure to rank pretty high overall, or at least in our age groups.  As it happened, Julie ended up placing first overall, with me right behind her (time approx. 30:45).  It was a great outing, and we sealed the deal by having hole-in-the-bread and a bowl of cereal at home after.

(But seriously, the really funny thing here was that as we started our run, we actually did see a big group of runners in the park wearing number bibs, apparently running some kind of organized race.  I kind of kicked myself the whole time that I hadn't checked around more, but then it might have been kind of expensive or maybe not even a 5K or whatever.  Maybe I should have done a little more research, hmm?)

It's crazy to think that we'll be home in plenty of time for our September race!