Guards and Guvnors

More quick snippets:

We had class and had another lazy day (of course lazy means catching my breath so I don't hyperventilate and so my head doesn't explode). We watched Star Trek, the first one, and it was fabulous. Made heart soar. I now say "I can do zat!" on a regular basis. And I need to watch more Simon Pegg movies. AND I need to see Star Trek: Into Darkness seventeen more times in the theater. But I love our movie nights. Just a great time to converse and spend time with good people in a great city.

Next day we woke up fairly semi-early so we could see the changing of the guards. It wasn't the greatest seat in the house, but great enough to see a lot of the processions. I took some great videos and decent pictures of the occasion. SO many people were there. It was fun to see that the Queen was there earlier that day. Met a couple from America where we discussed the insanity of all the terrorist attacks of late - like the guy who was chopped up by machetes. Fun stuff, right?

 Tons of people, right?

close up

The Palace (I kept thinking of John flying over it in the helicopter. Everything comes back to Sherly)

That night we saw One Man, Two Guvnors. I think people had built it up so much that I expected more than it gave me, but that being said I enjoyed myself and laughed a lot. There was some great slapstick! But I didn't like the script as much as I wanted to. I might have liked it more had I seen the original Francis because I really like the actor - James Corden. I think I may have been more sympathetic to him; I find him more endearing as an actor. Also - there was a ton of audience interaction, and two of the three interactions, come to find out, were plants! So basically I witnessed the Stooge. Sadly there was no Jerry Lewis OR Dean Martin. Dangit. But I must say I absolutely adored the scene changes - because it was a live skiffle band that played different songs, sometimes with cast members coming out for little cameos. The skiffle band was FABULOUS. We all picked guys we would date - I chose the adorable bassist who also played the spoons. Nailed it.

This guy kept falling down the stairs and getting hit by things. HILARIOUS.

Skiffle Band!

After the show we went Byron's for chips (I had courgette fries aka fried zuchinni) and shakes. We had some interesting confessions that would shock the others, and asked questions round the table. I shocked a lot of people by my confession about my feelings on Lion King. P.S. Byron's is still my favorite restaurant in London.

That's it for the days snippets!

Snippits of St. Paul's, Midsummer Nights, and the Blitz

     In an effort to catch up and keep going, I'm going to make quick little tidbits of the day, with a picture or two. You can check out the majority of my pictures on Facebook.  

    So this weekend was particularly emotionally draining; many hills and valleys. But, as someone once said that I can sadly not recall who said, "A bad day in London is still better than a good day anywhere else." I really believe that. So I was not very happy the morning of St. Paul's. I was honestly very excited about it, but the day and some other things have been weighing down on me so I was quite angsty. It was rainy and cold, we couldn't find the group, and I just wanted to get in to the cathedral. But eventually we did and it was giant and beautiful. I just tried to sit quietly by myself and let the cathedral heal me. As I've said before and I will express it again; I absolutely adore cathedrals. And I do find them quite healing. It was breathtaking and gigantically open inside. (Of course the entire time I'm singing Feed the Birds to myself.) We got to tour it so we went up and around, listening to the whispering wall and climbed over a thousand stairs to see the city from the tip top of St. Paul's. When I reached the top, all of my negative emotions were blown away by the wind at the top of the Cathedral. The view was spectacular. Sure it was windy, and not particularly warm, but I honestly could have cared less. I would have stayed up there the entire day - and night - that I loved it so much.

Walking around the Cathedral

View from the top

In the Golden Gallery

   After our trip we took a trip to Primark. Which is ALWAYS an experience.

Yes I wore these shoes

I was going to model but we got in trouble for taking pictures. Oops. 

 
    The next day was a bit of a chill day until that night where we went to the Globe for Midsummer Night's Dream. We got there super early so that we could be almost directly in the center of the stage. The fairies and such, which is what I was most excited for, were not at ALL what I expected. Much more animalistic and I thought some of the interpretations were questionable. HOWEVER - the players were some of the funniest things I have EVER seen. Each one of them were so indivudualized and they had a clogging bit that was recurring. Though Bottom was different than I had ever imagined, he was quite old (Gray hair!) and scraggly, it was the greatest interpretation of the character I have ever seen. I was crying with laughter during the "play"- which was the funniest thing I have ever seen. Ever seen. I will never forget it. Peter, Bottom, and Francis Flute stole the entire show for me. Francis and Peter were two of the most hilarious, fantastic, and adorable performances I have ever seen on stage. I wish I could take video of it; I would watch it as much as Singing in the Rain and Nativity!!

Midsummer Set

   The next day was Sunday, so I went to church which is always lovely. Though we were super super lost and super late. We met a super nice and quite attractive Englishmen that helped us get back on the right path. So we made it just in time for the second hour. Oh well, we honestly do try. It's all part of the experience.
   That night we had a visit from another member of the stake presidency - President Chittock. He is an adorable old Englishmen. I want to marry a man like him so my children can have an adorably wonderful grandpa like him. It was the perfect epitome of the cute old Englishman stereotype; accent and all. But it was such a fantastic and intriguing fireside because it was all about London in the Blitz. He talked about his experiences during the Blitz, he was six at the time, so he talked about what it was like in the bomb shelters and in being sent away to Wales. I loved hearing about the air force in the war and feeling very proud and lovingly towards my Grandpa Irby. I wish I could see him in the museum.

Saw this while lost on the way to church

Someone decided to take of the round parts of all the "p"s as a joke. I laughed. 

Saw this man on the tube. He was owning that outfit. And I loved it. 

Terrible picture but that's Pres. Chittock. And my knees. 

So those are my quick little snippits. On to travel week!

New City Corner! (Day 1)

Hey Guys!
   This is your fellow leader Madison. Some of you I know, but some of you I don't. I can't wait to meet you all! I wish I could be there to introduce myself in person, but I'm a little busy studying theatre in London, England!

So far I've been to over 15 shows!!! Isn't that crazy? So I will have lots of great ideas for you guys when I come back. I'll still be keeping tabs on you from over here on the other side of the pond, so stay nice to your friends and my friends (including the leaders!) 

    Just to give you a little background on myself, I'm going to be a junior at Brigham Young University studying acting and theatre. I'll turn 20 the day after our camp ends, so right now I'm 19 years old. You all will get to meet and love my sister Roxane! Treat her extra nicely for me ;) Outside of acting and theatre, I love to play music and compose music, to sing. I love to choreograph, dance, write, write plays, and make movies.  

    I'll be helping out with your show's script writing while I'm here - I can't wait to hear all of your fabulous ideas! Work hard, learn lots, but don't forget to have fun! (Though I have no doubt you will). If you guys have any questions about me or what I'm doing, have Blair write it down and she can send it to me. (Thanks Blair). Hello Miss Diane, Miss Lee, and the rest of my leaders! Love you all! And can't wait to meet those I don't know. 

   Have a BLAST of a first day! 

Madison Dennis