The Olympics are Coming!

On my way into the city I stopped in Stratford. That is where a bulk of the Olympics are going to be taking place. Wow! Stratford has CHANGED! I remember it much more run down and old looking. Now it looks like someone sprayed it with new, high end, big, squeaky clean, and fancy solution. There is a HUGE mall. And I mean HUGE!!! There is a good view of the stadium and the surrounding sites from a department store in the mall that overlooks everything.

I then went to Portabello Road. It was raining when I first got out of the station. But it stopped, which I was happy cause then I was able to take some photographs on my way to the market area.  I love Portabello Road.  The whole time I was there I was singing the song from the movie “Bed knobs and Broomsticks” That I used to watch when I was growing up. Man! What a good movie! I want to watch it again!

I found some gifts for the girls in my family! Be excited! ;) and then I headed over to Picadilly Circus.  I went and saw a Play. “Long Days Journey into Night.” By Eugene O’Neil.  It was Very well done! The acting was great and it is a serious drama that addresses a lot of real life problems.  I think I would have appreciated this show more if I had someone to watch it with and then have been able to discuss it and analyze it with. Oh Miriam…. Why are you not here with me!? HA!

Instead I found myself thinking about how I could use this script with applied theater techniques. How I could freeze the action at certain point and as the facilitator step out and ask the audience their opinions and ask if there is anything that they would want to change or do to make the situation better or different. And get some spect-actors up on stage to try out their scenarios and versions of what they would like to have happen instead. 

This was a play that really calls for more than to be entertained.  It begs for some critical thinking and reflection about some hard questions in life.

Comes to show that often I am not completely satisfied by the entertainment aspect of theater.  I know the potential and power of theater – I have seen how it makes a difference and its ability to change and make a huge difference in lives.