Dave McRee
Evaluation
No evaluation is available.
Personal Evaluation
I had never been to the UK even though I had large desires to do so. The opportunity to experience London and London’s theatre at the same time seemed to good to be true. I do not expect to go during the 2005-2006 session but I do have strong interest in a second visit. Perhaps the 2007-2008 session?
During my two weeks in London I found my theatre. I had never really known what shows truly interested me. Seeing approximately one show per day changed me completely. What has become my favorite day of theater to date I found myself gleefully skipping home after a double bill of shows. This was the same day that I saw what was to become my favorite play – The Pillowman.
Theatre was to me, before the trip, Greek, Shakespearian, Broadway, or community based. That was theatre. People came to see a show and others were just as happy to be on stage and back stage creating the magic. It was a place to live within a story for 30-120 minutes. All the while, I did not know what it meant to experience theatre.
This trip gave me dark humor in The Pillowman, debate – where I defended Jerry Springer: The Opera for its unique positioning to invite newer audiences into theatrical houses and it gave me insight into a world I honestly had thought myself to be a part of prior.
I look forward to traveling back to London again with Dave. I know my experience will be largely different based on the number of shows I have seen since the trip. The big question wonder is “Will I experience theatre like I did on Saturday January 3rd 2004 again?”
Class Schedule and Information:
Minerva Court Apt # 7
21 Bowling Green Lane
London EC1R OBD
Thu Jan 1
9:00 pm Arrive Heathrow Airport
Fri Jan 2
10:00 am – Class
12:30 pm – Tour of the Royal National Theatre
7:30 pm – Les Liaisons Dangereues by Christopher Hampton
Sat Jan 3
10:00 am – Class
4:00 pm – Betrayal by Harold Pinter
7:30 pm – The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh
Sun Jan 4
Free day
Mon Jan 5
10:00 am – Class
7:30 pm – Jumpers by Tom Stoppard
Tues Jan 6
10:00 am – Class
6:15 pm – Mourning Becomes Electra by Eugene O’Neill
Wed Jan 7
10:00 am – Class
7:45 pm – A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde
Thurs Jan 8
10:00 am – Class
2:30 pm – After Miss Julie by Patrick Marber
8:00 pm – The Secret Rapture by David Hare
Fri Jan 9
10:00 am – Class
5:30 pm – Jerry Springer, the Opera
Sat Jan 10
Free day
Sun Jan 11
Free day
Mon Jan 12
10:00 am – Class
8:00 pm – Christmas by Simon Stephens
Tues Jan 13
10:00 am – Class
7:30 pm – Honeymoon Suite by Richard Bean
Wed Jan 14
10:00 am – Class
7:30 pm – The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Thu Jan 15
Flight leaves Heathrow Airport