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It just started raining really hard, big fat drops. I love that kind of rain.
It's been rather tropical here...hot sun, humid weather, downpour--repeat. Wonder if it's cooler in Oxford...
Yesterday we went down to Leicester Square to get half-price tickets, and as the line was incredibly long, I left my parents to it and went on to Old Bailey by myself (aha, braving the London Tube without a soul to accompany me...hee). Old Bailey was really interesting...
Firstly, yes, all the lawyers wear funny little yellow curled wigs and black gowns. We (the public) were in three rows of seats above the room, situated so we couldn't see the witness-a deliberate move, probably. I heard some of the prosecution, and then some of the defense (although I'm not sure which was cross, because I don't know which called the witness). It was a murder trial--a man on trial for killing his wife--and the witness was his daughter. Heavy stuff.
But overall I found that everyone was very...polite, I guess. There was a slower and quieter and almost kinder air to it than the US courts I've seen. The prosecution did have a bit of an edge, but he was polite as anything anyhow. Also the court was admitting a lot of hearsay (lawyer kept asking the witness questions like, 'and what do you think was his motive in writing this paragraph?' which would be strenuously objected to in the US), and lots of leading questions, which also would be objected to (both used them, which means it wasn't just on the cross).
Then we walked to a theater...stopping on the way at the BBC store, and oh my did I make out like a bandit. Whooboy. We ended up buying the CDs of the Lord of the Rings dramatization (to replace our tapes, which are dying and missing and old), and the CDs of the dramatization of His Dark Materials. Whooo! so incredibly cool, I cannot wait to listen to them, eee!
My parents are cool. A little weird, but cool. (They're always really really careful about money, and my mom especially can get uptight about it, but she's put aside money for this trip and now she's spending it on theater and CDs and clothes and everything with abandon. I'm not complaining.)
We saw 'Anything Goes' at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and it was--of course--fantastic. We were in the very very first row, so we saw the rips in the bodysuits and the sweat on their foreheads (got nearly hit by it a couple times) and my neck was craned up the whole time...really amazing show, though. So good. Especially Reno, she was incredible, and Sir Evelyn was hysterically funny (quintessential typical English gentleman, ha ha). Also the accents were impeccable, Moon's especially. Chicago gangster in one. Brilliant.
Had dinner at a really good italian place, went across the street to another theater and saw 'Old Masters' by Simon Grey, directed by Harold Pinter. Hmm. Very well done play, but I'm not sure I liked it. Most of the characters were gits and it was a bit slow to watch at the end of the day when I was tired. But theatrically, I'm glad I saw it, which I guess is what counts.
I might be going to the Globe again to be a groundling today...maybe. If the rain lets up, which it won't. I'll just bring a coat or something. Wheee!
Nearly to Oxford...twelve days till home.
It's been rather tropical here...hot sun, humid weather, downpour--repeat. Wonder if it's cooler in Oxford...
Yesterday we went down to Leicester Square to get half-price tickets, and as the line was incredibly long, I left my parents to it and went on to Old Bailey by myself (aha, braving the London Tube without a soul to accompany me...hee). Old Bailey was really interesting...
Firstly, yes, all the lawyers wear funny little yellow curled wigs and black gowns. We (the public) were in three rows of seats above the room, situated so we couldn't see the witness-a deliberate move, probably. I heard some of the prosecution, and then some of the defense (although I'm not sure which was cross, because I don't know which called the witness). It was a murder trial--a man on trial for killing his wife--and the witness was his daughter. Heavy stuff.
But overall I found that everyone was very...polite, I guess. There was a slower and quieter and almost kinder air to it than the US courts I've seen. The prosecution did have a bit of an edge, but he was polite as anything anyhow. Also the court was admitting a lot of hearsay (lawyer kept asking the witness questions like, 'and what do you think was his motive in writing this paragraph?' which would be strenuously objected to in the US), and lots of leading questions, which also would be objected to (both used them, which means it wasn't just on the cross).
Then we walked to a theater...stopping on the way at the BBC store, and oh my did I make out like a bandit. Whooboy. We ended up buying the CDs of the Lord of the Rings dramatization (to replace our tapes, which are dying and missing and old), and the CDs of the dramatization of His Dark Materials. Whooo! so incredibly cool, I cannot wait to listen to them, eee!
My parents are cool. A little weird, but cool. (They're always really really careful about money, and my mom especially can get uptight about it, but she's put aside money for this trip and now she's spending it on theater and CDs and clothes and everything with abandon. I'm not complaining.)
We saw 'Anything Goes' at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and it was--of course--fantastic. We were in the very very first row, so we saw the rips in the bodysuits and the sweat on their foreheads (got nearly hit by it a couple times) and my neck was craned up the whole time...really amazing show, though. So good. Especially Reno, she was incredible, and Sir Evelyn was hysterically funny (quintessential typical English gentleman, ha ha). Also the accents were impeccable, Moon's especially. Chicago gangster in one. Brilliant.
Had dinner at a really good italian place, went across the street to another theater and saw 'Old Masters' by Simon Grey, directed by Harold Pinter. Hmm. Very well done play, but I'm not sure I liked it. Most of the characters were gits and it was a bit slow to watch at the end of the day when I was tired. But theatrically, I'm glad I saw it, which I guess is what counts.
I might be going to the Globe again to be a groundling today...maybe. If the rain lets up, which it won't. I'll just bring a coat or something. Wheee!
Nearly to Oxford...twelve days till home.
