"There is Just Life Itself" ~Emile Zola

There is nothing like McDonalds in the morning! We felt like we really needed coffee this morning so we stopped by Mickey D's on the way to school. I have never felt more American! However, when I asked for a coffee, he asked if I wanted white coffee...I thought I misunderstood him and I was like just a coffee, so he asked again "White?" so I said yes. Found out it means coffee that already has cream in it. What'd ya know! I guess it makes since...we have black coffee and they have white!

The coffee kept me awake through both my two morning classes, which were both lecture! First was drama criticism, where both groups are combined so the teacher spent a lot of time getting to know us, and then he told us all about London theatre: the different kinds, places, productions, ticketing, and savings. It was really helpful. Next we had theatre history with the same teacher, who I really enjoy, and we talked about Hedda Gabler's time period-the culture and what not. Also he talked about how Emile Zola headed a debate during the time in France about how people should be able to explore and create and thus the birth of Naturalism. He thought that theatre should be like an experiment, investigating life. SCIENCE AND THEATRE CONNECTION!!!! I mean he wasn't a scientist or anything but it was Naturalism that came from the industrial and scientific revolution. Then we read a scene from Hedda. I read Tesman, again. lol. And I know he is a great teacher because I learned a ton of new stuff about Hedda even after seeing it for 3 weeks every night! It was pretty cool.

We had a short lunch break (told you it was a long day) and I packed my lunch today! Then we had high comedy. I have found the perfect way to describe my teacher...he is an english, older Nigel Thornberry. He gave us a packet of places we should visit in London to better understand Restoration Comedy and some pictures during the period. We then got to play with fans and moving around. We also got the play we will be working on for the rest of the semester in his class called The Provoked Wife. He also told us in the Introduction to our play, in the Stage's History section, there is a mention of our Shakespeare teacher, Shelia Allen, since she was in it. How cool is that?!?!?

Last we had Modern Physical, which is one of my favorite classes because we get to play, but we are actually learning something as we do it. We played a game where we constantly were moving chairs to prevent someone from sitting down. We played jailers and prisoners, and a game where we switched bamboo around with our partners. The best game however was a laughing game! It was the best game I have ever played. Basically you go from smiling to laughing to utter hysteria with a group of about 4 other people. My abs have never hurt so hard. Wonderful!!

Tonight I have to memorize my sonnet and come up with a situation! And then I am off to bed before my final two classes tomorrow! Then I am foreseeing sleep, grocery shopping, and possibly a museum or play in my future!

~Lys

P.S I post a lot of the games and exercises I am doing for my own benefit, so I can remember them for clubs, and teaching theatre. I apologize because I know they make no sense to yall.