29 July 2009

As We Like It

Yesterday we visited Stratford and Warwick (pronounce that without the second w). I toured Stratford about two years ago, but it was January and COLD the day I was there. It's a really different city when you don't have to scuttle into buildings for warmth as often as possible.

Warwick boasts a giant castle that was inhabited until quite recently. It's all done up for the tourists and I kind of hated it (admittedly my traveling companions say I skipped the best part, but I did see the singing plague victims). It's very much what visiting a castle would be like if Disney got its hands on one. I'm sure it would be fantastic with kids, but I wish I'd lingered in Stratford and remembered to toss two coins into the swan fountain to snag myself a husband instead. I did take this one picture while I was there so you could see that it is very impressive despite my bad attitude. All of the people are wax creations. I'm not sure what that floating white thing is. Ghost? Camera problem?


In the evening we returned to Stratford and watched the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of "As You Like It." It was brilliant, as anticipated. I just saw the Utah Shakespearean Festival's version of "As You Like It" at the beginning of the month, and it's always interesting to see two productions of the same play by different companies. The RSC had interesting costumes. The play began with very traditional, formal, dark-colored outfits and when the characters entered the Forest of Arden, their clothing gradually became lighter colored and more modern. At the wedding at the end, they wore white (or light colored), contemporary outfits. Very nice. Here's my question for the RSC: Was that a real rabbit that was skinned on stage? It looked real.

6 comments:

Kirsten said...

I think As You Like It was less bloody and violent than Julius Caesar, which is what I say while in Stratford.

Courtney said...

Singly plague victims? Are those new because I do not remember the singing plague victims.

Moo said...

All I remember from Warwick are the pretty rose gardens and the torture room. Thanks for posting frequently. I enjoy reading of your adventures.

Alice said...

hmmm. I just thought I would comment, just because. I am tired. Must got bed...early morning tomorrow. I am way excited to go to NYC tomorrow. It will be a blast. Good times ahead. Keep enjoying every single moment in Europe. Breath it in! You are nice.

Alice said...

I am so tired I have to "got bed"...sigh. So hard sometimes.

ldsjaneite said...

I'm all for the singing plague victims. I bet the RSC version was fathoms better than my modernized version I saw in high school.