The Eye and The Globe

“Lord, What Fools these Mortals Be!” Puck, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III. Scene II.

One thing I have noticed on this trip is that “everybody got their something” (thank you, Nikka Costa, for this song is now in my head and probably in yours). For Kristyn, it was the Harry Potter Studio tour where she was able to get her picture taken in full house robes riding a broomstick in front of a green screen. For Melissa, it was the day of Roald Dahl where she skipped through the museum and story centre with childhood abandon. For Crystal, it was the production of Les Miserables, that not only made her cry but also inspired her to get a beautiful tattoo of Jean Valjean’s 24601 prisoner number here in London. For me? It was attending Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Globe Theatre. Nerd Alert: I am a big Shakespeare geek, so being able to attend a play there was my “something” that I was really looking forward to.

That's one BIG wheel.

Let’s back up a bit, shall we? The evening didn’t start with the Globe. We actually started with a trip on the London Eye. If I’m being completely honest here, the thought of going on the Eye was that “something” I was NOT looking forward to. I wouldn’t say that I am afraid of heights, but certain high spaces give me major anxiety: planes are one, and as silly as it may sound Ferris wheels are another. Of course, the London Eye is hardly a “Ferris wheel” in the carnival sense of the word. It’s a very solid structure with enclosed glass pods. I kept this in mind when I put the Eye in my “stepping outside of my comfort zone/trying new things” column. I knew that even though the thought of it freaked me out, I would do it. I was completely freaked out standing in line below the eye. Every time I looked up at it, the clouds moving past the wheel made it look like it was swaying side to side (it wasn’t, it was just me). The wheel is also continuously moving. You have to step on it as it passes the platform. It doesn’t move fast, but this was also a bit unnerving. Thankfully, our group got a pod by ourselves, and believe it or not, it was actually air conditioned! I am so glad I sucked it up and got on that pod. Any anxiety I felt faded away and I thoroughly enjoyed the 30 minute ride and unique London views.

Parliament and Big Ben from the Eye.

A walk along the lively riverfront led us to the Globe. We got there with about 10 minutes until show time, so there was time to go to the restroom or grab a drink but definitely not both. There was certainly not enough time to check out the shop (which I badly wanted to do). We did not have “groundling” seats, but they were pretty far off to the side, and my seat happened to be right behind a pole. Oh well. Nature of the beast when you are randomly handed a ticket. As for the play itself? Amazing. I really have no other words for it. The actors were emotional and funny. I really loved the traditional telling of the play. The set was minimal, which meant your focus was on the actors. There were a few modern elements – like the moonwalk – thrown in, but they did not take away from the play. One thing that I love about Shakespeare, and especially this play in particular, is the language. He had a way of making the simplest things sound so beautiful. Instead of saying “will you meet me in the forest?” and “yes,” his characters launch into extensive soliloquies to ask and answer uncomplicated questions. Maybe that is where I get my habit of rambling. As I always say, brevity is not my strong suit.

Walking into the Globe. So so cool.

Another thing I find interesting is the enduring nature of Shakespeare. The theatre was packed. All of those people were there to see a play written in the 16th century. I think this is because the themes explored in his most popular plays are still so relevant today. “The course of true love never did run smooth,” a popular line from Midsummer is still very applicable more than 400 years later. Nothing worth having comes easy, especially true love.