During our expedition we visited a few of the many wonderful theatres in London. In Shakespeare's time, London was home to many famous theatres like the Rose and the Globe.

First stop: Shakespeare's Globe. The original Globe is where most of Shakespeare's plays were performed during his lifetime. Sadly, the original Globe no longer stands, but just a few hundred yards from the site of the original, a new Shakespeare's Globe has been built. Just like the original it is an open-air theatre. This means if you are a groundling and if rains, you will surely get wet! It is exciting to be a groundling and see a play the way people did hundred of years ago. It is also really cool to be able to see the reaction of the audience members when they find something funny, or frightening. It is unlike any other experience and each performance is unique.
 
Second stop: The Old Vic, another theatre located on the south side of the Thames River. We got a special tour of the Old Vic from Trina. The Old Vic has been through many changes over the years. It is famous for its Shakespeare productions, and it is where some of the most famous actors in England got their start. People like Judi Dench, Laurence Oliver, and Ian McKellan have tackled Shakespeare roles on this stage. Trina told us that actors like these were not paid a lot of money, but were are happy to work at the Old Vic because it is an incredible learning experience. The Old Vic still gets some of the best known actors; Kevin Spacey now appears on this stage. He is also the Artistic Director.
 
Next stop: In a few days, we head to the National Theatre on the South Bank where we will meet with actor Paterson Joseph.

From high up in the cheap seats,

Tour the Old Vic

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