Here are a few of the props we were able to work with in my theatre course today. This photo kind of reminded me of the pictures in the old I Spy books I used to read growing up.
Alright I know it has been a really long time since I did a blog post about what I’ve been up to, so I thought I’d give everyone a quick update! Today I had my Questions of Dramaturgy course which can be quite exhausting because it lasts for about eight hours with an included hour for lunch. The morning half of class is dedicated to working with a different tutor in a workshop where we get to learn about different methods to jump-start our creative thinking to create a performance piece, while the second half of class is used to rehearse what we practiced earlier in the day. Although the workshops are interesting, I’m not gonna lie, it is pretty draining to have my long day of class on a Friday. The workshop I attended today focused on the use of objects in devising a performance piece, for example how that object could be interacted with in a different way, how it could be used to establish a back story for a character, or how the form of that object could provide a general concept to center a scene around.
During the workshop we were able to explore how to use different props and got to explore the space with music accompaniment. I absolutely love warming up and working with music in the background because not only is it relaxing, it can really set the tone for the work that you come up with. One of the songs our tutor played that I really liked was composed by Philip Glass for the film The Hours. I first heard Philip Glass on Pandora radio a couple of years ago and love the heavy use of strings and repetitive quality of his compositions because they are very soothing and can elicit many emotions. Have a little listen!
After a long day of class, I was about ready to take a nice nap, but I had already planned on paying the Victoria and Albert Museum a visit with some friends, so I pushed through my exhaustion and let me tell you, it was well worth it! The first perk about this museum is that it’s free just like many of the other museums in London. This Friday, the museum was opened late for a night event with different exhibits, activities, and Dj’s to keep the people entertained. This time the theme was back to the 80’s which was super exciting for me because I really enjoy 80’s music! We ended up taking the bus over to the museum because it was a bit cheaper than the tube and we weren’t in a major rush to get to the event anyway. When we boarded the bus, we were actually able to get front row seats on the upper deck and prime viewing for the Central London night scene! Also, the oyster card reader wasn’t working so we didn’t have to pay for the ride! Unfortunately, upon our arrival to the bus stop, we realized our directions had taken us to the Victoria and Albert restaurant and we had traveled 25 minutes in the wrong direction. But hey, at least we got a free bus tour of central London right?
Blurry iPhone picture through the bus window. You can even see our reflection in the window!
In addition to getting to look at the regular museum exhibits, there was an area set up where you could get dolled up 80’s style courtesy of Illamasqua makeup artists, view popular 80’s fashion, dance to 80’s music and interact with people dressed up wandering around the event. I was able to wander through some really fascinating exhibits, especially the fashion through the years section where there were different outfits on display. I definitely enjoyed my time at the V&A and plan on going back in the near future to do some more exploring!
To the left is a photo of the Scarlett Dress pattern draped on a dress form, and on the right is the ceiling of the entrance to the museum lit up for the event.
That’s all I have for now, and I promise next time to remember to bring my camera along for better photos!
Until next time,
Lainey xoxo
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