Week 1 of London: The Beginning.

As a theater minor, in order to have a diverse and complete understanding and appreciation for acting, there could not be a more optimal place to learn than in London. Ranging from Shakespearean classics to award winning contemporary works, genuinely experiencing shows and taking classes will vastly expand my understanding. Although I have been abroad multiple times, I have never been away from home for more than two weeks nor studied internationally. Part of the challenge will be adjusting and living on my own in an environment that I am not accustom to.  It’s as if I will recreate the anxiousness of my first month of Freshmen year.

I hope taking classes in London gives me a better understanding of not only my capabilities and skills as an actor, but also how other countries function on a day-by-day basis. In terms of school, I hope to improve on my improvisation skills and feel more comfortable acting in different ways that require courage and unpredictability. While I am not sure what the Professional Voice class will entail, I expect that I will be able to modify my voice easily for different situations on stage that adds a level of realism to my performances. I believe what makes an actor great is the elimination of the acting voice, the sound actors make while knowing they are faking it.  If I can eliminate that then I’ll feel like I accomplished something.

I want to exhaustively explore London culturally and try new things. Although I imagine London to be less scenic than other European cities, I want to do a bike tour of areas tourist ordinarily would not visit. Friends from other bike tours have said they enjoy bike tours because they are able to explore at their own pace, are able to cover more ground than a walking tour, and you have the flexibility to divert off the path as you please.

Academically, I want to train my voice so that I can add different accents, clarify emotions on stage, but most important improve my projection. While I can project well in some situations, it is not automatic for my voice to be loud on stage or in rehearsal, and by having my voice already projectable, I can focus on other elements of acting such as choice making and making genuine connections.

I haven’t heard great things about the food in London. I’m not the pickiest eater, but if the food is mostly inedible it will definitely hamper the trip. Our trip adviser said that while London’s cuisine reputation may be underserved, eating out could get expensive, so she recommended packing lunch to reduce prices. While that sounds efficient and nice, I honestly can’t see myself packing lunch everyday unless everyone else did so. One of my fears is spending way too money on food and not being able to enjoy anything else in London.

Another fear of mine is not getting adjusted to London quickly enough before the trip is over. Although we are there for five weeks, much like school, it can take time getting used to a specific schedule, weather, transportation and workload in a small amount of time. Hopefully the adjustment will only take about a few days, and I’ll feel comfortable with the food, train system, or anything else London specific.