Shakespeare and Hugo... Storytelling masters.

So I've been pretty sick-y all week, but I'm slowly getting better! I've been trying to rest as much as possible, but I have to have SOME shenanigans here and there!

Shenanigans of this week include seeing Richard III and Les Mis.

Richard III was fantastic.  I loved finally being able to see some real Shakespeare; the women were even played by men! The man playing Richard was fantastic... he was just so funny.  Also, before the play started, he was walking around the stage with a "No Parking" sign (in reference to the fact that Richard III's body has just recently been discovered under a car park).  He was just a hoot.  I felt bad that most of our classmates got much worse seats than Jase and I did (and we were in the upper circle in the very back row).  Everybody else got put one more level above us and they said they couldn't see or hear most of the production.  I am really glad we got put where we did, though... this was a play that I wanted so badly to see!

Last night, though, we went to see Les Mis.  I hadn't seen this play since the fourth grade, and while I sat there watching it, I realized that I remembered the whole thing.  It's just that amazing.  The experience is burned in my mind, and I couldn't have enjoyed last night more.

To start off the night, a small group of us went to Nando's, which is a very chicken-themed restaurant here.  I'm not quite sure what ethnicity the restaurant is going for; they've got Mexican music playing, an Italian name, everything on the menu is chicken... it's just confusing. But they've got bottomless soft drinks there, so it doesn't matter. Hahaha. I got a fourth of a chicken and some chips, and Jase got some wings. It was pretty delicious.

Eating some Nando's!

We left and headed over to Piccadilly Circus.  Since we got there early, we popped into a Costa and I got a muffin and a hot chocolate.  Also delicious.  Finally, it was time to head into the theatre... we were all ... so ready.  We hiked up to our seats (upper circle, 2nd to last row) and saw a good deal of our classmates who had also gotten tickets for this showing.

The show started.  Can I just say how much I love the rotating stage effect?  It completes the show.  They use it to its full extent, too... it's amazing how something as simple as a stage setting can draw emotion out of me. (Just a head's up, I'm not going to say anything negative about how they did last night, because why would I do that? This is just the best show ever. They would have had to put someone like Nick Jonas in the role of Marius to butcher the show. Which they didn't.  Just sayin'.) Their voices were wonderful, the stage was perfect, I laughed, I cried (A LOT). Yeah.

Lydia and I before the show! 

Jase and I

I'm just so glad I was able to revisit my childhood last night.  It's like that music flows straight through me... YES, the beating of my heart matches the beating of the drums. YES, I will join in your crusade and be strong and stand with you.  Lord... it's the best story.. it affirms courage and grace under pressure.  It's just the best.