The other, slightly less important parts of my time in London

-- pictures --

I was in London from the third to the sixth... a busy couple days. I got there in the early afternoon Wednesday, and had to waste a few hours before Eddie Izzard time. I walked through Leicester Square... happened across the UK premiere of the film Twilight. I climbed up a bit to see what was going on, and saw from afar the two lead actors and the author of the books. I'm not a huge fan, but it was kinda neat for a distraction. I then had some delicious sushi... the first I've had in months. Yum. The rest of my evening was all concerned with Eddie Izzard, as I wrote before

Thursday I planned on attempting to get Hamlet tickets -- with David Tennant as Hamlet, and Patrick Stewart as Claudius. Like my Love's Labours Lost tickets in Stratford, these have been sold out for months and months. I showed up early at the theatre, and waited for the box office to open (hoping for the best). One of the girls in front of me in the queue happened to work for the editor of the RSC Complete Works, so she had some neat inside stories (like how apparently Patrick Stewart isn't the kindest of people). I did manage to get a ticket... but in the altitude-sickness-inducing grand circle. I could see the whole stage, and the performance was excellent, but I wish I could have been closer. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll have another chance... a slight letdown. Before the play, I spent the rest of the day wandering around the British museum and Soho

Friday I was kinda all over the place. I went to the Globe theatre (not super exciting), walked around the Eye (there were street performers and a Christmas market), and went to both Tate museums. The Tate Britain had some sort of late-night weirdness going on, with odd performances and stuff. I was feeling a bit lazy, so I went to the movies and saw Burn After Reading, which I thoroughly enjoyed. After that was part two of the Eddie Izzard experience... then to bed.

Saturday, I killed a bit of time in the National Gallery, and headed back to Nottingham.

Lots of famous people in a couple days. I was actually just a couple feet from Patrick Stewart after Hamlet, and could have gotten his autograph/picture if I had been paying attention. Plus, since then, I have realized that I got extremely lucky -- a couple days ago, David Tennant injured his back (he's got to have some surgery now, the poor guy) and won't be back in the theatre until at least after Christmas. During Hamlet, he jumps all over the stage... there's no way he could continue with back problems. The role of Hamlet has been taken over by Edward Bennett, who normally plays Laertes. It looks like I was lucky to see David Tennant as Hamlet at all... hopefully he'll be feeling better before the run finishes in early January.