Days 288-293: The Mikado

On June 21st, a few days after mum went back to Canada, I performed as Peep-Bo in Gilbert and Sullivan's most famous operetta, The Mikado. Set in Japan, the story follows Ko-Ko, The Lord High Executioner of Titti-Pu, on his quest to obey the emperor, the Mikado, and find someone to execute... or be executed himself. 

It's somewhat of a dark comedy, with a lot of the humour revolving around characters planning each other's deaths, and it's often been accused of racism because of its portrayal of Japan. However, I think that the over-the-top situations and the caricature of Japanese culture are used to satirize the British political system, rather than poking fun at Japan, and the sheer strangeness of the story makes the satire more effective.

(Three little maids from school- I'm on the left, looking rather pleased about something)

The production came about in a sort of roundabout way. The performers were all members of the G&S society at St. Andrews, but it wasn't an official production. We just happened to have all the right people this year, performers who exactly fit the roles for the show, so we decided to put on a semi-staged version during the week before graduation. 

Since most of our society members were gone from St. Andrews by grad week, the chorus was sung by the audience, and we ran workshops throughout the day for people to learn the music. The principle roles were all cast by our lovely director without auditions, since she already knew who she wanted for each role. 

I got to play Peep-Bo, one of the 'three little maids from school.' Normally it's the smallest role in the show, with only a dozen lines and small parts in a few songs. In our production, however, we switched things around to even out the three little maids parts, so I ended up with quite a few lines and some substantial solo singing. It was a fun role for me, one I could bring a lot of energy to, with some pretty amusing emotional highs and lows. 

("I will instantly perform the happy dispatch with this dagger!")

Our rehearsal period was less than a week. We began rehearsals on Monday and performed Saturday evening. This meant that everyone was expected to attend 9-5, and sometimes long into the evening. I was a little apprehensive heading into rehearsal week, but the condensed time period really brought out the best in people. We all knew it would be hard, and we were determined to make it work.

Show day was certainly stressful. Due to availability of two of our principles, we never actually managed a proper dress rehearsal- the performance was our first (and only) full run! However, as we saw a good twenty people show up for the chorus rehearsals, and as around a hundred enthusiastic audience members turned up for the show, we knew it would all work out.

And it did. The show was by no means perfect-- I think I managed to somehow mess up every one of my vocal solos-- but it was fun. We were having a fantastic time and the audience was laughing and cheering and clapping and calling out 'encore!' I remember, near the end of the performance, sitting backstage and thinking how being in The Mikado, my favourite G&S, was quite literally a dream come true. 

(Behold the Lord High Executioner!)

My career in St. Andrews drama is basically over now. The Mikado was my final performance in St. Andrews, and in August I'll perform The Sorcerer in Harrogate with the society. Due to an unexpected job offer, one of our cast had to drop out, so I've been given the role of Hercules, which is a small but funny speaking role.

I'm so excited to have one more show with the society. Performing in St. Andrews has been an amazing experience. Eight shows later, I'm definitely a better, more confident performer, and as enthusiastic as ever. 

Days 247-251: Five Days, Five Shows

Last week was our second revision week before exams. Being the studious student that I am, I decided that the library was overrated and a trip to London would be far more fun. So I packed a bag and set off to enjoy four days of London's theatre.

The Rosetta stone at the British museum

Other than theatre, I also watched the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, which was rather disappointing. I stood there for over an hour and all I saw was  four groups of guards marching into the palace grounds and one group marching out. There were thousands of people there so I couldn't get close to the gates, or I might have been able to see more. Basically, I wouldn't recommend it unless you have tons of time to arrive super early and get a space right by the gates.

I also spent some time in the British museum and I think (after about four visits) I've finally been in every room. I loved the ancient Babylonian, Egyptian, and Assyrian statues-- it's just amazing how old and well-preserved the artifacts are. 

Now, to the five plays I managed to see:

Cats (New Wimbledon Theatre, Tuesday, £20 upper circle)
This production was only in London for two weeks and it was showing down in Wimbledon, which meant I missed the first twenty minutes because the tube journey down took so long. It didn't really matter, though, because Cats doesn't have much plot. Based on T. S Eliot's 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats,' it's basically a showcase of song and dance held together really loosely by the idea of the Jellicle Ball. While I was disappointed by the lack of a story, I was blown away by the quality of the dance and vocals.

Cats stage during the interval
(with Old Deuteronomy signing programs)

King Lear (National Theatre (Olivier), Wednesday Matinee, £15 Circle day tickets)
Starring Simon Russel-Beale, I had heard nothing but good things about this production of Lear. I was unfortunately in the very back row, so I didn't get a good look at the actor's faces, but I loved them all. Performed in modern dress with a rotating stage and a large military chorus, the show felt clean and slick, highlighting Lear's descent into madness and the resulting political chaos. 

King Lear's stage before the performance
(the moon was a projection, and they had it slowly eclipsed as we waited)

Birdland (Royal Court Theatre, Wednesday evening, £10 student circle)
Starring Andrew Scott, this play was the reason I went to London. I booked my ticket months in advance, since that particular performance had a talk-back with the cast and crew afterwards. The play followed rock star Paul (Andrew Scott) on his journey through fame, showing how it destroyed his relationships with everyone around him. Although the play itself was perhaps a tad too black and white (money=bad, real relationships=good) it was an intriguing look at fame, especially since half the audience (myself included) had only come to see Andrew Scott, who is himself dealing with unexpected fame. There was a fantastic scene where the character Paul declines to take a photo with a fan because he says that photos are like taking a piece of your soul... but after the show he took photos with a bunch of fans (myself included!) at the stage door. In that way, the play did a great job in implicating the audience in the devastating impacts of fame.

Moriarty! And Me! In the same photo! Again! :D 

Once (Phoenix Theatre, Thursday, £25 front row day seat)
Starring Arthur Darvill (Rory on Doctor Who), Once was absolutely adorable. The music was all played by the actors onstage, giving the whole production a homey, comfortable feel. The songs were beautiful ('falling slowly' featured several times- I hadn't realized it came from this musical). The story was poignant, and the actors all had incredible chemistry. Arthur Darvill was so cute that somehow his somewhat subpar musicianship made him seem even more endearing (I should note that he was better than I expected; he just didn't stand out in a cast of strong musicians). The female lead, Zrinka Cvitešić, made me love her from the instant she pushed past me to make her entrance. All in all, a beautiful performance, only enhanced by how I was literally touching the stage. 

So. Much. Adorable.
(the photo isn't mine- my camera ran out of batteries before this show)

Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare's Globe, Friday, £5 standing)
Seeing a show at the Globe was quite literally a dream come true. As a renaissance drama nerd, I've always wanted to visit the Globe, and stepping into the theatre was like entering a fantasy world. I was a tad worried about getting a standing ticket for a three hour show, and I've got to admit that it was hard on the feet, but the proximity to the actors made it so worth it. I was right up against the stage, placing me just inches from the actors. At several points they ran right through the audience or shoved us aside to make way for a triumphal procession. They utilized the space so well that I didn't mind the lack of lighting, a curtain, or the fourth wall. While I'm not a huge fan of the show itself- it's simply so disturbingly violent that I'm not sure it can be properly enjoyable- the actors all did a phenomenal job, and I was able to easily follow the plot despite not having read the play. Finally, during the bows at the end they dragged audience members up to dance across the stage, so I grabbed a hand and got pulled up onto the Globe stage! It was truly an amazing Shakespeare experience. 

Titus's triumphal procession through the audience
(this is also not my photo)

All in all, my London theatre week was everything I had hoped it would be. I packed in a lot, but not too much, so I was able to relax a bit and enjoy some time with friends on the last night. So much more fun than sitting in the library studying!

Day 71: Iolanthe Opening

Back in the good old days when Iolanthe was still an everyday part of my life, I wrote a couple blog posts about the experience. Due to lack of photos and general busy-ness, I never posted them. So now, I present to you, a series of three posts about Iolanthe. Today's installment was written the day of the first show, when I was definitely feeling the pre-show jitters...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Iolanthe opens today!

It’s bizarre to think that we’ll actually be performing in just a few hours. The dress rehearsal yesterday, where we finally got to use the real stage, made it feel a bit more real, but it’s still strange to think that all our hard work is going to pay off tonight.

There's nothing like being on stage again...

We’ve put so much effort into this show. Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas aren’t easy, but I’ve been really impressed with how everyone has handled the challenge. For the most part it’s been relatively smooth sailing, until the past few weeks where the little issues have started to surface. Singing with a live orchestra, for instance, is much more difficult than I expected. However, everyone’s really stepped up their game in the past few days, and I’m confident everything will fall into place tonight.

Fairies watching during the dress rehearsal

We had a bit of a scare on Saturday when our title character was ill. One of the other chorus principles was bumped up to play Iolanthe, so I had to take her songs and a few lines. It was a little stressful, having to learn extra parts at such short notice, but it was also really exciting to find that we were so well prepared to handle the crisis. As it turned out, the actress playing Iolanthe was better in time for the dress rehearsal, so the show will run as planned. But I still know Lelia’s part, in case she accidentally trips on the stairs…

One thing I’ve loved about being in Iolanthe is that I got to be the choreographer for the show. I joined the production expecting that there would be quite a bit of choreography involved (all the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas I’ve seen before have been quite dance-heavy) and was disappointed to learn that there would be very little dance. When the director learned I was interested in choreography, he started giving me little bits of music to fill with dance until eventually, just three weeks ago, I was officially dubbed Lord High Choreographer.

Loudly let the trumpets bray!

Initially, it was rather stressful being thrown into this role three weeks before the show (not that I’m complaining—I kinda asked for it…) I had four dance segments to create and teach to a cast of mainly non-dancers. The first choreography rehearsal was really nerve-wracking because I had just spent hours composing the dances, and I was worried the director wouldn’t like them. Instead, he really liked what I had created, and he contributed a couple ideas to make them even better. My volunteer dancers were also super keen and enthusiastic, and they learned the combination really quickly.

In short, Iolanthe has been a whirlwind of singing and dancing, of new experiences and new friends combined with general Gilbert and Sullivan awesomeness. It’s been so much fun, and I’m already excited for next year’s production. 

Day 9: Priorities

There are at least two of these in St. Andrew's

As an exchange student, there’re an awful lot of things I’m trying to fit into one short year. If there’s one thing that Fresher’s Week, with all its insane busyness, has shown me, it’s that I’m really going to have to decide on what is important to me this year, because I certainly can’t do everything.

Firstly, I want to enjoy St. Andrew’s as a place. It’s an absolutely gorgeous little town, with beautiful beaches, cute shops, and so many picturesque walks. I definitely can’t neglect the sights right here.

Secondly, I have to take advantage of all St. Andrew’s has to offer as a university. There are at least five societies that I’d like to join, and I’m beginning to realize I simply won’t have time to be an active member of them all. The Christian Union (and affiliated CMAD- Christian Music and Drama) takes priority, but there are also the busy Mermaids, who put on numerous theatre shows a year, the Dance Society, Inklight (the writing society), the Gilbert and Sullivan society, and the Doctor Who society. Who knows… this year could even be the perfect year to take up something completely new, like fencing!

Frencing demo this afternoon. Might get to try it myself
on Monday!

Of course, I’d like to have a social life. I’ll probably spend time with most of my friends in society get-togethers, but I assume that as I get to know people better I’ll spend more time with them outside of organized events. The other Bobby Jones scholars, for instance, aren’t in any of the societies that I am, but I imagine that plenty of hangouts will occur.

Then, I want to travel. I want to see more of Scotland, more of the UK, more of Europe… Yes, St. Andrew’s is a wonderful place, but it’s also a stepping stone to so many other wonderful places. Travel may require a fair bit of both time and money, but I’d be stupid to not take advantage of this opportunity to see so many new cities and countries.

Random church-- old building are
EVERYWHERE around here.

Finally, I do actually need to study. I met another exchange student today who’s in the wonderful position of having her courses transfer as pass or fail, so her marks really don’t matter. Unfortunately for me, I’ll have to forward transcripts directly from St. Andrew’s for all my graduate applications, meaning that my marks here have to be good if I’d like a shot at a sizable scholarship for my MA and PhD.

Right now I feel energized and excited for all the possibilities, but soon it’s going to be time to prioritize and to cut down. I’d like to think that I can do everything, but in reality, that’s not an option. Sadly, I’m going to have to pick and choose.

I guess this is a good problem to have. Yes, it’ll be sad to give up certain societies I wanted to join, or places I wanted to go. But, in the end, I’ll be left with just the best of the best.

I’m ready for an unforgettable year.

Not sure if it's socially acceptable to just take photos of people's houses, but it was just so cute!

Little pathway that winds near my house

Flowers growing out of the stone wall

Artsy sunshine

More flowers!

The roofs of St. Andrew's

Welcome!

I am Elanor Lawrence, a Young Adult author currently seeking representation. In publishing lingo, that means that I haven’t been published yet but I’m seriously working at it. I also love acting and I write and direct my own plays as well as take Musical Theatre classes. I’m seventeen years old and was homeschooled for most of my life, but now I’m in my first semester of University. Hopefully in four more years I’ll end up with an BA, majoring in English. Right now I live on Prince Edward Island (Canada) and go to UPEI, but hopefully next year I’ll head over to the University of Western Ontario in London, ON.

Jesus is my savior, and I try to do everything for him. While I often fail at that, I pray that he will use me for His glory. This blog is part of my effort to live for him; everything I write on here will be from a Christian perspective. My book/movie/music reviews will all have a section dealing especially with the religious themes in the art. While I will try to be understanding of other people’s views, I will not compromise my beliefs.

What will I be talking about? As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I will have reviews of books, movies and music, as well as keeping you up to date about my writing and the road to becoming a published author. I’m a member of the website inkpop.com, and occasionally I will feature users or project from that site, as well as writing tips that I’ve learned from critiquing over 400 stories. I’ll have a column of interesting facts that I learn at University and the scoop about how I, as a homeschooler, got into University in the first place. I might talk a bit about modest fashion trends, and tell anecdotes from life on the Island and my experiences in the arts community of PEI. All in all, this is going to be a blog with a lot of different posts.

My schedule for the first while:
Tuesday: Book Review
Thursday: Writing Series (How to Create Interesting Main Characters)
Saturday: Life of a Homeschooled English Major on Prince Edward Island

Feel free to comment; I’d love to hear your thoughts about anything I post. If you have any questions, or would like me to address a specific issue, then let me know and I’ll do my best.

Thanks for reading,
~Elanor