Ticket Stubs

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: I chose to study abroad for a million reasons, but the number one reason I chose London was for the theatre. In the 13ish weeks that I’ve been here, I’ve seen TWENTY shows (not including concerts). What started as a single ticket stub stuck on my wall turned into a pretty impressive collage.

Every time I look at it I'm reminded how lucky I am. I am SO thankful for the opportunity I've had to see so many great shows, to experience such amazingly well done theatre. I was mostly satisfied with the musicals I saw, but was surprised by how much I enjoyed the non-musicals. London definitely knows how to put on a good play! Through my class, Shock of the New: Contemporary London Theatre, I was able to see an array of brand new works that sometimes gave me chills, once made me cry, and always left me thinking.

What stands out:

Tear-Jerker: Greta Garbo Came to Donegal

Favorite play: POSH

Least Favorite: 11 and 12

Most fun night out: Hair. Dancing on a West End stage? I almost died and went to heaven.

Star-struck: Ian McKellan in Waiting for Godot (Keira Knightly doesn’t come close!)

Hottest Eye Candy: Dunsinane. Sam Swann, marry me!

Funniest: Pirates of Penzance. The all-male casting definitely shook things up a bit.

Complete List of Shows:

Sister Act at the London Palladium

Sweet Charity at the Mernier Chocolate Factory

MONEY at an abandoned Tabacco Warehouse

Greta Garbo Came to Donegal at Tricycle Theatre

Twelfth Night at Duke of York’s

11 and 12 at the Barbican Theatre

Waiting for Godot at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Breathing Irregular at The Gate Theatre

Dunsinane at the Hampstead Theatre

Billy Elliot at Victoria Palace

Jerusalem at The Apollo

The Hobbit at The Festival Theatre (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Gambling at Soho Theatre

Anyone Can Whistle at Jermyn Street Theatre

Pirates of Penzance at Wilton’s Music Hall

Hair at Gielgud Theatre

Posh at Royal Court

Les Mis at Queen’s Theatre

Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe

When I go home, I will miss being handed a free theatre ticket (or two) every week. I will miss queuing to get cheap day-off seats. I will miss having a theatre district in my backyard.

But I WILL be seeing lots of theatre. Guaranteed.