Week 13 & 14: Act 5

I am sitting in the student lounge at Heythrop, searching for the words to describe these past two weeks.
I am packed and moved out of my flat, and this time tomorrow I will be on a train on my way to Paris.
I have said good bye to all of my teachers and friends-or rather, a "see you soon."

I never expected to grow as much as I did-psychologicaly and quite literally (Alexander class helped me find my full height and we found that I had an extra two inches that I was not using. whoops.)

All this past week, people were lamenting the fact that this program is ending-yes, this part of our lives is ending, but another beautiful new chapter is beginning. Plus, we kept telling each other, we shouldn't be in Act 5 when it is still Act 4.

Acting with Aoife and Shakespeare with Yolanda-two of the best classes, two of the best teachers I have ever had. I will be "affecting people" for the rest of my life.

All of my open rehearsals went off quite smoothly-which never happens, so I was a bit suspicious of my luck. In stage combat, I did a scene from John Dryden's All for Love as Cleopatra-what a joy that was to take our combination that we learned in class and perform it within the drama of that scene.

Movement went well, my partner and I put a lot of effort into our piece, and it was great to devise our own little piece of moveable art/share it with our peers. On a similar note, period dance also went well-brought our ensemble even closer.

Acting open rehearsal-I found a freedom and ease in the scene that I have only found once before-and it was invigorating. It was the reward for all of the work that we did before we even memorized our lines. Shakespeare open rehearsal also commenced in a similar fashion-Ophelia is now beloved to me because I realize I have more in common with her than I thought.

I wish I had more words worthy of a grand poem, to talk about all that I have gone through these past four months, not only by myself-but with all of the people who have gone through it with me.

So, I think I will end this blog series on that note-thanks for reading, whoever you may be.


End of Act 5/End of play/CURTAIN


No pictures, just a little quote by the man himself:

"This above all: to thine own self be true, 
And it must follow, as the night the day, 
Thou canst not then be false to any man." 

London to San Francisco-from one great city to another!

cheers, 

M.A. 

Week 12-Easter Break!

This week was a wrap up of all our classes. These next two weeks will be filled with various open rehearsals for each class-Stage Combat, movement, Shakespeare, acting. I look back at the past couple of weeks and marvel at how much has happened-in such a compact space in time-many changes in personal growth and a grand procession of memorable events. Needless to say, I am feeling a lot of pressure at this time because a lot of written work is due and many of our teachers will be in attendance at our open rehearsals.

But before we enter the final swell, we were treated to four days of break for Easter. My friend and I traveled to Scotland-both for the first time. We visited Glasgow and Edinburgh. Glasgow reminded me a bit of San Francisco because it is very laid back, but I fell head over heels for Edinburgh. That city is magical, and I wish I had more than a day to explore it. For our day in Edinburgh, we wandered up and down the Royal Mile and all over Old Town-visited Edinburgh castle, bought scarves for our families, visited Parliament, got lunch at a tavern that used to be a tollbooth and prison during medieval times (didn't try haggis...was too scared! Next time!) and climbed Arthur's Seat. All in 60 degree weather.

To be honest, I was so focused on not breaking my neck that I didn't really look up until we reached the topmost point of the Seat-but when I did, the view literally took my breath away (mostly because of its' beauty, partially because the wind slapped me across the face.) It was a humbling experience. We watched the sun touch the horizon and then melt into four colors, it was such a vision. A good way to spend Easter Sunday.

I will definitely be back-stole my heart-the rascal!

see what I mean?

for stage combat-a scene from John Dryden's All for Love. 

Right. It's Michele's Seat now, actually. ;) 

I must have taken five million pictures. 

until next time, lovely one.

two. more. weeks. 

-M.A.