Evie's London Escort Blog

This week has been theatrical. First up was Romeo and Juliet.

I love going to the Globe, The last 2 seasons I’ve seen everything they’ve done, along with a handful of RSC in the Winter.  Troilus and Cressida next (Another tragedy, damn!)

I met up with a friend for sushi and cocktails beforehand, and then headed to Southbank to walk along the river past Tate Modern and into the Globe.

The Globe is especially fun if you’re in the yard. The yard is for ‘groundlings’ its standing room only, you queue up early, get in and rush in to mark out your territory. Back in the 1600s the groundlings area was for people too poor to pay the fee for a bench and cushion (And a roof) It cost a penny. I guess they used to cram them in, but now the crowd is of course limited so it’s really nowhere near as bad as it sounds, and way better than being in a crowd at a concert. It ALSO happens to be some of the best view in the house! We got right up against the front and had a perfect unobstructed view of everything. For a fiver you can plunk your bag down for some top notch theatre in a beautiful venue and absorb some art.

The fun thing in the groundling area is the feeling you get of being *part of the play, of being part of a visceral genuine experience as opposed to being simply ‘the audience’ and just watching. You feel like a participant, like this wonderful adventure is being shared with you, and it is exciting. Never knowing when someone might rush forward and be right above you, or when the fight might spill onto the exits… The action is just inches away, and they play their scene before your eyes AND your nose!

It WAS funny though when a male audience member to my right had Romeo directly in front of him and was trying desperately not to look at his crotch (he did look)

The play opens with a few songs done by the chorus, gentlemen who also play other characters. They  sang a few songs with words from Sir Walter Raleigh, Giovanni Domenico da Nola… It’s one of the times you get sucked into the play, and this time I got the attention.

All four chorus singers Leapt to their knees then sprawled down before me and hauled themselves right over the edge of the stage and sang an entire verse right.at.me, literally surrounded me where I stood, just inches away!! In front of the *entire* theater. A verse goes on for ages when there are four Shakespearean Actors serenading you in front of 3000 people. I tried my best not to swoon! I mostly smiled and laughed and tried to not look straight at each of them because I was blushing so hard.

All i could think was ‘OMG!’ My friend remarked ‘It had to be you didn’t it’ Which was intensely flattering, (in fact the entire experience was) But surprising given my effort-free get up.  Later on, the Friar Lawrence had another audience member smell lavender, so I wasn’t the only one to get involved. Even so… By Jingo, what an intro that was for me. Makes a heck of a change from the last act of Romeo and Juliet, from a giggling serenade to a suicide pact-  in 3 hours flat.

They also altered one song to include ‘please turn off your cell phone or we’ll die!’

The play itself was outstanding through and through with a bit of rain here and there for punctuation, which oddly only came down when there were no women on stage! It was also really excellent seeing so many actors for whom this production of Romeo and Juliet was a professional debut. In particular, Juliet and Tybalt were both played by noobs, and I can honestly say. Wow. Juliet has some lungs on her! If that is her pro debut then expect to see her cleaning up the awards shows in 10 years.

One place that the Globe truly excels is in their vigorous and downright shocking stage fights. In some, there are several ongoing battles running back and forth and it is all SO perfectly done. The acting, music, staging, it is all so well done. And yes, there were tears and hugs at the end and the checking of mascara in the bathroom mirror. Hey, it’s Romeo and Juliet! I’m very much a girl at the tragedies, my tissues were safely in my front pocket.

But they never let you leave with a frown, so the entire cast takes their bows to a jolly tune and dance across the stage to fair thee well with a smile. Just one more reason I’ll become a Patron of the Globe in future, it is in my heart xx