Oh day 8. It was a dream day for any theater aficionado. Basically, the story goes like this: On the train ride from France, I argued with myself over whether or not I would see HAIR again. On the one hand, I'd seen it enough times (I took Ashley, Lindsay, Jacob, Kristin, Brad and Brett, all at separate times). On the other hand, I love sitting in the theater and soaking up the beauty that is HAIR. Well, the latter argument won. I knew I would be sad if I left England and never saw my beloved HAIR cast one more time.
On the morning of day 8, I left Astor Hyde at 7:45AM to get in the queue for day of show tickets. I waited for a bit, while reading Harry Potter and when my turn came to purchase a ticket the nice lady at the ticket counter told me she had a seat in the front row, center for only 25GBP. This was exciting since front row seats for HAIR on Broadway go for $250 at least... At the same time, I wasn't sure that I wanted Gavin to know I went to the show again and almost considered passing on the front row seat. But then I remembered how he used to tell me all the time that I needed to sit in the front row. I ended up going for it and I could not believe my good fortune.
Day of show tickets. The Gielgud Theatre. Such a good deal!
So HAIR was my show for the evening, but I still needed to see something for the matinee. Let's remember that by day 8, I wanted to do absolutely nothing. I had no energy and just wanted to enjoy a slow day. A two show day seemed like the perfect antidote.
Queen's Theatre...So conveniently located literally right next to the Gielgud Theatre.
Once I sorted out my tickets, I took a walk up Regent Street and paused at the shops that looked intriguing. As usual, I ended up at the Apple store and spent some time chatting with my friends online who I missed so so so much. Eventually, I made my way to this adorable restaurant called "Slug & Lettuce" where I had the ONE excellent meal throughout my whole stay.
Of course, I've now just found out it is a chain restaurant. Go me. I sure know how to pick them...
Then, it was time for Les Mis! And let me tell you... It was so much more than I expected. The set and light design were really impressive. The rotating stage I'd heard so much about was amazing (especially in the barricade scenes). The cast and orchestra were huge which created a really powerful sound and made the show that much more dramatic.The second the first note was played, I was hooked. I honestly didn't know very much about the actual story line until I watched it on stage but I really enjoyed the production as a whole.
Nancy Sullivan as Eponine. Such an amazing performance.
I just can't get over Eponine. She stole the whole show for me. I felt her pain and really thought she engaged her audience so well. It was a heart-breaking performance... so much so that I just wanted to go hug her and tell her she would be okay. :) The actor who played Jean Valjean instantly won me over when he sang "What Have I Done?" Up until this point, I knew I would like the performance, but it was really this song that made me love it... It talks of forgiveness, of a new birth, of kindness.
Yet why did I allow that man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other
He gave me his trust
He called me brother
My life he claims for God above
Can such things be?
(What Have I Done? Les Miserables)
I could keep going on and on but all you need to know is how much I loved it. I LOVED it. So blown away by the talent and by the experience as a whole. How often can a person say "The first time I saw Les Mis, I saw it in London"?. AMAZING.
Already on a theater high, I could not wait until my next show. I HAD to talk to someone who knows how much I love theater and who understands the feeling I get after seeing a great production. I headed for an Internet cafe on Rupert Street and found my dear friend Carola online. We had a nice chat about the show.
After the theater chat, I headed to Trafalgar Square to hang out in the plaza until it was time for HAIR. I sat, read and people watched. I enjoyed the gorgeous sunny afternoon (the first sunny day I had seen in about a week). I strolled the charming streets of London and when it was time, I took my seat at the Gielgud one last time.
My view from where I sat that day at Trafalgar Square. I think this is one of my favorite London views.
One last time. Here we go...
The flowers Gav literally stabbed into my head during the be-in. Oucheee.
Needless to say, the production is that much more special when you have more interaction with the actors. It was emotional because I love the way the message of the show makes me feel and it was a sad realization that this would absolutely be my last time experiencing it... But it was good to see a friend take the stage and do what he does best: Pour little bits of joy and love all over the audience. I really enjoyed seeing it one last time. It is amazing how much more goes on from a short distance. I like noticing all the little details and this time I noticed lots.
After the show, I ran on stage with a girl I met there and we sang like we would never be able to sing again. I cherished the last dance party and was happy that Gav made it go on longer. The band played one extra song! At the end, I found Gav and gave him the biggest hug. We talked, we hugged, we said goodbye. He says hello to all you New Yorkers. Then he told me the Iceland volcano had erupted again and that my flight would likely be cancelled. Well, I hoped it would be. Who doesn't want an extra day or two in London? But with that piece of news, I decided it was time to go check on my flight... so I gave him one last hug and headed for the Internet cafe.
After the show, I ran on stage with a girl I met there and we sang like we would never be able to sing again. I cherished the last dance party and was happy that Gav made it go on longer. The band played one extra song! At the end, I found Gav and gave him the biggest hug. We talked, we hugged, we said goodbye. He says hello to all you New Yorkers. Then he told me the Iceland volcano had erupted again and that my flight would likely be cancelled. Well, I hoped it would be. Who doesn't want an extra day or two in London? But with that piece of news, I decided it was time to go check on my flight... so I gave him one last hug and headed for the Internet cafe.
The flight seemed fine. Then I spent the next few minutes telling Carola every detail of my day. She loves HAIR probably more than I do and she was very interested in my opinions on the West End production... The changes, the additions, the losses, etc... It was a good close to my two show day.
On my way back to the hostel, I stopped at McDonald's for one last delicious orange Fanta and made my way back to South Kensington... My last night in beautiful London. I hopped on the top level of a double decker 9 bus and headed back... with my orange Fanta.
Day 8 was absolute perfection. Day 8 also shows a complete lack of good photos... Sorry about that :)
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