Part One

The Beginning

It all started with an acting class. Or maybe I should go a bit further back—it all started with the desire to take an acting class, a desire I’ve had ever since I began writing plays. A year ago, Cara Black, an excellent author who also publishes with Soho Crime (her novels are set in Paris), told me: “All writers should take an acting class at some point.”

Last fall, I saw that NMJC, the college where I teach, was offering an acting class, and without thinking twice, I signed up. I had a fantastic instructor, my colleague Nathan Miles, who introduced us to a different way of viewing and appreciating acting. After performing in very short scenes (none lasted more than five minutes) and dealing with all the nerves that came with it, I now feel deep respect for anyone who steps onto a stage and faces the audience.

Mischief…

At the beginning of the spring semester, I took a second, more advanced acting class, where Nathan taught us about metric patterns and scansion. We studied scenes from Richard III, The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where I had the role of Demetrius in the hilarious scene with poor Helena. My favorite line was the one where Demetrius says:

“Or, if thou follow me, do not believe
But I shall do thee mischief in the wood.”

“Mischief in the Wood” sounds like the perfect title for a mystery story, don’t you think?

The Trip

The semester ended, and I was left with the itch to see a Shakespeare play performed in its natural habitat, so to speak—in London itself. If you’re going to do something, you might as well do it right. 🙂

At the end of May, Gary and I flew across the pond after buying tickets online for Romeo and Juliet at The Globe.

We stayed at a hotel not far from The Globe (within walking distance), and the first thing we did was take a tour of the theater.

There, we learned the fascinating history of its various locations, saw costumes used in past productions, and even one of the early editions of Shakespeare’s plays:

The Plays

On the day of the Romeo and Juliet performance, the theater was packed. A lot of people watched the play standing, but the galleries were also full. And not just with tourists—though The Globe is in a touristy area along the Thames—but with Londoners who truly love theater.

In the theater café, right next to the little shop, Gary and I chatted with an older couple who belong to The Globe Society. They go to every new production, sometimes more than once.

What can I say about the play itself? What struck me most was the near-total absence of scenery and set design. There was a staircase—placed among the standing audience and then removed—to represent Juliet’s balcony. Also Juliet’s bed and four chairs against the wall. That was it. The rest came from the actors’ talent and the audience’s imagination. In this adaptation, the costumes were inspired by the American Wild West. But the action still took place in Verona, not in Amarillo, Texas. 😊

The acoustics were phenomenal. It didn’t seem like the actors were using microphones, yet they could be clearly heard throughout that massive theater (which I believe holds about 3,000 people). It was a truly magical, all-encompassing experience.

Two days later we saw The Crucible. This time there was a bit more scenery: a fireplace, a table, and the beds of Abigail and Betty in the opening scene. Once again, the performances were outstanding and the acoustics perfect.

The idea of theater as a form of catharsis, and the relevance of the play even today, left me in awe.

After this trip, my respect for theater and for actors has grown even deeper. And I hope to keep taking more acting classes!

In another post, I’ll tell you about the Romeo and Juliet-themed afternoon tea we enjoyed at the restaurant next door to the theater—The Swan.

---