home / smith travel / archived trips / london theatre 2006
 
Please Note: This is a trip from a previous year and is archived here for reference purposes only. Please click here for all current Smith Travel trips.  
 
heatre lovers rejoice. This weeklong romp through the heart of London’s famed theatre district offers a front-row seat to some of the city’s most celebrated plays and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to meet a few of the famed faces gracing stages across the city. Included in this tour is a new play starring acclaimed actor Sir Ian McKellen at the Donmar Warehouse, a theatre known for its intimate setting and trail-blazing attitude.
     To set the stage and provide a sense of London’s history, a leading political journalist will kick off your trip with what promises to be a lively discussion on the political forces that have shaped cultural movements in Britain. Then, that evening, it’s off to your first performance of the week, at London’s showpiece National Theatre. The next morning, rise early to hear a talk on the topic of “voice” by Patsy Rodenburg, author and head of voice at the National Theatre. You’ll have the afternoon free to explore the city and perhaps visit a museum or two before getting ready for your next performance.
     Later in the week, you’ll explore the authentic replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and discover what made the Bard’s work so endearing, and after a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company you’ll enjoy a discussion with one of the company’s leading players.
     Backstage at the Old Vic theatre—considered the “grand lady” of London classical theatre—you’ll see where Sir John Gielgud and Sir Laurence Olivier cut their teeth. That afternoon, you’ll share tea with an actor associated with one of the plays on your program.
     Capping off your trip will be a lively discussion with one of London’s leading theatre critics, who’ll regale you with inside stories and opinions of popular productions, and then an evening performance at the Old Vic, where actor Kevin Spacey is serving as artistic director.



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6 days

Moderately active

$3,250

Accommodations, full English breakfast daily, other meals as specified, transfers to events not within walking distance, airport/hotel transfers on 3/13 and 3/19, gratuities, tickets to theatre performances

Round-trip airfare to London, travel insurance

Luc Gilleman, associate professor of English language and literature, received his Ph.D. from Indiana University, where he graduated with a dissertation on dialogue structures in postwar British drama. He continues to teach and write about drama and modern British culture.
 
 
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