London Called, We Answered!

25 February 2012Taryn O.

At Brentwood, students are continually exposed to wonderful opportunities of many sorts. Just over a week ago, 17 students, aged 14 to 17, took part in one such experience: the London Theatre Trip. At this time of year, with a musical in the process of being fine-tuned and the Bunch Center for Performing Arts buzzing with excitement and bodies, a trip to London was just what the doctor ordered. Musical students, dancers, and theatre ‘techies’ alike all piled onto a bus in the late morning on the 9th of February (after having just completed an exhausting exam) and prepared for a week of tourist visits and whirlwind adventures.

After a grueling 10 hour overnight flight, and a quick stop at the hotel to check in, a week of non-stop excitement truly began. The first stop on the agenda: Piccadilly Circus. A quick orientation of the Tube system of London and we were off to see the statue of Eros (which would later in the week become a tourist favorite for couples celebrating Valentine’s Day), and the double-decker buses, an iconic image of London.

There was no time to worry about the possibilities of getting lost (which I can assure you did happen once or twice to a few venturesome individuals, including myself), or what we would be seeing: in such a convenient city, everything that was worth seeing was easy to access. The first night, despite having missed out on a full sleep the night before, was fantastic, with the group splitting into two: half seeing the musical Warhorse (and shedding a few tears) and the others viewing The Phantom of the Opera.

Day two was just as busy, and excitement rang through the air as Brentwood students double checked the batteries in their cameras and dressed themselves in hats and gloves to fight off the cold that had come with the snow the night before. A bus tour of London was first on the list, and then – my personal favorite – a walking tour of some Harry Potter sites in London, where parts of these magical movies were filmed.

The trip included tours of Westminster Abbey, the National Theatre, and the reconstructed Globe Theatre, as well as a boat ride out to Greenwich and an interesting train ride to return. To add to the shows seen on the first night, each student also saw another three, including Les Mis (our school musical this year, if you didn’t know), and others ranging from Rock of Ages, to Crazy For You, to Wicked, to Stomp. There were endless possibilities, and these decisions were not made lightly.

During what little free time we received, students were able to visit tourist attractions such as the London Eye, or go shopping to their heart’s content. Among the lucky were the two who stumbled upon the Red Carpet of the BAFTAs (the British Academy Awards), and received the honour of seeing many incredible actors (Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter) in the flesh.

The London Theater Trip was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and one that I know I most certainly won’t forget. Many thanks to Mr. Armitage, Ms. Blake, and Mrs. Widenmaier for supervising and providing us with little tidbits of knowledge we wouldn’t have learned otherwise. London is a city rich in history and architecture, and it features many of the best theatre productions in the world. This trip was, in a word, sublime.

Taryn O

Where Students Choose To Be