Week 5: See-Saw Work and Valentine's Day

I was told earlier in the year that the work load for Drama first years would see-saw: first it would be a shock with seemingly lots, then there would be a dip, then there would be a few essays so the work load would increase and so on. I'm experiencing a dip at the moment. Not that there isn't any work to do. Oh no, definitely not. It's reading week (which is a week off time table in the middle of a semester) right now and I actually don't have a deadline really close. Last reading week, I had two essays to write. I have an essay plan to write but that's due in week 9 so I have plenty of time. It's very odd. I feel like I should be reading extensively... but I'm not because I have no reason to. I may actually have to... relax.

On the flip side, it was Valentine's Day yesterday so my boyfriend treated me with a trip to Stratford Upon Avon. As it was a play we were going to visit out of necessity anyway, it was lovely to mark the day with a sense of occasion. For the purpose of this blog, I'm going to give the lowdown on what to do on a day out there - minus the mushy stuff. First of all, it takes just over an hour to get there from University station. The journey starts at University station and goes to New Street then it's a five minute walk to over to Moor Street and, if you're lucky, a forty five minute journey to Stratford. Our journey included a mix up of a cancelled train to we had to change in Hatton and wait twenty minutes for the final part of the journey but we still arrived there only fifteen minutes after we were meant to.

The main attraction of Stratford is that it is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the playwright. The house he lived in is open to the public (and always very busy so I gave it a miss) but this week's fact is that the house they use it not actually Shakespeare's. It was figured out yeeears ago then a re-evaluation found that the actual house was three or so doors down. The real house is also still preserved but to 'keep American tourists happy' they didn't change to open house. I learnt that on QI. If Stephen Fry said it, it must be true.

The secondary attraction of Stratford, perhaps, is the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) theatre. I ate lunch in the 'official' RSC after-show pub which is decorated beautifully, over its traditional beams and such, with posters of past shows, all signed by their ridiculously talented and rather famous casts. Anthony Sher has even signed the wall itself, alongside a picture he drew. Judi Dench's signature sat behind my head as I tucked into a good, traditional pub lunch. For international students unaccustomed to English tradition, a pub lunch should definitely be on the list of 'to do'. Preferably on a Sunday. Preferably a roast.

Shakespeare's grave is also marked out inside the Holy Trinity church and a small donation is requested for viewing: 50p for students, £1 for adults.

We even found a museum of Witchcraft. They had, disappointingly, hopped on the Rowling train and adopted a few iconic things from the Harry Potter series. I don't suppose Rowling would be too happy seeing them in there. There was the sorting hat, which looked only slightly like it. There was the sign for Platform 9 3/4 which did excite me but wasn't placed right. The wands didn't quite look right. It was meant to, I was led to believe, be a museum for the 'proper' magic of the age of the witch so adopting the world of Potter was, in my opinion, a bad move. To add insult to injury, the place was a complete steal of the famous pub in Hogsmeade, 'The Creaky Cauldron'. No no, Stratford, no no.

Aside from the dodgy museum of magic, Stratford Upon Avon proved to be a lovely place to visit for a day trip. It reminded me of a wider spread York. York is also a must-see for those who haven't yet.


Birthplace of William Shakespeare plaque.
Birthplace of Shakespeare... not really.