We wrapped up day two in London by crossing the River Thames to head on over to the National Theatre. It was such a beautiful walk with a broad view and food trucks surrounding. After exploring the gift shop and purchasing an expensive can of still water, we headed to our balcony seats and got ready to watch our show, Dancing at Lughnasa. The stage was enormous and full of beautiful design. It presented as a rural Irish field with a dirt trail, tall crops, a haphazard pile of wooden farming equipment, all surrounding an open kitchen. The kitchen had beautiful plate shelving, early twentieth-century appliances, and a classic kitchen table right in the middle on top of a red antique rug. The sky was projected onto thousands of long strands that were hung from the top of the stage, ribbons that Rose and Christina both interacted with throughout the play as they played with the sky on a leisurely stroll. The cast was absolutely brilliant in their execution. The sisters all had amazing chemistry that established a beautifully complicated family dynamic. Christina’s love interest Gerry brought an upbeat excitement to the blocking, even if his role was specifically problematic. Uncle Jack was confused and confusing at the same time, but he acted as the inactive head of the household within the script. The narrator who also represented young Michael, Christina’s son, pulled the story together and added context where it was needed. However, the five sisters were the stars. Specifically, the dancing scene in the first act felt so extremely powerful as the volume of their radio and the click of the heels increased. Once that scene ended, the exciting feel of the play sort of dissolved into a preface of struggles to come and hints of war and famine. Though it was a painful and uninspiring story, the acting, direction, and set brought it all together as a wildly impressive piece.
Theatre in London U of A 
Thank you!
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