Bath was not what I expected! Before we arrived, I had only a vague idea that it was famously a Roman city, so I was caught off guard when I saw the wall and very Italian-looking architecture. It’s also such an eclectic mix of ancient and contemporary, with limestone pillars and plinths directly next to bus stops and Five Guys. It’s jarring at first, and almost appalling; I always feel indignant that they don’t put a giant gate around old, historic structures and buildings, like. But as you wander the streets of London and notice it more and more, you start to realize that it’s completely mundane here because they’ve existed long enough to accrue hundreds of buildings and sites. It’s just convenient to build a target in a 500 year old building, and the new city has just developed around the old one, so it’s almost like there are two coexisting. I don’t think people view them with the same attention as in the states, although we often destroy what little history we have, only to replace it with suburbs or skyscrapers. At least they keep their history on display.
But I digress (what a tangent). Bath as an experience was a bit different than, say, the Tower of London or St. Paul’s Cathedral. Stepping through the gates was like stepping into a different country, a different region. I forget that the Roman Empire briefly extended to parts of England, and the ruins reminded me very much of the Roman Forum and Coliseum. It was also much more cobblestoney and uneven than I anticipated, which did not bode well with the five-inch heels I decided to wear. Travelling three miles on my tiptoes was a challenging adventure which ultimately ended in me walking the streets of Bath barefoot and buying a pair of cheap sandals (shoutout Primark). “Why would she do that?!” I’m sure your wondering, as my roommates repeatedly asked while I hobbled along. I’m not entirely sure what I was thinking, in all honesty, but I guess I wanted to test the durability of my shoes (spoiler alert: they’re comfortable for about the seven minute walk to the tube station). Moral of the story, for any especially fashionable future Theatre in Londoners reading: get it out of your head that you can wear heels to Bath, or mostly anywhere for that matter. Or, bring a change of shoes if you do!
I digress again! Bath has my mind wandering, I suppose. It was a very educational and thought-provoking experience. Throughout our tour of the baths, it struck me that so many of the relics and remnants of the past were from as early as the first century AD. I kept wishing I could comprehend just how old that is, how ancient. It’s like trying to imagine the trillions of cells in the human body; it’s hardly possible for the average human brain to conceptualize that large a number. I remember looking at a mosaic floor, from one of the spa rooms or something similar, and just being awestruck that it had survived so long. But I still don’t grasp what 1000 years means, so I’ve been contemplating ways to make it significant to me. I thought maybe, if you made a timeline of major historical developments and technological innovations that have occurred since then, it might give me a better idea of how full and lengthy two millennia are. They also had actors dressed in Roman clothes stationed around the site, and that at least put my surroundings a bit more into historical context. It might be interesting if it were like a living exhibit for a day, in which costumed staff interacted with the ruins as if they were still a spa (as much as you can replicate spa activities at a public site, of course).
And I haven’t even mentioned the Pump Room yet! What a delightful experience, afternoon tea. The delicious tray of scones, finger sandwiches, and mini desserts was complimented well by rose tea and live piano. It was a dignified affair, one that had me involuntarily speaking in a (incredibly offensive) British accent. I felt very fortunate to partake in it all the same, and I just enjoy being in beautiful places. It was fun to dress nice too, almost worth the blisters. (Just kidding; seriously, learn from my mistakes.)
Until tomorrow! Stay classy, San Diego.
– Reese
Theatre in London U of A 