Yesterday we saw “London Tide” at the National Theatre. When I first walked in I was very confused because all the electrics were down near the stage and as the start time approached and they didn’t move I was worried a tech issue would cancel the performance. Thankfully, it was a part of the show and the set was very simplistic with a big focus on the lighting. Speaking of the lighting, it was amazing. The electrics moved up and down in a wavy pattern to reflect the water of the Thames. Along with the lights the stage also moved up and down which completely surprised me because I had never seen that before in a show. The little set that there was was very simple but very well built and worked well. The costuming was also very done, I especially liked the black dress that Bella wore that is then passed to Lizzie when Lizzie’s father dies. The tech elements of the show were incredible and just by tech it is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. There was music in the show, but instead of being called a musical I heard it called a play with music, which totally fits. There were only 13 songs in the entire play and a large portion of the play was not in song. I liked this because it made the songs more meaningful than if it was just a standard musical. While both the music and the tech elements of the show were incredible I didn’t enjoy the story as much. I didn’t think the story was bad, but I also didn’t think it was anything spectacular. Many of the conflicts could be solved very easily by just talking but they aren’t and I also found characters like Eugene that are meant to be romantic come off as a bit creepy to me. I didn’t enjoy the ending because the play took itself very seriously up until the last few minutes when it ended with a ton of jokes and everything ending up alright. This ending, to me, didn’t make the tone of the rest of the play and disconnected me for the play. Overall I’d give “London Tide” a 7/10.
Tower of London
Yesterday we visited the Tower of London. I had been to the Tower of London and remembered a few things but not much so I was excited to see everything again. I first went to the Crown Jewels which, to be honest, I didn’t find all that interesting. However, I did find the other parts of the tower interesting. I especially liked the White Tower and the Imprisonment at the Tower section. The White Tower displayed tons of unique armor and weapons that were worn or used by knights or royalty. The Imprisonment at the Tower was interesting because it detailed some of the people that were imprisoned in the Tower of London. One of the people imprisoned there was Thomas Overbury, a poet most known for his poem “A Wife”. He was imprisoned because he declined an offer from James I to be an ambassador. This offer was seemingly a set up from his former friend Robert Carr. Thomas later died in the Tower of London from his food being poisoned and after a trial both Robert Carr and his wife were found guilty in the plot to kill Thomas. The crazy part is this is all because before Robert was married to his wife, she was having an affair with Robert and Thomas told Robert that it was a bad idea and that she had a reputation. Also at the Tower of London were lots of ravens and it is said that if one of the ravens escapes then the monarchy will fall. It’s very sad though because of that belief the ravens’ wings are clipped and they are unable to fly. However, the ravens are also seemingly not afraid of people so you are able to get really close to them and take good pictures, which I did. Lastly, when we visited Buckingham palace the royal guards were not wearing their red outfits and big hats which disappointed me, but thankfully at the Tower of London they were.
A crow that landed very close to me
The Royal guards in their red outfits and big hats
Suit of armor for a knight I saw in the White Tower
Truly A Story of London
Going into this show, I honestly was not expecting much. I did not really know much about it, the poster did not seem very interesting, and the most that I actually did know was that it was over three hours long. The play was also showing in the National Theatre, which is the same place that we had seen Boys From The Blackstuff earlier in the trip, and while that show was good, it was not the best show in my opinion. So, in all honesty, I was going into this show with a relatively negative mindset towards it. The staging for the set at house open did not exactly help dispel my mistrust, as the show opened with the entire lighting rig almost to the floor, a mishmash of random chairs and tables spread throughout, and not much else of particular note.
Then the lights began to dim, and the first song (I also did not know that this show had music) began.
And I stood completely, utterly and so very happily corrected.
The show begins with the cast crawling out of the orchestra pit, quite literally dragging themselves and their story out of the River Thames, underscored by tense and foreboding music that gave me chills across my entire skin. The energy of that music remained throughout the entire show, with each song having its own equally and uniquely thrilling track behind it. The live band onstage did a fantastic job with the music, and really tied the emotional impact of the songs and scenes together. I also thought that it was a good choice to have a live band, as it better incorporated the music into the overall flow of the show, allowing the tension and energy to remain consistent throughout, as well as having an overall better, more vivid sound quality when compared to a canned music track. Having them onstage also allowed the play to utilize the orchestra pit in its choreography, which it makes great use of as a representation of the Thames.
The choreography and blocking of each of these scenes was incredible, and really helped to further envelope me in the world of this play. At the start of the show, we see Gaffer and his daughter Lizzie rowing around the tides, searching for bodies to loot and turn in for reward. To show this however, rather than just having the actors stand and pretend to be in a boat or building a full boat to have the actors use, they had two chorus members holding a plank of wood and moving it to the raucous ebb and flow of the tide. This decision allowed for greater realism in the play, which could not have been achieved through pure miming, as well as a far greater range of motion, which could not have been achieved through pure practical effects. The energy and technique of this choreography from the beginning stayed steady throughout the show, from carriage rides to party scenes to lyrical confessions of the heart. Another point where the choreography truly shined is in the fight scenes, especially with one towards the end, where two characters fought each other within the raging tide. As they fought, a translucent sheet of plastic was waved and shaken in front of them to give the image of the tide enveloping them as they fought, slowly succumbing to its force and drowning in the Thames. This scene was a visual spectacle and not only showed impressive choreography and acting ability for the two fighting, being able to keep the fight going even with that sheet constantly battering against them.
One part of the fight there did fall a tad flat for me, however, as while watching their movements, it did not seem like they were impeded by being under the tide at all. They moved quickly and fluidly enough that it could more believably be on the ground, which did take me out of the scene a little bit. The acting and performances for the rest of the show, however, were incredibly well done. Each of the actors portrayed their characters with such emotionality and energy that they seemed like real people. The characters had an intensity in their songs and scenes that gave me goosebumps almost throughout the entire show, and the comedic timing of the cast was on point, and helped to keep the energy while lowering the dramatic intensity that made up the majority of the show. The actress for Miss Potterson, Crystal Condie, did an especially good job at being able to move between that line of dramatic and comedic, with her scenes and lines being split almost evenly between the two extremes, and her ability to carry both of them with an equal amount of quality. I especially liked how she used the stage space, particularly when it was in the bar setting, making use of many of the props lying around to help it feel more alive.
The set design for this show was somewhat bare, and relied mostly on lighting, which worked absolutely perfectly. The lighting rig for the show became an integral part of its design, with the lights moving up and down to help frame and shape the stage, and moving in time with the action of the show. There are multiple times when the lights of the show move in a wave pattern, just like the tides of a river, reminding us of the story’s permanently entangled relation to the river itself. The characters and the stories are washed beneath the tide, and everything about the set, from the movement of the lights to the prominence of rotted dock wood planks, is used to remind us of that fact.
The story of London Tide ebbs and flows between states much like a river. Its characters go through great hardship and great fortune all throughout, never settling to a steady calm. Overall, London Tide truly surprised me as the phenomenal piece of theatre it ended up being, and while I may not have talked about everything I wanted to (I could easily go on for another 1000+ words) I would highly recommend this show to anybody who has a chance to see it.
And it really needs to change its poster.
London Tide (aka The Best Theatre Experience You Could Ask For)
London Tide, Ben Power’s new theatrical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend, is an incredible work of art and an absolute triumph for the National Theatre. Directed by Ian Rickson and composed by PJ Harvey, this show cannot be missed! Bunny Christie’s ingenious set and costume design combined with Jack Knowles’ innovative lighting worked beautifully to evoke the feeling of the tide (something that would seem very difficult to do on a stage). In addition, the actors in the show were nothing short of spectacular, each offering a piece of their souls to the characters for the entire three hours.
The haunting music was also a standout part of the show. While not a musical, each song was carefully constructed to move the story along and offer a glimpse into the characters’ inner lives. Delivered by actors with a clear understanding of the intention behind each song, no musical moment felt unnatural or out of place. Not every note may have been pretty, but each note was perfect and necessary for conveying the depth of emotion. Ami Tredrea as Lizzie Hexam gave an incredible performance throughout the show and demonstrated her immense vocal talent through effortlessly navigating the various octave jumps and changes in style within each song.
In addition to the music, the set, lighting, and costume designs were extremely successful in evoking emotion and location. The moving battens and lights made for some unforgettable stage pictures, and they created a sense of the motion of a tidal wave. The moving stage floor was also used in particular moments to increase the feeling of uneasiness and the overwhelming power of the tide’s movement. Some of my favorite moments in this play were the result of the brilliant costume design. Christie uses color in extremely evocative ways to highlight moments of grief, fantasy, and reality, and the directorial choices regarding how certain costumes be handed off were clearly made with great care.
Seeing London Tide was one of the most powerful, raw, and wonderful theatrical experiences I’ve had. Each element of the show was planned meticulously, in coordination with others, to create a coherent piece with a strong vision. Shows like this remind me why I love theatre and want to pursue it, and I would recommend London Tide to anyone. You won’t regret it!!
Tower of London
I really enjoyed visiting the Tower of London and seeing the exhibits. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to pick one, I think the crown jewels would be my favorite because I love glittery shiny things. There were spotlights on all the pieces to show off the sparkle of the gems. It was the most dazzling glamorous sparkle that I have ever seen. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take pictures. I also liked learning why each piece was important and who it belonged to/who it was made for. My favorite part of this exhibit was the crowns and scepters on display at the end. Guests stand on a moving walkway and get to see all the glittering diamonds as they pass by each item. I ended up buying a hairpin with a jeweled crown on it. I also liked seeing the Sword of Mercy, which is part of the crown jewels. This sword is currently only used in coronation ceremonies of British Kings and Queens and has a blunt, squared end. I was particularly drawn to this sword because it represents mercy. As for British history, a rule to live by was, do NOT go against the monarchy. Kings and Queens would not hesitate to imprison, torture, or kill someone for the smallest of crimes, or even just suspicion of a crime. A bad joke could land you in jail. Furthermore, the Brits had a weird relationship with religion. There was only one correct religion and if you had different beliefs you’d be put in jail. For example, Father John Gerard, a priest of the Society of Jesus who was imprisoned for his religious beliefs, was kept in the Salt Tower. He escaped by using orange juice to create invisible ink and write secret messages on regular letters. After escaping, he continued to preach for many years and lived to be 72 years old. Many people have been imprisoned in the Tower of London and I saw the exhibit that showed graffiti that these prisoners etched in the walls throughout the years. Interestingly the tower hasn’t been out of use for very long. It was last used in 1952.
(Sorry for the absolute state of the photo. It didn’t transfer well)
After spending some time at the Tower of London, I got the sense that the British love traditions. For example, there has been no change in how the coronation ceremony is conducted for many generations, including the style of clothing everyone participating wears. They might even care about the tradition more than the actual reasons for doing things. One of the regalia pieces used in the coronation ceremony is there purely for tradition. The original reason for its presence was lost a long time ago. Another example is the ravens they keep at the tower. The original purpose of the ravens was to be scavengers and keep the tower clean by consuming waste. However, during the reign of King Charles II, the legend about the ravens was started. The legend states that if the ravens leave the tower then the kingdom will fall. This worried the King so he declared that there will be at least six ravens at the tower at all times. Whether the legend is true or not, the ravens are still kept for the tradition.
London Tide? More like London Tied Me to the Edge of My Seat!
When I saw on our itinerary that we were seeing London Tide at the National Theatre, I was dreading the thought of sitting through a three and a half hour play adapted from a Charles Dickens novel I had never heard of. However, once the show began and the actors all climbed up from under the apron onto the stage, I soon realized that this show was something else entirely.
London Tide by Ben Power was an incredible experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I could talk about this play for ten pages, but I have to do it disjustice and only talk about it for a few paragraphs, so I will start with the technical design, move on to the acting, and finish by talking about the meaning of the play and what it meant to me. Just as Lizzie jumped into the Thames, let’s dive into this play.
Before the show, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what lighting and set design could do for a show. Never once did I consider that the physical lights themselves could be used to build the set. London Tide utilized the rows of hanging lights to imitate the waves of the river Thames by moving the entire lighting rig rows up and down in succeeding order. My favorite moment was when two characters were struggling with each other in the river and two stage hands held a giant, opaque sheet in front of them that made them look like they were floating and sinking in the river when they were only moving closer and further away from the flowing sheet. I think ten flies could have crawled into my gaping mouth by the end of the scene because my jaw was on the floor at this point. However, with great technical design there must also come great acting and this show delivered!
Every single actor performed their role exquisitely. I was most impressed by Beth Alsbury’s performance as Jenny Wren, and Ami Tredrea as Lizzie Hexam although everyone else also did a phenomenal job. Alsbury could have easily played the role of Jenny as a naive, stereotypical child who is only played for laughs, but instead she demonstrated this well-rounded, strong girl who understands the struggle of what is happening around her and still delivers the comedy in a way that does not talk down to the audience. Tredrea, on the other hand, has a character who is complicated from the start and only becomes more complex as the plot continues. Both of these actresses took what was there in the script and elevated it to a whole new level. Now let’s level out the themes.
The play tells you what it is about in the very first words of the first song of the show: “this is a story about London, and of death, and resurrection.” While this is absolutely true, there are so many more themes present in this wonderful play such as love, grief, and legacy. I adore the moment at the end of the play when there is a happy ending with a couple, but also a happy ending for two people who don’t necessarily become a couple in the end. It is such a brilliant way to show how you don’t need to be in a relationship to be happy as long as you have people you love in your life.
Long story short, I cried and my perspective on what a play can be has been broadened exponentially. If you find yourself in London looking for something to do, do yourself a favor and let London Tide sweep you away.
Ravens and Riveting Royal Rivalries with Regicide
The Tower of London is full of fascinating narratives and traditions that provide all sorts of insight into British culture. Common traditional components of British culture are displays of wealth, superstition, and influence. All three have survived but adapted to this modern day as London is an icon of wealth and style. The superstition interacts with London’s history of sentencing people to punishments suspected of plotting against the crown, even if they were falsely accused. However, even to this day, we trim the wings of ravens hopping about The Tower of London to prevent the signaling death of a monarch.
Christina and I explored the Tower of London together. We saw the White Tower, the Bloody Tower, the Torture Chamber. St. Peter Vincula Chapel, the Imprisonment Tower, and many more. The crown jewels were especially notable for both of us as we audibly gasped at the lavish (almost ridiculous) displays of wealth. Especially as they represent symbols of control and ruling based on “divine right”. It makes sense to keep the treasures to this day as they have become symbols embedded in the culture of today. The scale of jewels and riches though is astounding. I didn’t like how exotic animals used to be taken and displayed throughout every part of the outdoor courtyards. I also still can’t fathom there was a real commissioned golden punch bowl so large, it could hold 240 bottles of wine.
The ravens were some of the best parts of the experience as they comedically hopped about the courtyards and helped me settle on my trip tattoo. The very same courtyard that held the beheading of Anne Boleyn. Which was extremely cool to see as I am a huge fan of hers. I asked Christina, but I am curious to know whether she was truly guilty of the adultery, incest, and sex in which she was accused of…or if Henry just got bored again.
The story that I later researched to know more about was one I found in the imprisonment tower. Alice Tankerville (or Wolf as was suspected to be her real name) was arrested and executed in 1534 under the crimes of piracy. Alice lured two rich merchant men into a boat ride on the river Thames, where their throats were slit and their pockets were emptied. Her husband was accused and thrown into the Tower, but released due to insufficient evidence. It was Alice who was later declared guilty of this crime and sentenced to death. She was found guilty of piracy because it took place on the water. She was the only woman to ever escape the tower (but recaptured), dressed in a manly disguise. She compelled her guard John Bawde to fall in love with her. She and her lover made it over the wall and through the moat but were caught by an ill-timed guard patrolling. Her lover was tortured in a ‘little ease’ (a prison room so small that one cannot lay down or stand up) and hung in shackles. Alice had a much more grueling fate as she was hung with her arms chained above her head on one of the walls of the bridge over the river Thames. As the tide began to rise, Alice drowned in the water. Well-behaved women rarely make history.
Another story I found fascinating was the suspected murder of the two princes as it was told at the Bloody Tower. During the wars of the roses, the two princes sons of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville were brought to the bloody tower “for their protection”. However, it was over the summer that they were brought there and never seen again. Still a major debate between historians today, some believe it to be murder while others argue that it cannot be speculated. I think that could make for an excellent inspiration for a future screenplay of mine. Princes sent away only to be missing and never seen again? Horrific and fascinating.
A Complicated Love Letter to London
London Tide.
This play was a masterpiece in every sense of the word— the lighting, the set design, the costume design, the acting…ugh I could just go on and on. There was not one decision in the production that was unintentional. Before the play started, I was confused as to why the lights were flown down and hung low on the stage. However, throughout the play, I understood that they used the lights to represent the tide of the Thames River which created a beautiful image that added to the atmosphere.
The river was the play.
The play could not be what it was without the river.
The people couldn’t be who they were without the river.
I think it is such an interesting symbol of connection between this group of people, who have complicated relationships to their city and their heritage.
I loved how this play centered around these two women, Lizzie and Bella, and their fates. They were both such strong female characters that I felt very connected to. For Lizzie, she felt like it was her job to take care of her brother and father— her success did not matter. This made me so mad because she was such a courageous and smart woman who had so much ahead of her! I loved how Eugene recognized that she needed to create her own future in the end and did not need anyone else to dictate her life. That is truly true love. I was ecstatic when Bella and John ended up together because their connection was too demanding to stay apart. In the end, both of their identities did not compare to their feelings for each other, and the same thing they were both fighting against when they were being forced to marry was the same thing they both discarded when confessing how they felt.
I really loved the plot twist where we discovered that John Rokesmith was John Harmon— it added such an interesting layer of mystery to the story. The actor, Tom Mothersdale, who played Harmon, was fantastic and I thought his character was complex and unique. The pub owner woman, (I can’t remember her name right now but she was awesome and such a queen), was so strong in her values and I really admired her strength and protection over Lizzie. The actress who played Jenny, Ellie-May Sheridan, had phenomenal comedic timing and showed great maturity.
In The Guardian, the author states that, “The fluid alchemy of the novel is missing, the perpetual change not only of character but of place.” I could not disagree more. Although I have not read the novel, I think that the play was incredibly fluid in its transitions and I never got lost when switching from place to place and character to character. One of the most brilliant things about the show was how quickly it moved from storylines and intertwined them cohesively. For example, when Bella handed off the black mourning dress to Lizzie, while not directly meeting her, but breaking the reality of their worlds. It signified how Lizzie’s father’s death caused Bella to pass off her grief as a widow. This also showed how connected the two women’s stories were because they were both in the same position but in very different ways.
Overall, I loved this play so much and I hope to see it again. The choreography and staging left me in chills. I feel that them ending up in the same position as they started in the first song showed how much they changed while staying true to themselves.
Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant.
This is what we came to London for!
Bye now!
xoxo Gossip Girl
The Best Show I’ve Ever Seen.
London Tide is an adaptation of Charles Dickens Our Mutual Friend. The story follows the thrilling and troublesome lives of several imperfect Londoners who are struggling to make ends meet. Focusing on Bella Maclean, who was to be wed to a man unknown to her, is forced into grieving when he drowns. The man was rich yet none of the money is given to Bella because they were not married yet. The money instead is given to Noddy, a servant. Noddy feels sadness for Bella and decides to whisk her off, using his new money to entertain her. Bella struggles with this new money while her family is left to suffer at home, living quite poorly. We also see the life of Lizzie Hexam, a woman who puts the men in her life before herself. She is tarnished in the eyes of the public because of rumors that her father was a murderer. She so desperately wants her brother, Charlie, to succeed in life that she never once considers what she might want or need. She was hard to connect with as a woman at times because of her need to keep the men around her happy, but this is my only complaint.
The author, Ben Power, is a Cambridge University graduate. The lyricist of the music from the show is PG Harvey who attended Yeovil College. These two collaborated in a way that is truly so magical, creating an incredible retelling of a classic story. Ian Rickson, the director whose vision was brought to life through the beautiful lighting design by Jack Knowles. An interesting factor regarding lighting is how the physical lights and batons were flown in patterns, almost as if they were mimicking waves of the sea. Bunny Christie, who is the set and costumer designer, brought the set to life through interesting simplicity with a fairly bare set and costumes. However, the costume switch offs between characters and changes in colors (Lizzie being in white in Eugene’s daydream yet she was in mourning, so she was in black in real life) made the storytelling richer and more complex.
When the show first started, the audience felt uncomfortable; I could feel it. The batons with lights were lowered to the ground, there were already people on stage, and I knew this was not going to be a stereotypical theatre experience. As the actors climbed up from the pit and onto stage, my mouth was hanging open. What an entrance! The inclusion of song never felt too musically to me, either. It always benefited the story and it often felt like moments of connection and truth to the specific character that was singing. There was never a moment that the actors were not connected to their scene partner(s) or themselves. I truly felt like I was transported into this story and the three hour and twenty minute show felt like it had happened in minutes. Some performance standouts for me were Lizzie (Ami Tredrea), Bella (Bella Maclean), and John (Tom Motherdale). Ami and Tom did such a wonderfully delicate job of creating a love story for Bella and John in the three hours that had my heart aching for them by the end.
This has truly been one of my favorite experiences thus far! This is the reason we came to London. We came here to see good theatre. And this is why we do this. We want to make the audience feel like we all felt in that room and create that beautiful magic that only theatre can create. I am completely over the moon. Until next time.
Cheers!
London Tide: the best play ever (I’m sorry I ever doubted you!)
London Tide is a play based of Charles Dickens’s book Our Mutual Friend. It was adapted to a play by Ben Power. He is a playwright, screenwriter and associate of the National Theatre. We saw it at the National Theatre, which we had been to just a few days prior to watch The Boys from the Blackstuff. Although for London Tide we had much better seats, only a few rows back instead of the side of the third-floor balcony seats we had for Boys from the Blackstuff. But London Tide is only playing at National Theatre, so I was glad to go back to see it.
This show was the most interesting play I’ve ever seen. It is directed by Ian Rickson, who has directed projects at National Theatre, the West End, and Broadway. The technical aspect alone was unlike anything I have ever seen. Granted, my theatre experience is not that broad, but it was still undoubtably impressive and incredible. And everyone else I was with knew more about technical theatre than I did and they were all amazed too. The cast were all so great I really loved all the performances. Ami Tredrea led playing Lizzie Hexam; Bella Maclean played Bella Wilfer; Tom Mothersdale played John Rokesmith; Brandon Grace played Charley Hexam; Jamael Westman played Eugene Wrayburn; Scott Karim played Bradley Headstone; and Jake Wood played Gaffer Hexam. They were all so incredibly talented in both acting and singing which the play had a lot of wonderful songs. I was also very impressed with young actress Ellie-May Sheridan who did such a good job as Jenny Wren.
The play was so unique too. When it started the lighting rigs were only a few feet above the stage which I thought just meant they were working on something, but then the play started with them still on the ground. Then the full cast crawled from the floor onto the stage as the lights rose. Throughout the play the lighting was constantly moving and changing color and brightness. It moved like a wave when they were referencing the tide, and helped separate the stage into different locations at the same time. It was actually so cool I know I had my mouth open in awe throughout the play. It was blocked expertly too with every single sound made was purposeful and useful.
I have zero complains or notes about this play. I went in with kind of low expectations. I should have know better considering it was based of a Charles Dickens novel. But we had seen The Mousetrap the night before, which I loved so much and was a “whodunnit” I thought could not be beat. It was also a long play after a long day, and after struggling against sleep in the uncomfortable chairs of the National Theatre a few nights before, I was not optimistic. But I was sorely mistaken, and I could not be happier about it. As soon as the play started though, I knew I had the wrong impression. Starting the play with the lights so low and the actors appearing suddenly from the ground had me instantly hooked. When the first intermission came an hour and a half later, I was sad because I knew we only had two hours left. The first half was incredible, and the second was somehow even more so. When it was over I knew it was the best play I had ever seen and I was devastated there was no more to see. I HIGHLY recommend this play to whoever has the opportunity to see it. I am hoping it gets more attention and praise as it has only been out for a month and I want it to stick around so I may have the opportunity to see it again sometime in the future.
