Through My Eyes, In My Words:

The London Theatre

Taught by Michael C. O'Neill, director of theater and lecturer in English, and William J. Carpenter, assistant professor of English

Emily Becher of Loudonville, N.Y., is majoring in psychology. She appeared in the College Theater production of The Real Inspector Hound.

The interim trip to England and Ireland was probably one of the best things I could have done with my time at college. Not only did I learn so much about theater and different playwrights, I got the chance to experience the culture which gave rise to the productions we saw.

The first leg of the trip was in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare and the home of the famous Swan Theater. The two productions we saw there were interesting, but the best part was visiting Shakespeare's home and learning about his life. Then there was, of course, the thrill of seeing Judi Dench perform on Saturday and then seeing her later on that night about town.

We then went to London, where we saw so many wonderful shows, and every afternoon was free for us to go and see everything we wanted to. The museums in London are spectacular, and there are more then you can count on both hands. My favorites were the National Gallery, filled with beautiful examples of Impressionism, and the Tate Modern, which used to be a factory and now uses its unique shape to showcase some of the most innovative and amazing art of the last century.

The architecture of London is incredible, and with cathedrals like Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's it's hard not to be in awe. One of my highlights from London was being able to sit in on a session of Parliament with my friends and then stand on the exact spot where Thomas More, the author of Utopia, was condemned to death.

After two jam-packed weeks in London we went on to Dublin for the remainder of the trip. Dublin is a completely different sort of city, smaller and less frenetic, but the people could not be nicer or friendlier. It was the perfect place to chat with local people and wind down while we prepared for our return journey home. I ended the trip tired but more fulfilled then I could have ever expected.