London Calling

No disrespect to the Clash for stealing the name of one of your better songs, but guys, your song was aptly titled (not so much for the bitter and cynical reasons you listed in your anthem decades ago) because I think London definitely keeps calling to me!
Despite the fact that this entry is being described days after the actual events transpired, I really have to describe the impression London made on me on my first day trip into the city. It’s simply so gorgeous, so cosmopolitan, so diverse and so wonderful to wander through. Thanks to the foresight and planning of fellow classmate and Hayes Modlin, we got a fair deal on a bus to the London, and had the whole afternoon to enjoy the sights. Thanks to Hayes we got superb seating for an evening showing of Wicked, a musical about the lives and times of the witches of Oz. Hayes had wanted to see it ever so much (does that sound appropriately British?) and I’d wanted to see it ever since I read the book long ago. I’m sorry to say that in the transition from book to stage many of the more delicate themes from the novel have disappeared- no hints of religious fundamentalism, atheism, McCarthy-esque politics or other intriguing topics to tickle the cranium. But no matter- the performance was so beautiful and light-hearted, the ultimate play to see with a friend. I can’t say who enjoyed seeing Elphaba and Glinda belt it out more- I was enthralled, and Hayes hardly said a word the whole time, he was so psyched! The production design was such a highlight- All the sets and props had a mechanical aesthetic- as if inspired by the “tiktok culture” of Munchkinland and the grotesque, duplicitous, mechanized Grommetik. And the singing, oh wow, I can hardly describe it- just imagine Elphaba cast in a green and eldritch light, decrying the hypocrisy of the citizenry of Oz as she rises up in the air, broomstick in hand, winged monkeys dancing, singing in an impossibly beautiful, enchanting voice….incredible!
As much as we loved Wicked, the real highlight was for me our trip to the National Gallery. As an art history major, museums are always an understood prerequisite for any major travel experience- I’m pleased to say I had my fill of masterpieces at the Gallery. I gazed slack-jawed at della Francesca’s Baptism of Christ, I drooled over da Vinci’s cartoon of The Virgin and Child with St. Anne and John the Baptist, and generally spent three hours enjoying all the pieces in the museum. It was definitely not a bad way to start the first trip to the city!

Written by Leland Wood