Episode 24: I Am Rocked

Want to know a secret? I sometimes have this urge to jump onto the train or tube tracks. Not in a "I want to die" or "Let's play train chicken" kind of way. Just a...well, I'm not sure what kind of way exactly, but not in a way that gets me hurt. And I won't actually act on it, but every now and then I look down and I'm like "Going down there was be fun/interesting."

Um...moving on from that, I can't believe I have only seven days left in London. That is just not enough! Today took me to see We Will Rock You, the Queen musical. Carlie was very nice and lent me her purse since I needed to take some lunch and water with me, but didn't want to carry my backpack (and the one the Kingston people gave me can sometimes dig into my shoulders). Then I was off to London!

First stop was Leicester Square Park, where the TKTS building stands. This company (organization, group, whatever) sells good seating at much reduced prices on the day of. For example, using them I got a seat about nine rows from the front, with a good view, for 35 pounds. This ticket normally costs about 60 pounds. Yeah, I'd say that freakin' rocks.

After buying my ticket, I sat in the park and ate my sandwich. I had planned to read my book a little more while I ate, but the pigeons in Leicester Square are much bolder than the ones in St James' Park were. A bunch of them circled me and sort of acted like they weren't eyeing my sandwich, but I could tell they were. So I ate quick and shooed off the birds who got too close using the map the TKTS people gave me so I wouldn't get lost. About fifteen minutes later, I was off to the theatre (which was a bit of a walk, about 12 minutes for normal walkers), with plenty of time to spare.

Which turned out to be a very good thing because the road I was on was just lined with bookshops! Seriously, I saw at least six on my way. Two of which I got sucked into going in to. The first one was one of the older shops, the kind that seem to have an organization system all their own. This one specialized in rare and out of print books. So it was kind of cool, but still not a place I'd stay in looking over the book selection forever (also, it was pretty small).

The other one I went into was one of the large, organized, more commercial stores (yes, I am ashamed. But I would totally love used bookshops this much if they just had an organization system. Like Powells!) called Blackwell's. And I spent quite some time looking over the volumes in the YA section. I nearly bought two more books! I do not need more books! I mean, I want more books, but I don't really need them. And if I use up my funds before I get home, I'm going to be slightly screwed.

Finally got the theatre and still had some time to spare. So I went upstairs to look around a bit. Now, the coolest thing about this was there were all these pictures of Freddie Mercury and little facts about his life with Queen. It was really sad, but really neat at the same time. And it made me feel like this whole musical is really a sort of way to remember Freddie rather than just "hey, we can make a musical of Queen songs!" (which it sort of is, but it's done in the most awesome way possible)

Now, since we had the resident director of the show come and talk to our class I know a little more about how this show came about. It started off the idea Freddie Mercury had that real, true music was a dying art and some day it would just become computerized and maybe there would be nothing of the pure music left. This musical takes that idea and runs with it, setting it in the 24th century where music has become nothing but sounds made digitally and then electronic-like voices added. Galileo and "his chick" Scaramouche are outcast for wanting to make real music and join the Bohemians, those on a quest to bring back the Rock.

This show was a-freakin-mazing. Seriously. As a Queen fan, I loved how they took the songs and used them in the story (even when they changed the lyrics slightly to fit the storyline a little better, it was done respectfully). Plus they had little references to the lyrics and to our general pop culture (all the Bohemians had names they found on posters from our age: Bob the Builder, Meatloaf, and the greatest of them all, Brittany Spears. :D) At that talk, I was told that the references get updated every now and then so the show stays contemporary.

And it felt like part musical, part rock concert. By the end we all have out glowsticks out and are swaying back and forth. And during We Will Rock You (the song) everyone is doing the stomp clap thing. And Galileo holds out the microphone and says "I want to here you now!' and everyone sings it. Oh, and Galileo was actually pretty cute. Just so you know ;) And at the very end, Bryan Mays, Queen's guitarist, came out and did a guitar solo. Amazing.

I was just blown away by this show. Loved, loved, loved, loved it. Bought the soundtrack, bought the tee shirt. And I would gladly pay to go and see it again. And again. If it ever comes to Portland, I will be there to see it. And when I visit here again with my family, we are all going. There are just no words to adequately describe it.

After the show, I thought I might just go and ride the Eye, since no one else is really going to go with me anyway. And while the day wasn't the most beautiful, it was only a little cloudy and there was plenty of blue sky. So I walked over there. By the way, that pier is where you want to try and find a spot on if you want to try being a street performer for a day (a thought that has entered my mind. I think it would be fun! But there are a lot of restrictions on it.)

I walked all the way to the ticket office and then, while standing in line, I decided that today was just not going to be the day to do this. The line was super long (which I realize it will always be, but still), I was pretty hungry, and the day wasn't so beautiful I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Also, I really feel for the Londoners who have to deal with tourists in their city. I know I was getting sick of all of them crowding around me. I felt like I couldn't breathe and had to walk on the edge of the thoroughfare and take deep breaths. I do not like people that close to me.

At Waterloo, I bought a Cornish Pasty, since on the way here someone had told me I had to try one. Since it had gluten in it (in the crust, which is the best freakin' part) I only had a couple bites and then threw it away. Because it was pretty tasty and I would have devoured it otherwise and paid for it later.

Now I'm off to see about actually doing some work for my classes. I know, I know. Schoolwork in London? What is this madness? Believe me, I'm right there with you. But I have a portfolio to finish, and a presentation to write and figure out before Friday. So off I head to study, instead of going to Hippodrome with Montana or watching A Very Potter Sequel (no spoilers!)

Today's lesson: bookstores have an irresistible lure for me when in high concentrations (in low concentrations too, but usually I can break their hold). Ciao.