The Riverboat Party: The night of ‘WalletGate’, BADA hosted a dinner party for everyone at the Cherwell Boathouse and Restaurant. The restaurant was located along a lake with boats available for hire if we wanted to go punting. Punting is a boating activity that a mix between canoeing and riding a gondola. We had dinner in a huge tent that overlooked the lake and there was a dance afterwards which was pretty fun.
Trip to Stratford: After I received confirmation that my belongings were safe and sound, I began to finally 'enjoy' the sites of Stratford-Upon-Avon. We arrived in Stratford around noon, in which we were given the leisure to venture the town on our own. The weather was very nice for a change so my friends and I decided to take a double decker sightseeing bus around Stratford. The tour was really nice! We went to Shakespeare's home, his grave, Anne Hathaway's (Shakespeare's wife) cottage, Shakespeare's mother's home, and all thorough the countryside. The landscape was beautiful, nothing but miles and miles of grassy, hilly plains with lots of sheep and horses. Once we got back to the center of town we walked along the lake. It was amusing to see that everything in the town of Stratford has some sort of connection to Shakespeare......everything!!!! They have shops like Othello's Tavern, or The As You Like It Cafe'; they were so cute!!! lol. In the evening, we went to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to see A Winter's Tale by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The production was amazing!!!!!!! This was my first time seeing A Winter’s Tale and I was proud of the fact that I could actually follow what was gone during the show!
John Barton Masterclass: Throughout the course of the weeks, classes are required to attend a masterclass instructed by John Barton. We observe him coach students who were selected to work with him perform their sonnets...This guy is a BIG DEAL. He is Shakespearean theatre royalty and highly regarded throughout England and the world for his contribution and influence in Shakespearean theatre. The man has been around for a long time, and I do mean loooonnnnggg time (hehe!). He honestly looks like he is in his late eighties or early nineties. But the fascinating thing about him is that he is extremely sharp and has a vibrant personality (aside from the fact that he keeps a whiskey bottle stashed behind his chair and sips his whiskey in a styrofoam cup.) He is so knowledgeable about breaking down the text of Shakespeare and adapting it into a way that is clear to understand. I definitely took a lot from his master class; he is truly a remarkable man.
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