Dr. Eric Conway writes:
Day 6 included a visit to the birthplace of William Shakespeare and a concert at the The Bramall, the concert hall at the University of Birmingham.
We left Chester for Stratford upon Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, considered the greatest writer of the English language by many. His birthplace site is the main attraction for this medieval town. We learned that the English word “Avon” means river, therefore the town name is Stratford on the river. The group toured his home with staff dressed in period clothing answering any questions posed by tourists. In the courtyard outside of his home, was a small stage where local actors took requests from tourists to recite small scenes from Shakespearean plays or sonnets. Often tourists who may have learned Shakespearean soliloquies are encouraged to recite on this small stage. We had a student in our group to share a scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to the delight of the audience - see link below.
From Stratford, we drove to Birmingham, the 2nd largest city in England where our evening concert would take place, about an hour or so away. We had a quick turnaround to check in, change, and walk to the restaurant for our group dinner. England has NOT enjoyed a reputation for great cuisine over the years. Compared to the French and Italians, the English cuisine was not considered to be very good. To the surprise of the group who had eaten in the United Kingdom previously, all our group meals have been exceptional. Even ordinary items like a hamburger, or spare ribs, and of course the french fries (chips) have all tasted better than we typically have in States. This fact of good-tasting food has made the tour even more enjoyable than most.
Given the extreme traffic throughout the day, and rush hour in the bustling city of Birmingham, we arrived to the hall fifteen minutes prior to the concert start time. We had enough time to gather ourselves backstage, use the facilities, and begin the concert. To the credit of the choir, the rushed preparation for the concert did not hamper the quality of the concert. The hall was both visually and aurally beautiful. All of the venues in the United Kingdom, although different have had their merit. We returned to our hotel for our only overnight in Birmingham.
Opening Video Presentation in Shakespeare birthplace:
Actor's soliloquy from Romeo and Juliet:
Performance of Shakespearean song:
Actor’s soliloquy from Merchant of Venice:
Morgan student's soliloquy at Shakespeare birthplace in Stratford:
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