Our International Tour to England was a Huge Success….

  • We connected with a youth theatre group and shared workshops.
  • Performed our play in a gorgeous studio theatre in Somerset.
  • Made friends with UK teens.
  • Cooked a meal together in the youth hostel.
  • Hiked the Somerset countryside.
  • Explored the new-age town of Glastonbury.
  • Got a private tour of Wells Cathedral and 13th century Vicar’s Close.
  • Climbed Glastonbury Tor.
  • Ate Fish ‘n’ Chips together.
  • Visited Winchester, with the Great Hall and ruined Wolvesey Castle.
  • Hiked from Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door.
  • Ate a picnic lunch on the beach while ‘paddling’ and exploring caves.
  • Gasped at spectacular coastal scenery.
  • Took a walking tour of London, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and more.
  • Toured the Tower of London.
  • Gaped at the treasures of the British Museum.
  • Visited 221b Baker Street.
  • Viewed the Manuscript  Room at the British Library.
  • Saw a stunning production of Medea at the Royal National Theatre.
  • Took photos on Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
  • Wandered the South Bank at night, gaping at London all a-glitter
  • Enjoyed a ride on the London Eye…

 … and we did all this in just eight days!

England Tour 2014 Photos

On our last evening together, we asked each participant for their best memories. Here are some of the responses (unedited, except where clarification is required!)

Best Funny Moments:

  • When a passer-by asked if Zac was Justin Bieber
  • At the Greek restaurant, when Zac realised he had forgotten his wallet. Neil (Theatresaurus director) pretended he would have to wash up, and led him into the kitchen. It was all a joke, though ac didn’t realise it at first!

Best Meal Experience:

  • Shared restaurant dinner with Theatresaurus
  • Thai food together in Street.
  • Eating Fish ‘n Chips in Glastonbury
  • The beach picnic at Durdle Door.

Most Creative Moment:

  • Spencer and Zac doing their Benny HIll dance.
  • The physical theatre workshop with Katy Weir
  • Pulling our show together in just 3 days.

 Best Magical Moment:

  • … Platform Nine and Three Quarters!
  • Seeing Medea at the National.
  • Hanging out on the beach and ‘paddling’
  • Standing on top of Glasstonbury Tor
  • The weird shops in Glastonbury

Most Unexpected Experience:

  • When our groceries failed to arrive at our remote Youth Hostel on the first night. (We were all really hungry, but everyone learned that being cheerful and adaptable when travel plans go wrong can lead to great things! Julie’s friend, Karen, brought cakes over. We ordered pizza. The hostel staff bought us cereal for breakfast, and Neil from Theastresaurus took Katie to buy groceries the next morning. So many nice people helped us out!)
  • Our nature hike in Somerset countryside
  • Getting Thai food together when the fish ‘n’ chips shop was closed.

Best Learning Moment…

  • I learned in London that I am totally a city girl.
  • I learned I’m into forensic science.
  • I learned so much about history.
  • I learned all about the ‘top 10’ exhibits in the British Museum
  • I learned all about Jason & Medea.
  • We learned how to get around the London Underground as travellers
  • I learned I love classical theatre
  • I learned about the history of science and fossils
  • I learned that modernising the classics is sometimes really fascinating.

Top Favourite Experiences…

Oliver:
Platform Nine and Three Quarters and the London Eye

Devlin:
Seeing Medea, and the strange shops in Glastonbury. Hiking English farmland

Katie H:
Seeing Jane Austen’s writing desk in the British Library. Glastonbury Tor.

Isaac:
Durdle Door, the Tor, and buying hankies!

Sarah A:
Durdle Door and the London Eye. British Library. Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

Katie:
The Shakespeare folios at the British Library. The wildness of the beach at Durdle Door.

Sydney:
The ruins of Wolvesey Castle, plus all the walking round in London. The Harry Potter and Sherlock sites.

Rachel:
Medea, and the conversation we all had about it afterwards (we went onto a deserted balcony at the National for a long discussion about the play, with the lights of London glittering below us. We lost sense of time and they almost locked us out there!) Also, the British Library, the British Museum…

Sara C:
The Beatles Shop in London. Also, Durdle Door and the Beach.

Julie:
Durdle Door. Holding a 350,000 year old Stone Age tool in my hand at the British Museum. Seeing the window Gruffydd fell from, at the Tower of London, in 1244.

Spencer:
‘Paddling’ at the beach at Durdle Door at the end of the hike. The manuscript room of the British Library.

and Zac has the last word:
Everything. I loved everything. Everyone’s said it all, so for me, just write: EVERYTHING!

Hard to believe the long and wonderful summer has to come to an end.

SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR!!!!