Pretty Dresses, Sneaky Photos, and Acting Advice

Is there any better way to spend a sunny day in London than hidden away inside the dark halls of a museum? Well normally, if I was truly English, I'd be pulling my clothes off and indecently sunning in the parks with some booze (no really...people go crazy when the sun comes out here. Goodbye modesty.)

A new exhibit just opened at the V&A called Wedding Dresses: 1774 - 2014. I may have snapped a few photos in a possibly, maybe, I just can't remember no-photo zone.... I'm only showing a few here, but you really should go check out the exhibit if you're in London. Have a girly day and enjoy 'ohh' and 'ahh'ing over the lovely dresses they have on display. (My only qualm, other than no-photos, was there just wasn't enough. I wanted so much more! But the two floor compact display space was spectacularly filled regardless.)

 I dragged Amanda along with me from Rhyme & Ribbons, one of my favourite expat friends to adventure around with in London! Additionally, she didn't bat an eye over any sneaky photos in the museum. I mean, come on people, DRESSES! Pretty, sparkly, WEDDING DRESSES. Of course I'm gonna take quick, sneaky photos with my iPhone. #sorrynotsorry

We were pretty happy with a lot of the purple dresses. This was an old maid's wedding dress. She was past 30, so ya know...practically dead. She did what she wanted.

By far my most favourite. Check out my Instagram for more info on this piece.

I want them Louboutin's. Dream a dream.

And another favourite. So gorgeous. Look how it sparkles!

After drooling over the dresses we quickly found our way through the rest of the photo-friendly and free fashion exhibit, also worth a good look around.

Before we headed out into the sunshine, Amanda showed me the joys that is the Theatre and Performance collection, which is nicely hidden away in an even darker corner, where you'd only really stumble upon it if you were in a school group having lunch...or you were really lost.

There we learned some hard facts about acting. Don't know why I even bothered working on my master's degree. Let me hit you up with some knowledge:

'Building a character: Acting is central to any performance. The way an actor speaks and looks and moves onstage changes the audience's emotional response to that character. There are many approaches to acting technique that consider both the external and internal life of a character, from emotion through to the way of speaking and moving onstage.'

I'm off to get my Oscar now that I understand it all.

I just thought this was fascinating. And kinda what I'd like to wear to breakfast.

Amanda introduced me to her favourite section...the costumes. They didn't smell so pretty, but neither does theatre, kids. And don't you forget it. It's smells of tears, sweat, ambition, and poorness. ... Ya know, if it could smell like that, it would.

But we smelled pretty cause it was a girly day.

Oddly enough we were the only ones enjoying this thoroughly enjoyable collection. Maybe because it was put off in the dungeons of the museum. Where no hope survives. Welcome to the Theatre collection, where dreams come to die.

So that got morbid. Go back and look at the dresses. Preeeeetty.

Overall it was a delightful visit and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I would recommend going to visit the pretty dresses, and please, if you have time, go say hi to the lonely Theatre and Performance section. There's even stuff on Shakespeare!

xx Lindsay

An Evening Visit to the Tate Modern

There's something a bit magical about visiting a museum in the evening after all the tourists are long gone. Being a member, or at least knowing a member, of a museum does have it's perks!

I'm a girl that likes free things and if a friend asks me to go to something for free, most often times I will say YES...even if it is to the museum that still gives me the creeps a bit.

I've been to the Tate Modern several times. One of the first times was during my study abroad time years ago. The Tate Modern is set up in the old Bankside power station and still retains a creepy feel to it. Perfect for modern art, don't ya think!

There's a long walk way going down when you enter in on the side and the first visit there they had an exhibit set up where as you walked along the passage way there would be a series of sounds set off very, very quietly. It was eerie and definitely freaked me out a bit, solidifying the place in my mind as a bit haunted.

But still, you don't turn down free.

So on Tuesday night, off I went when the sun went down to meet up with my friend and her aunt and uncle for a members only viewing of the Richard Hamilton exhibit. I don't know enough about art or modern art at all, but I did enjoy this exhibit. His early stuff wasn't too interesting for me, a lot of science-y work with photographs and etchings that I didn't quite get. But once he hit his pop art phase and infused a lot of current politics into his work, really good stuff. Some of it quite funny as well. All I'll say is there a room titled Shit & Flowers. We giggled a lot through that one and even my friend's aunt found it quite amusing.

We picked up a few post cards from the shop for souvenirs. I quite like keeping postcards for myself. I have a few at home in New York and someday I may frame them all together. But that requires a lot more inclination towards arts and crafts than I currently possess.

Two of my favourite pieces from the Richard Hamilton exhibit. 

After absorbing all we could from the viewing, my friend invited me along to the top of the Tate Modern. I had no idea there was a top bit, but there are two floors at the very top. One that's a members only cafe/bar and the one above that is the restaurant. We went up for dinner and was greeted with this majestic view of London at night.

One of my favourite sites in London: St. Paul's Cathedral.

I couldn't believe my luck to be able to dine with a view like that. Now I'm dying to go see what the city can show me from the bar at the Shard.

Something about booze and gorgeous views. I'm a fan. Good idea, guys.

I would have photographed our dinner, but felt it would have ruined the atmosphere. We had lovely wine and two courses of food that looks small and elegant and still manages to fill you up. I turned down dessert. That's how you know it was good. I had something called a garlic corn cake and I'm fairly certain it was the best vegetarian dish ever. And I don't normally enjoy anything vegetarian. So this was an exciting development in my small, narrow minded, culinary world.

Highly recommend joining as a member for fun evenings like this. Oh and make sure to bring a friend. I think I might be available....

xx Lindsay

Why I love Blogs.

Dear Blog World,

This is my letter to you. I love the blog world. The instant replay of your life written out as quickly and as best you can. I feel connected to people who are not famous but are just normal people whom I love because I can relate to their words. Beautiful words. Describing love of theatre, books, acting, random daily events. These little things connect us. You may not notice it when you blog, but you are connecting with a whole other world out there. We may not comment on your blog, but we are here, admiring, laughing, nodding our heads in agreement with your post. Sometimes we reach out, sometimes we comment. We feel the need to connect and that is the beauty of the blogger world. Connection with people that you might not have meet up with in daily life. Learning new things about foreign places, or learning that you are not alone in your beliefs. Blogging is a new social frontier that I think brings us together and lets us expand our horizons in ways we can't experience in real time in our daily lives. This is all I have to say on this topic...some of my favorite blogs are thinking of ending and it makes me sad. Blogging doesn't need to be about venting alone. It can be about sharing of an experience, connecting with others. I hope that bloggers can take advantage of the opportunity to learn new ways to communicate, express their creativity, and take a moment to express how they feel about a certain subject.

Freedom of speech. It's a beautiful thing. Take advantage while you have the audience.

xoxo, LDD

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Email: LindsayDinsyDay (at symbol) gmail.com

First Play Seen in DC--Shakespeare Theatre's Free For All

Oh the joy that free theatre brings to an unemployed gal living in the big city. There's nothing like it! And it was Shakespeare too, eeek!

The Shakespeare Theatre Company here in D.C. puts on a play every summer as part of their Free For All program, presented by Target this year. This year's play was The Taming of the Shrew and it was done inside the Sidney Harman Hall. I guess in the past they use to do this outside under the stars, which would have been amazing, but they've pulled it inside so as to avoid being rained out. Which really is a great idea, it allows all the performances to be available so everyone can find a chance to come and see.

Friends have told me that last summer they had trouble getting tickets, so I made sure to get their bright and early. I choose to go to a noon performance on a Wednesday and, turns out, that was probably the best decision. Tickets were handed out at 10 A.M. and I was fourth in line starting at 8:45 A.M.

The show was fantastic and so entertaining. I haven't laughed that hard at a Shakespeare performance in awhile (not that I'm able to attend hordes of those these days, anyways...) The audience, filled with people over the age of sixty and high schoolers (helllloooo, it's a noon performance on a weekday, whatdaya expect?), was the best kind, laughs and applause at all the right places, screams and giggles at all the lewd parts....it enhances your experience when the audience is that receptive.

The actors performed beautifully, I always admire the actors that can pull off Shakespeare well, and it is a difficult task. To be able to perform with those words, use your whole body and do it in a way that helps translate the plot to the audience is a gorgeous talent. I never tire of quality Shakespeare performances. My favorite people were Ian Merrill Peakes playing Petruchio (Hi there, cut-upper-body, you may be dressed in a woman's gown, but you's still hot....sigh), Sabrina LeBeauf as Katherina (she pulled that character off sooooo well, she deserved that standing ovation), Louis Butelli as Grumio (I need to see more of his work) and my absolute favorite was Bruce Nelson playing Tranio....that man has comedic prowess under his belt.

I can't stress enough how much of a benefit it is to a Shakespeare play to have full on physical comedy happening. The audience loves it and I think it helps pull you into what's going on with the characters. It just shows you how important it is, for an actor, to be in tune with their body because they can use it in so many ways to bring the story forward for the audience, especially useful with Shakespeare, when a lot of the time people can get lost because of the language. If you had seen this performance, you'll know what I'm talking about, like during the fight between Kate and Petruchio after they first meet.

I was thoroughly impressed with the creative use of lightening and the cash machine (cha-ching) sound effects. Who's the one that comes up with that stuff? The director or the tech people? You gotta respect the work that goes on behind the scenes...I know, I've done it....it takes a lot of creative energy and effort to pull off a great show.

I would love to meet the directors of this show, Rebecca Bayla Taichman (original director) and David Muse (listed as Director, for this show). The Taming of the Shrew is a good example of how Shakespeare's plays can be interpreted in so many different ways. I know my little sister saw a performance of it in London while studying abroad and she said she left feeling depressed and like she just witnessed a woman go through an abusive relationship, one where the husband wins. Where as I left this performance feeling like I witnessed a romantic comedy, full of insights into relationships and how men and women deal with each other. There is a fine line between love story and abuse story when it comes to this play and The Shakespeare Theatre really pulled it off in a great way. I love it when it's performed in this light. I think I need to go back and read it again...and it's moments like these that make me miss college and want to go back asap. Just so I can have like minded individuals, people with my same passion in theatre and the arts, to have a discussion with about plays.

Sigh....eh well...hopefully next year if I can get my freakin' act in gear.

Anywho....yeah for taking advantage of the city and doing it for free!! I'll keep ya'll posted on other such shinanigans that I can get myself into, hopefully for free as well. ;)

Charmed, Linds

"This film should be called 'The Children of Marx and Coca-Cola'."

Okay, I just needed to blog about this. Get ready for it...I have, for the first time ever, ventured into the work of Jean-Luc Godard...hell, I've jumped right into French New Wave Cinema...and let me tell you....WTF?

Well there may have been a few wtf moments, but overall...I really kind of liked a lot of aspects from this particular film, "Masculin Feminin". I mean, I don't entirely get the whole jarring sound bites he plays at random times, even over conversations the characters are having, or the silence moments, or the voice speaking over the black screen with messages...like he was trying to be super deep but it didn't really translate well...BUT...I loved how the camera stayed on certain actors, even when others were speaking to them. It gave you a chance to see the reaction of the actor to the words directed at them. In the extras on the DVD I learned that a lot of those particular moments where something the director did because he was really into making scenes as natural as possible. A lot of the time he'd focus the camera on the actor and using an ear piece that the actor had he would ask them really personal questions that the actors were suppose to respond to as themselves...not as their character. He then took those clips and found a way to blend the character he wanted with the actor's responses.

I love that.

Next will venture onto "Pierrot Le Fou" as suggested by Lea Maria. We shall see how that goes...

Post Script: I just love French movies. And this one was a great peek into French culture/society in the '60s. If you are into French films too then I'd highly recommend the following: L'Auberge Espagnole (The Spanish Apartment) and it's sequel Les Poupees Russes (The Russian Dolls)...and of course can't leave out Amelie...fabulous. Any suggestions? Send them my way ;)

Have a fabulous night, I'm taking my glass of wine to bed with the book Julie & Julia by Julie Powell...because having loads in common with the main character always makes me feel better about myself.

xx Lindsay

"Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you." -Emerson

Ohhhh changes are a-foot at the moment my friend. I haven't had much time to sit down and blog, though there is much I want to write about. Hopefully some time will clear up in the near future...probably because I'll be in a new city, with no job and not much to do.

I'm moving off to D.C. Quite excited about it. Jumping straight in without looking, of course. That's my usual M.O. Will be living with my old college roommate and having quite a few fun adventures round the city. I will, of course, be documenting all of it...just to keep my 2.5 readers enlightened on my going-ons.

I've already done quite a bit of traveling this month. Bit tired now actually, from it all. Just in the month of July I've been to Pittsburgh, Philly, and Ohio. Before the month is through I'll have been to Ohio again and finally D.C. And I'll be turning 25 next week as well....though let's not talk about that shall we? I plan on cuddling up to a nice Shiraz and crying underneath my bed for a bit that day while the quarter-life crisis is unleashed in me. So that'll be fun. May get my first tattoo just to show up the occasion with a nice memory. Though if I do, it'll be a nice, small, hidden one, cause I'm still into the whole acting thing. (I've been warned, numerous times, against any visible body modification by one of my London friends. Does this mean England may be more strict about that when it comes to choosing their actors for things? Will I have to get rid of my tragus piercing? Never!)

Ahh well. Shall not be thinking much about any of that just yet. Another of my stress tactics is to avoid thinking about anything that may stress me out...I know, I know...I am such an adult, aren't I?

And now I shall leave you with a quote from "Angel's Game" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I would love to sit down with him over a nice meal, maybe a glass of wine, for a nice chat about the creative being....cause I'm a nerd like that.

Enjoy.

"Every work of art is aggressive, Isabella. And every artist's life is a small war or a large one, beginning with oneself and one's limitations. To achieve anything you must first have ambition and then talent, knowledge, and finally opportunity."

Quotes That Validate My Dreams.

Here's some quotes from Neil LaBute from the preface of his play "Reasons To Be Pretty", which I am currently in the process of reading. (In between all the millions of other books I'm currently reading as well. I really should learn to just focus on one at a time, but where's the fun in that?) I love coming across other people's work, or blogs, that really validate my decision pursue a paycheck in the performing arts field. It's annoying that so many people outside the world of arts are so discouraging of people that want to pursue something artistic. Being all "blah, blah, blah...no money....blah, blah, blah...too competitive." And I'm all I don't care, I don't want to hear it. It will be just as difficult and time consuming for me to try and be an actress as it would if I tried to be something more "sensible" like a librarian or a teacher or an administrative assistant. Expect when I try to work as an actress my soul sings instead of feeling like it's going to be ripped out (like when I work in retail or as a receptionist). So anyways...validation...thank you Mr. LaBute. Rock on.

"The worst day I've had writing is better than the best day I ever had working in a factory..."

and also I feel the same way about acting that he seems to feel about writing:

"We writers stare into a variety of mirrors, studying the faces of people we don't yet know as we make them up, working to create a series of believable psychological profiles for a bunch of folks who don't really exist. I prefer it to life most of the time, as it's much safer and a whole lot easier. These 'people' all seem to be the same as us, unfortunately--my flaws become theirs and their wants and loves grow out of my own, and suddenly I'm surrounded by the same miserable, lovely, lonely, sad, terrific people that I was escaping from in the first place."

Beautiful. I love reading about people who are passionate about their work. If you write a blog, or read a blog, that's all about being passionate about the creative, send it to me. I'd love to spend my free time reading that instead of watching soul-less reality tv. I'm sorry "The Little Couple", you're adorable and cute...but we need to break up. I gots me some plays to read.

And scene. xx

A New Frontier.

I just want to do a quick post about this now and hopefully I'll get around to doing a longer post about it later.  Exciting news...someone is actually giving me some acting work to do. Not paid sadly, but at least I get to do what I love and in a format I've never tried before. 

I'm going to be doing a short film that's only about 10 minutes long.  A group of local film makers got their scripts picked to put on film. I went to the audition to try out for one of those films and while I was there I tried out for another one that I fit the description of and that's the one I got picked for.

I was happy just to do the audition because I've only ever auditioned for theatre stuff and this was my first one for something on film. It was actually a lot more fun than a lot of the theatre auditions I've done. It was a very relaxed atmosphere where I got to meet the directors of the two pieces, the guy doing the filming and the guy leading the audition. Overall, it appears that a lot more people are involved in this process than with theatre auditions.

I was given a few minutes to look over the "sides" (just short selections from the scripts), then I had to sign a sheet that stated I understood I wouldn't be getting compensation for this project but I would get a copy of the film on DVD.  Which I can only assume is because then I can use it for when I want to show some work I've done (yippee! hello grad school applications...)

All I had to do for the actual audition was look into the camera when they said go, state my name and my phone number where I could be reached and then read through the lines. I had a guy off to the side that read the roles opposite me as well, which was useful. It was fun doing this audition because for the first piece I did, the director gave me some suggestions for how he wanted it done differently a second time around, and I'm pretty comfortable with this kind of comment/change/redo style of auditioning because it's what I always do with theatre. You just do it over and over again, sometimes with different people, so the director/s can see if you'd fit in the role. But for the first piece I only had to do it twice and then the second piece I only did it once and I was done.  Amazingly quick...I guess they can be that way when they've just filmed it and can then re-watch it as much as they want.  

I really enjoyed the whole audition, wasn't sure how well I did because...well...I've never done film before, but was really happy when I got cast in the second piece.  It should be fun and quite a learning experience.  I'll blog more about it as we get into rehearsals (only 2 or 3 before actual filming commences). I'm quite glad I'm not getting paid for it though, as I've never done something like this I don't want to completely mess it up, so it relieves the pressure a bit when a paycheck isn't involved.

Finding Art Everywhere

I truly believe you can find art just about anywhere. On a recent trip to Letchworth State Park here in good 'ol Western New York my friend Jen and I found some beautiful art...and some quirky art (hey, I still think it's very artistic anyways).  This was on one of, what I hope to be many, trips to find entertainment that's cheap in and around the Rochester area. Hopefully, we'll experience more things that were as much fun as this trip but that don't require getting up before 6 A.M. to see. Thanks for that Jen....and now onto the photos!! Enjoy.

  Oh my.

 Yes. If you lived by the river you would need a shower and some food.

 A tragic piece of art that really represents our time and what we're going through. Deep.

 Art representing hope? Ain't it beautiful.