It's bloody cold in London.
Where is summer??????

When I'm working outside for a whole day‚ I can't stand cold weather here.
I still wear a winter jacket and two scarves.

BUT! I often see people wearing sleeveless tops and having ice cream.
CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!
I'm as if I were living in a different season.


The sky is clear‚ but....it is not warm enough to feel summer.



*yukako*

Stonehenge..... there are just some ancient stones.....
That's all.

Yeah‚ no one hasn't known the purpose what for it was build.
This is still surrounded by mystery‚ you know.
Probably‚ it has some relevant aspects with astronomy.
.... or religious symbol?

I thought it have been included in the Seven Wonders of the World‚
but it's not.
The Seven Wonders of the World are "Pyramids"‚ "Alexandria‚ Pharos"‚
"Babylon‚ Hanging Gardens"‚ "Ephesus‚ Artemis"‚ "Olympia‚ Zeus"‚
"Halicarnassus‚ Mausoleum"‚ and "Rhodes‚ Colossus."

Phew!


*yukako*

Hi‚ how have you been‚ everyone?
I'm so sorry. I haven't updated this diary for almost two month.
I'm alright. I feel so sorry that I made everyone worry about me.

While I didn't update this‚ I went for a trip to Bath and Stonehenge.
I was very lucky‚ because it was lovely weather for three days.
The city of Bath has been influenced by ancient Roman architect.
You see‚ buildings in Bath are white‚ compared with ones in London.
They give us a nostalgic feelings and great long history.
Anyway‚ I enjoyed history of that area and had a fun with friends.



*yukako*

I went to China Town in Soho‚ London yesterday to celebrate Beijing Olympics with my friend from Beijing.
You know‚ the torch relay was held today‚ and we thought it would be dangerous.
That's why we went there one day before.
China Town was decorated by lots of red lanterns‚ and so beautiful :D
When we went to Trafalgar Square‚ some white tents had been already set up for the next day.


These few days‚ I went to many places with her for sightseeing.
It's quite fun!!!!
Both we've improved English‚ so it's become much much easier to make each other understood.
We found some cultural differences between China and Japan‚ and ate both Chinese and Japanese foods.


Well‚ you might watch news about the torch relay in London on TV.
But London is pretty peaceful.



*yukako*

It's snowy in London recently.
The weather reminds me of my hometown.


Oh‚ I went to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre at the first time.
Is it too late???
Well‚ it was fantastic.
The picture above is the stage from the viewpoint of the audience.
Now‚ it's out of theatrical season‚ because it's open stage‚ like half outside‚ which means the theatre doesn't have a roof.
I wondered what they do if it rains.
A director there guided inside the theatre and history of London related in theatre industry at that time.




Now‚ it's easter holiday.
I often see egg-shaped chocolates and Scotch eggs in the department store.
To be honest‚ I don't know much about what easter is......




*yukako*

You've finished Lemon / Orange haven't you?
I also finished my performances last weekend.
I was a stage manager as well‚ so I was extremely busy these two weeks‚
but everything went on well except door sets on the stage.
They are always broken during performances‚ although it was OK during the dress rehearsal!!!!!
How come?

Now‚ I've got day-off until friday morning session.
Some performances presented by first-year students are running‚
so I'm gonna watch them even though it's day-off.

The picture below : My teacher‚ Nick was speaking few advice to particular scenes on stage.
I was playing with a bottle of water.... hehehe...
Maybe‚ Nick said something funny as usual‚ because I was smiling at that moment.


*yukako*

We've got in the theatre for the performance next week.
I know you guys have also got in Studio Denega.
How's going???
I hope you are all alright.

Today‚ we gathered at the theatre at 10 a.m and rehearsed for 2 hours.
From 1 a.m‚ we rigged lighting.
All of the productions in the theatre rigged together.
Can't believe it!!!
Three productions rigged lighting at the same time.
At 4 p.m‚ everything had been done‚ and then we cleaned up the space with brooms.
We started to paint the floor of the space‚ where we're gonna perform.
We want to have the floor look like a concrete floor‚ so painted with gray paint color.
And then we spit darker gray and brown color paint.

We'd painted the floor at 7 p.m.
Well done‚ everyone.
Tomorrow‚ we're gonna build stage sets!

The picture below : The moments we painted the floor on blue workwear.



*yukako*

Hello.
In Japan‚ it's St. Valentine's day‚ isn't it?
I have no plan to give a chocolate to anybody‚ though.....

Well‚ I'm quite busy these days.
I have a performance at the end of this month.
My role? I'm a stage manager.
I handle whole things for the theatre production‚ such as scheduling‚ budget‚ cues‚ and so on.
So far‚ I enjoy my study‚ but huge amounts of technical things I need to do make me very tired.
Anyway‚ whenever and wherever we prepare theatre productions‚ we always use much energy to create something new. I know that.
What we need to do is just rehearsing and enjoying everything!

In London‚ spring is coming. Recently it's very lovely day.
Bright sunshine has me come out of hibernation in British bloody dark winter.



*yukako*

My course has a practical theatre production among students. We're gonna present Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector.
I've already got parts and memorized all of lines during Christmas holiday :D
One of the venue is Simmons Theatre. It's the theatre in my university. The capacity is at least 90 seats. It's really nice space.
The picture below was taken from the top of the lines of audience seats.


Oh‚ I uploaded the top page for the current production in English version with Ohkawa-san's help. Check it out.



*yukako*

Hi‚ there.
Christmas holiday has finished today.
It's time to study again.
I'd been nervous for these five days‚ wondering whether I will be able to catch up with the classes
and rehearsals after the holiday.
I was sure my English improved dramatically‚ compared with the one 5 months ago.
But!!!! I didn't have confidence at all.


Today‚ I realised I was thinking too much.
When I went to uni‚ my friends came to me and hugged and said‚ "Happy new year!"
At the moment‚ I felt myself letting go of tension.


I made a cup of Japanese green tea to make me relax.
Yuki-san gave it to me.
Look! It's really cute.
People living with me are all Japanese‚ so I have everything required for Japanese meals.
Of course‚ there is a Japanese style of teapot.
Mmm... delicious!


*yukako*