#lauravhall

I just got back from a trip to the UK. London, Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Edinburgh in 2 weeks with me Mum. 

It was amazing. We saw and did so much, but I have to admit, it was hard to take time away. Acting opportunities can come up at any time and I never want to miss out on anything. And I did. I missed a couple potential gigs, the chance to attend the Fresh Meat Festival and other things I tried not to pay attention to.

But in this game, if you dwell on “what might have been” you will drive yourself crazy. So I’m choosing to look at what I learned from this trip, because upon reflection, I learned a lot. 

Here’s my list of the 7 key take-aways:

Take a Break from Work. We hear this all the time: North Americans don’t take enough vacation time. And I am so so guilty of this. I usually use my vacation days to work acting gigs and rarely use my time to take in what’s around me. Planning to travel forces you to stop working for a little while.

Live Life. I’ve talked about filling up the creative well before. You have to live life in order to create it through your art. Spend time with family, go to museums, sit around in a park and read a book or just sip some tea and people watch.  

See How Others Do It. I’m always curious to see comedy in other cities, and I grew up adoring British humour, so I had to check out some stand-up and/or improv while in London. Lucky for me, I managed to find a show that combined the two at the Nursery Theatre in Shorditch. And while the comedy fodder was much the same as in my community, the delivery methods were not. I laughed, I learned, I got a new book on longform improv. What more could a girl want?

Get It From the Source. I also knew that I had to check out some Shakespeare in the UK, and got tickets to see Othello at the Globe Theatre and Troilus and Cressida with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Both were amazing in their own ways. Othello is a classic and it was done in a classical setting with very little props, simple costume and set, and performed open-air in the daytime so no lights. The emphasis was placed on the acting and the poetic text, as well as the interpretation of the story. So many little nuances and comedic bits were created through breaking the fourth wall and through background actors playing a significant role by dancing, singing and playing instruments to keep up the pace. Troilus and Cressida was almost the exact opposite. Because the script is actually pretty dry and mostly about political strategies rather than emotional connections between people, the RSC relied heavily on the most spectacular set and sound and lighting design I have ever seen. It was a Mad Max style setting, which my mother adored, and I admired, although it was a bit too much for me at times. Overall, they both provided so much inspiration for me as I prepare to dig into King Lear at the Gladstone in a couple months.

Unexpected Experiences. I was blown away by the tour guides and buskers in the UK. Over our two week stay, we had several tours on buses and in castles, and got to see some top-notch street performers trying to get a buck or two with music. And these were not canned acts. They rivalled many of the professional comedians and performers I’ve seen. These are people who just love to do it and who obviously have worked very hard at honing their craft. So impressive.

New Learning Material. I’m always on the hunt for new learning resources as I expand my craft and seek to teach new skills to others. It’s always possible to find teaching material online, but it has so much more meaning when it’s tied to your own experiences.

Expand Your World. Everything listed above culminates in the ultimate reason for travel, artist or not: it expands your worldview. You see new things, eat new food, meet new people and learn more than your brain can handle.

I realize that most artists are poor and travel can seem like a fantasy, but it is not. I saved and planned for years to make this trip happen. Do the research, ask around and talk to locals to find the best deals and determine what is really important to you.

Now get out there and keep being awesome.