Week one in Glasgow has been absolutely incredible. It may have only been one week, but some of us are already starting to feel like locals. After a glorious week in the highlands filled with some “not so wee walks,” incredible stories and breathtaking views, it was only a matter of time before our glorious highlands retreat would come to an end. Glasgow meant all-day rehearsals and the one thing I believe to be dreaded most: summer school. Despite our shift back to reality from Glenelg, everyone was eager and willing to trade in the hiking boots and begin working with the script for The Abode. When we arrived last Saturday to our own rooms in Liberty House (woohoo!), we ended our evening with a delicious dinner at SoHo, a New York style restaurant right outside our housing. SoHo has quickly become a staple in the Pepperdine University group. Whether it be ordering Nutella Dessert Pizza or Cajun fries, you will find at least one or two of us relaxing there and enjoying each others company after rehearsal each night. When coming to Scotland, I was expecting to be eating traditional Scottish cuisine basically every day. Little did I know, I would be eating more authentic Italian food than I have ever had in my life. The restaurant scene in Glasgow has definitely not disappointed.
The next day, we got a tour of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, which is where all of our rehearsals will take place for the Abode up until we leave for the Fringe! The Conservatoire has been a dream to rehearse at, among so many other talented artists sharing the same passions as us. As wonderful as our first weekend in Glasgow was, Monday meant it was time to hit the textbooks and begin rehearsing for The Abode. I am currently taking the Religion 301 class with Dr. Scott Spurlock. Just within the first week, I have already become fascinated with the history of Scotland. I believe the best part is that we get to study at the University of Glasgow, one of the oldest universities in the world.
Walking onto campus Monday, I couldn’t help but think I was stepping into Hogwarts! The University of Glasgow was actually the inspiration for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies. Of course, as an avid Harry Potter fan, I was living out my dream. The campus is incredibly beautiful and is filled with so much history. It is definitely a stark contrast from the Pepperdine Campus. Our Professor is super cool and a wealth of information when it comes to the best restaurants in Glasgow!
After a long morning of class, it was time for rehearsals back at the Royal Conservatoire. It was so exciting to see Davey and Vanessa again, only this time, in Scotland! This entire week has been dedicated to movement and devising our script. That means long hours and a lot of brain power. Each of us divides up into groups of four or six and begins blocking various scenes using as much creative collaboration with our fellow cast mates as possible. While it may sound pretty easy, it can definitely leave your brain a little fried, especially after your whole morning was spent covering the 12th and 13th centuries of Christianity in Scotland.
The entire process, however, has given our directors, writers, and cast a plethora of blocking ideas, character choices, and technical aspects to choose from. I believe it has also brought our cast closer together in a collaborative sense. Each group has come up with fantastic ideas that are starkly different from the rest. Saturday was our last day to devise which meant we would finally get the chance to start blocking the show!
Saturday night we enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Tron Theatre and saw one of the best pieces of theatre I have seen in a very long time. The show was called ‘Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) and was written by the highly successful Isobel McArthur, who is only 28 years old!!!
It was basically the same plot as Pride and Prejudice just turned into a comedy with a cast of 5 incredibly talented girls. Throughout the whole show, I was bent over laughing and was in complete awe at how mesmerizing the actors were on the stage. After seeing the show, my love for theatre and respect for what we are doing with The Abode was reignited. It definitely ended the first week of Glasgow with a bang. Yesterday, we finally started blocking the Abode and it seemed surreal.
After months and months of cultivating this piece of theatre, we are finally putting the show on its feet and I think we all couldn’t be happier. The first week in Glasgow was an incredible success and has only made me more excited to see what is to come.
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