April 8, 2003

One Language Barrier Down, One to Go

The third time was a charm for me this week, as my hapless effort to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace finally paid off.  There I stood, camera in hand, ready to bring you all the fanfare that I had heard so much about.  But the whole experience, to be candid, was pretty disappointing.  The ceremony was not as firmly rooted in history as I had hoped.  It was instead – big surprise here – intended to cater to tourists.  This was made painfully clear when the marching band played a few Andrew Lloyd Webber numbers.  The highlight for me, as it turned out, was the chance to pet one of the horses carrying a patrolling officer.  The horses, of course, are another piece of the very calculated plan to bring tourists here.  As is the throwback design of the taxi fleet.  And as is – dare I say it? – the persistence of the monarchy itself.

My course on British theatre took me on Tuesday to see Shakespeare’s Pericles at the huge National Theatre.  To my discredit, I was not very well acquainted with the story line before seeing the production.  And I’ll have to confess further that I didn’t even have a firm grasp on things when I went home that evening.

It’s not that I didn’t pay careful attention, and it’s not that I didn’t enjoy myself.  It’s probably because this performance was in Japanese.  Yes, a Japanese touring company came to London to mount a visually stunning and, on the whole, interesting production.  Some in our group were a little weary after the three-and-a-half hours, but we all appreciated the different perspective.  Next time, barring any last-minute surprises, it’s back to English.