Having gotten my homework for Thursday done last night, I headed to the Museum of London after class. The contrast of newer modern buildings with some significant remnants of the original London Wall reminds one of the many evolutions this city has seen – an appropriate precursor to the special exhibit on the Great Fire, which I had come to see. I have never been much good at history and remembering dates, but given the repetition of some of this information since arriving here, the Museum’s handy chronological historical display just may have solidified the order and timeframe of key dates in the city’s past. I picked up a guide to London Architecture in the gift shop to further augment my knowledge by matching the various architectural styles with the historical time periods.

After a quick bite to eat at the flat and a chat with a neighbor (who is heading to Denver in the New Year!) I ran back out again in pursuit of half-price tickets to the theatre at Leicester Square. I had an inkling to see Swimming with Sharks, which stars Christian Slater, but there are so many shows I’d like to see, I was by no means rigid in this resolve. Unfortunately, I cut my timing a bit too close and the ticket office was just closing as I walked up. ‘Try the theatre directly’ the guy suggested. So, I did, but to no avail. You see, now that I’ve figured out the system I’m picky; I want half-price tickets for the best seats in the house – no more no less. I tried the box office for Rent, but they too only wanted to sell me discount tickets for upper balcony seats. No thanks. By the time I got back to Leicester Square the other copycat discount ticket offices were shutting down as well. Short consideration for seeing a movie came and went through my mind. At this point, I tried not to be disappointed, but also did not feel like an evening in after having my heart set on the theatre for one. Wandering towards Picadilly Circus, I ruminated my options. Just then I looked over to see a sign for tickets still available for Mamma Mia. The woman at the box office was much more accommodating than the others and sold me a “student discount” (even though I did not have my student id with me), which was half-price, for a seat about 14 rows back from the stage. I passed through the turnstile and found my seat a minute before the curtain rose!

The show was fantastic. The actors were clearly having a blast and it was nearly impossible not to get lost in the positive energy, music, and humor of the performance. I left humming ‘The Winner Takes It All’ all the way back on the tube.