Day Three - Saturday, August 15, 2015

Saturday started off as a repeat of Friday, early to rise, breakfast of brioche and tea, and then we were off. We were not, like these two snails chilling just off the pavement, moving at a slow pace. Not only did we have some fun places to visit, but also friends to meet up with and two plays to attend!

The first stop of the day was Borough Market, one of my favorite places in London. You can find every kind of food there, and for someone with a sweet tooth like mine? Leave your wallet at home or bring a big appetite and plan to walk off the calories later. I was glad I ate before arriving or else some serious damage would have been done; I was able to reign in my appetite (somewhat). I did end up buying a flaxseed bar to offset the enormous meringue cookie that I just couldn’t pass up, and I must say, they were equally delicious!

What I didn’t know at the time of my visit, was that in the next year there would be a scene from BBC’s Sherlock filmed here! Of course, it was a different area than where we wandered through, but I thought it was definitely worth mentioning. It’s from the fourth season called “The Six Thatchers” when Sherlock, John, Mary, and baby Rosie are following Toby the Bloodhound in the hope that he can use a blood sample to sniff out whoever had been smashing busts of Margaret Thatcher. Toby the dog appears in the novel, The Sign of Four and short story “The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter.”

Of course, a day is not complete without a Lord of the Rings reference, and Pieminister gave us the opportunity with inspired names for their meat pies. Chicken of Aragon next to Free Ranger could not be a coincidence.

Borough Market is one of the oldest open markets in London, dating back to the mid-990’s, and has been operating near London Bridge in Southwark, according to the website, for 1,000 years. The original location ended up becoming a problem when the the London markets across the river realized the sellers were real competition. Those market owners wanted to ban people from crossing over the Thames to buy “corn, cattle, or other merchandise.” This fight continued for years, even involving two kings, until 1756 when the Market was in danger of being shut down because it was blocking traffic into the City.

The people petitioned Parliament which eventually led to it agreeing to allow the parishioners of St Saviors to establish an area for the new location. Borough Market flourished, with a small back step when the New Covent Garden Market opened in the 1970’s and various supermarkets began popping up around the City. When a few artisan grocers opened stalls in the Market in the 1990’s, things began turning around and Borough Market has been growing ever since.

During my first visit, Ann told me that when coal-powered trains would chug along up on the London Bridge they would rain coal dust down on the stalls and shoppers in the Market. Obviously, that didn't stop the sellers nor the customers from doing business.

We stopped to get coffee at the nearby Caffe Nero because we had done the same on my last trip, though this time we weren’t meeting up with friends - we just needed to caffeinate and have a laugh while reminiscing.

My picture of The Shard and two screenshots from “The Bells of Saint John.”

The Shard had not been completed on that first visit, so it was a sight to see on our walk. I took so many pictures of The Shard from different spots around London; you can practically see it from anywhere. It was beautiful, gleaming in the sunlight.

The Shard was opened in 2013, and it was soon afterwards that Matt Smith as the Doctor, (well, as a servant who looks like and is being controlled by the Doctor who is still at a café having coffee in view of the Shard), rode up the side of the glass building (above) to rescue Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) - whose mind had been uploaded to a network for a client called the Great Intelligence. There’s also a scene when the fake Doctor is in Miz Kizlet’s (Celia Imrie) office where you can clearly see the Gherkin through the glass (in the episode “The Bells of Saint John.”).

We were headed to Tower Bridge, and what better way than to stroll through Hay’s Galleria (above)? While I didn’t remember Hay’s Galleria being used as a filming location, the steampunk sculpture is like a story all on its own. It’s called The Navigators, created by David Kemp, and was installed in 1987.

The Navigators

Since the middle ages there have been wharves and warehouses in the area where Hay’s Galleria now stands. It was renamed Hay’s Wharf after Alexander Hay purchased the land in 1651. It was a busy shipping and trade port, especially with the tea trade. It was heavily damaged in WWI, but revitalized in the 1980’s and is now a popular shopping and dining center with great views across the Thames of the Financial District and the gleaming skyscrapers.

From left to right: the Walkie-Talkie (or Microphone), the Cheese Grater, and The Gherkin - nicknamed for their distinctive shapes. They are 20 Fenchurch Street, 122 Leadenhall Street, and 30 St Mary Axe respectively (above).

The galleria's design was inspired by the Galleria on the Piazza del Duomo in Milan, with a Victorian steel and glass barrel-vaulted roof. It was too early for the many shops and restaurants to be open when we walked through, but there were still a number of people, like us, who were enjoying the quiet stroll and admiring The Navigators.

HMS Belfast (above left), a WWII Royal Navy light cruiser, is moored just outside the galleria. Now part of the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast was launched on St Patrick’s Day in 1938 and went on to play an important part in history. The ship and her crew saw action in several WWII campaigns, as well as in the Korean War.

HMS Belfast can be seen in the Doctor Who episode “Rise of the Cybermen” in series two (above right). A good view of Tower ridge is in the same shot. This is an alternate universe to ours that the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), Rose (Billie Piper) and Mickey (Noel Clarke) accidentally find themselves in when there is an explosion in the TARDIS and they crash-land.

The cruiser also has a connection to James Bond: in 2005 Daniel Craig was transported by speedboat along the Thames to HMS President, but began his journey where? At HMS Belfast.

The Queen’s Walk is located between Lambeth Bridge and Tower Bridge, running in front of Hay’s Galleria and City Hall. While Hay’s Galleria was quiet, once you are on the riverside the area turns lively with pedestrians - tourists and locals - enjoying the small park and gorgeous views,

London is a wonderful example of history and modern life, and standing on the walkway looking between the medieval Tower of London across from the gleaming glass dome of City Hall, it’s almost like Tower Bridge, the Victorian marvel, is not only connecting the north and south banks of the Thames but is also connecting the city’s timeline.

A scene from the 2015 James Bond Film Spectre was filmed inside of City Hall. Boris Johnson was Mayor then, and caught a little flack for giving spoilers in his 2015 tweet about the filming. The scene is the culmination of the tension between M (Ralph Fiennes) and Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott). It doesn’t go well for the man Bond refers to as “C”. The joke is that historically, the head of MI6 or the Secret Intelligence Service signs as “C” whereas his fictional counterpart in the Ian Fleming novels and movies is known as “M”.

A neat sculpture on the walk is this model of the riverside buildings. Due to the rain overnight, the “River Thames” water filled up the carved waterway.

Across the Thames, people were queuing up for tours of the Tower of London. I’ve never taken a tour of the Tower of London, which has been featured in one way or another in film and media often enough to write a book about it, but since I’m a Sherlock fan I have to mention the role the building, or more specifically, the Crown Jewels play in the series three episode “The Reichenbach Falls.” Moriarty (Andrew Scott) simultaneously pulls off a bank robbery, prison break, and, after breaking the glass, seats himself on the throne inside the display case for the Crown Jewels. When Lestrade (Rupert Graves) arrives, Moriarty is calmly waiting, robed, crowned, and holding the Sovereign's Scepter.

Back on the Queen’s Walkway, we made our way to Tower Bridge because I am fascinated by it and, knowing this, Ann purchased tickets for a tour inside and up - we were going to go from one tower to the other using the enclosed catwalks!

Screenshot of Doctor Who episode "Aliens of London"

As one of the most recognizable and iconic landmarks in England, Tower Bridge has been featured in many television shows and movies, but since this trip was about connecting to my favorite fandoms, the bridge cameos that come to mind in Doctor Who are in series one “Aliens of London” when the Slitheens spaceship nearly crashes into it, and of course I mentioned earlier the “Rise of the Cybermen'' episode. There’s a night shot in Paddington when the Browns are taking Paddington home, and in the Robert Downey Jr Sherlock Holmes movie a partially constructed Tower Bridge was the location of the final confrontation between Sherlock (RDJ), Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) and Lord Henry Blackwood (Mark Strong).

Tower Bridge was completed in 1894 based on the design submitted by City Architect Sir Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry. It took 432 construction workers and five major contractors eight years to complete the bridge, and it had to be done so as to not disrupt the heavy river traffic.

I’ve never seen a bridge lift in person (only on the television or movie screen), but the mechanics behind it were state of the art when the bridge was built. Originally steam powered but now uses hydraulics, rather than using chains to raise and lower the sides, Tower Bridge uses eight large cogs that work to balance the sides as they move. If you’re in London and want to see a scheduled lift, just check the website for dates and times.

From the crowded lobby we got into the elevator (lift) along with half of London it seemed, and went up and up to reach the first part of the tour: a history lesson. We all sat and watched a video about the building of Tower Bridge and its place in London history through to modern day, and then it was time to climb the stairs to the catwalk. There are two and the tour allows for both.

We were in the east catwalk first, looking across the Pool of London towards Canary Wharf (the tall buildings in the distance). Ann even convinced me to sit on one of the reinforced glass panels in the floor, where you can look down to the street nearly 110 feet below. I did it, long enough for two photos where I am gritting my teeth more than smiling, and then made sure to walk around them for the rest of the time. Most people did not have the same reaction, and there was even one group of young men on the west catwalk who made a human pyramid on a panel for a fun picture. Brave souls.

The other catwalk looks towards the Financial District, and I loved how many buildings I could recognize. I was even able to get a picture of the Monument to the Great Fire of London. Again, it’s worth the time to just study the architecture and admire the integration of modern structures alongside the landmarks of London’s history.

We walked down to street level, passing by screens flashing pictures and artwork of Tower Bridge, and LED plaques highlighting some of London’s significant landmarks, and crossed over to the other side of the street for the next part of the tour: the Engine Rooms. It was a fascinating close-up look at the old inner workings of the bridge. I could only imagine how loud it must have been in the work areas when the engines were running, The machinery, and tools used on them, were massive. Everything was clean, nicely painted, and well-lit. I don’t suppose that was the case back in the day when it was all in use!

The gift shop ended the tour, as they always do, and then it was time to catch a cab because we were meeting friends for lunch at the Barbican before the afternoon showing of Hamlet.

Ann and I arrived early to pick up the tickets, and we used the extra time to wander around before we were to meet our friends. We found the library and conservatory but neither was open, so we got in line in the cafeteria, and then found a seat outside to eat. The pigeons were used to people; they weren’t afraid to land on one end of the table and make their way closer to our plates. I’m sure people share, especially the students who attend Guildhall School of Music and Drama. A few of (my) fandom related alumni of the school are: Daniel Craig, Orlando Bloom, and Jodie Whittaker!

The Barbican Frobisher Crescent was used to serve as MI6 in the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace (2008), which was a little odd since the actual MI6 building in Vauxhall had been used in the previous Pierce Brosnan era, but there must have been a good reason for the (temporary) change. (We didn’t walk over to that area because I had no idea about it until I was researching the Bond movie filming locations.)

St Giles-without-Cripplegate

The definition of the word ‘barbican’ according to Merriam-Webster.com is “an outer defensive work, especially a tower at a gate or bridge.” The Romans built a high wall around Londinium, now London, around AD 200, and the gate near what is now the Barbican Estate area was later named Cripplegate. There was Cripplegate Within, or within the wall, and Cripplegate Without, outside of the wall. The church St Giles-without-Cripplegate was outside of the wall but today is inside the Barbican Estate. Interesting fact about St Giles is that it was built by Alfune, Bishop of London, who then helped Rahere to build the church of St Bartholomew the Great. (A St. Bart’s/ Sherlock connection.)

The fact that we were at the Barbican to see Sherlock himself, Benedict Cumberbatch, play the title role in Hamlet made the connection feel a bit like fate. (Or, at least it felt that way when I put the pieces together when researching the location histories.)

The Barbican of today was designed in the 1950’s and officially opened in 1982. There are over 4000 residents, and the estate is also home to the Barbican Arts Centre, Museum of London, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the City of London School for Girls, a conservatory, and a public library.

We didn’t have time for more exploring once we finished lunch, but that might have been for the best. Had I found the Museum of London I might have ended up missing the play, and considering how long Ann spent on the phone to get the tickets, that just couldn’t happen.

With no idea of what to expect from the theater, I relied on Ann's description: “The theatre itself is unusual because it has no aisles and nearly all the rows have their own door.” And we did enter through a door of our own, well, us and the few others outside of our party that were in the side balcony. Our seats were excellent, I could hear every word, and the play was wonderful. I think rather than writing out my memories of seeing Hamlet, I will let my journal entry speak for me, with all of the excitement of the day…

The play was wonderful, and for the first time I felt as though I really understood the language, which made it an even better experience for me. I've read Hamlet and other Shakespeare plays but I never really got it. The language barrier was just too much, and most of the books explaining the plays are boring. This time, I was able to laugh at the jokes, and feel for the characters as they despaired. The cast was amazing, the sets were too cool, and I was sitting with some really great friends.

The theatre itself was huge! Stadium style comfy seats made sure that even little me got a great view. The place was packed, so when a funny bit happened, the laughter was in stereo. I think Benedict is a great comedic actor, and he really gives it his all, every second of every scene. I wasn't sure if I liked Ophelia at first, but oh man, I was heartbroken by the end. Absolutely loved it!!!

(Ciarán Hinds who played Claudius, also starred in the spy thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with Benedict Cumberbatch in 2011.)

I also attended an NTLive showing of Hamlet the following year when it played at a local movie theater! According to the website, Frankenstein will be showing soon in select theaters. The play stars two Sherlocks (Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch) who switch between playing Dr. Frankenstein and the Monster - so if you see two showings in the area, get tickets to both!

After the show, we knew there would not be an opportunity for autographs due to the overwhelming fan response to Benedict Cumberbatch being in the play (though I hear he did make appearances later on in the run). We had reservations at Côte right next door and arrived well before the rest of the theatre crowd so we could chat before the noise level became too much. When it did, I had trouble understanding what my friends were saying in their distinct accents. It didn’t matter, we had a wonderful time and the food was very, very good.

Ann and I parted ways with our friends after supper because they all needed to travel home and I had tickets to see Bakkhai at the Almeida Theatre. Interesting backstory, I had jokingly posted a picture of Ben Whishaw with the text “Oh how I wish Leanne could one day see me in a play!” and a year to the day later I was online purchasing tickets to see this play. I was manifesting before I knew what it was!

Ann had other plans while I was to see the play, so she made sure I was all set at the theatre and then I was on my own. I purchased a playbook and the “new version” of the Euripides play (Bacchae) scriptbook, which I later added notes to as I remembered bits and pieces of the performance. The ticket had a coupon for a free drink (after purchasing one) but I was full from dinner (and we’d celebrated with a bottle of wine) so I just found a place to sit and look at my new treasures.

Almeida Theatre was originally a lecture hall for the Scientific and Literary Institution in 1837. There was a small history museum, a lecture hall, library, and study rooms in the basement. It later became a gentlemen’s club, and then housed a branch of the Salvation Army. In 1956, it became a warehouse for a local novelties shop, but had fallen into disrepair by the 1960’s. It was in the late 70’s when The Almeida Theatre Company was established that the building was refurbished. The Almeida Theatre officially opened in 1981.

Once we were allowed inside the theatre to find our seats, I had quite the shock after the Barbican’s cavernous theatre.

The Almeida is a small, cozy theatre that practically makes you a part of the performance from any of the seats, or at least that’s how I felt. As I did with Hamlet, I think it’s best to use my journal entries from that evening to tell the story of seeing Bakkhai because as much of an impression the performance had on me then, retelling it now might lose some of the spontaneity.

The theatre was small, and I was in the 6th row. It felt like I could reach out and touch the stage! When the lights went down and "Dionysos" came on stage Ben Whishaw was RIGHT THERE. His performance was riveting from the moment the lights hit him. Let me just say, though, that the entire cast was great. The chorus sounded lovely. What beautiful voices they all had!! The main cast was only 3 men, playing 3 parts each - and they did so perfectly. I was so excited to realize that I recognized one of the other actors: Bertie Carvel - who played Sebastian in the BBC Sherlock ep of "The Blind Banker"! Kevin Harvey was best as the old man, but (and I'm totally biased here, but still) Ben Whishaw totally stole every second of every scene he was in.

His Dionysos was silky sly, vicious in his joy, and terrible in his anger. With such a small theatre, it was possible to see every single bit of emotion in the actors' faces, the tears in their eyes, and they did at times seem to seek out and speak directly to people in the audience. I will go to my grave believing I met his gaze as he gave his opening speech, all flirty and full of ego. No words. NO WORDS!

Apparently, I did have words.

Left: Bertie Carvel Right: Ben Whishaw

After the play, Ann met me in the lobby and we waited because I heard that the cast would come out to sign autographs after each performance. While the entire cast was wonderful, I was waiting for Kevin Harvey, Bertie Carvel and, of course, Ben Whishaw. It took a while, but finally they did all appear. I didn’t have the chance to get an autograph from Kevin, though I snapped a pic of him from afar (but was too blurry to post). I got Bertie’s autograph and a picture from the edge of the crowd.

The highlight was an autograph and short conversation with Ben Whishaw. “I met Ben Whishaw” is something I still randomly text to Ann, who had to deal with me for the rest of my stay wandering around with stars in my eyes.

He was soft-spoken and exceptionally gracious to the fans who waited over an hour to meet him. He even went outside to meet the fans who hadn’t been at the play, when Ann mentioned them. I think if I had to choose one word to describe him, I would say “kind.” Even if I didn’t already consider him to be one of the most amazing actors of his generation, that experience with him made me a fan for life.

On the train, the last train actually, back to Ann’s flat, she laughed at me because I couldn’t stop smiling. What an end to a great day!

P.S. I met Ben Whishaw.

P.P.S. Ann is still laughing about it.