Skip to Main Content

News

Oh What a Beautiful Day: Oklahoma in London

May 18 2023

By Amelia. Turnbull Two young woman, dear friends, pose outside a theatre.

My favorite part about the Arts in London class is going off to spend my arts allowance, the allotted amount of money that I am given to spend on going to see different arts in the city. I have used the majority of mine on the West End (the broadway of London). I’ve seen a variety of different shows so far, but my favorite has to be a dark rendition of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma.”

I knew from the get go that I wanted to see this show. Coming from a family of “okies” it was a must see. It was just difficult to get people to tag along, but Antoinette, who loves a good adventure, came to see the classic play with me.

Honestly, we did not know what to expect. The set was kind of lame. I was shocked at how bare the stage was. Aside from a table and a few guns, there was not much to look at. The show started and we were in for a wild ride.

A stage set in pale wood tonesWith a dream sequence, flying boots, an on stage cameraman, and a surprising death, Antoinette and I left the theater with our jaws on the floor. All we could say was “Wow.” It was an unexpected show. We went there for a wholesome show set in the great state of Oklahoma and left with a whole lot of shock. Our shock was not shared with the rest of the theater, who watched the show very calmly. Antoinette and I on the other hand, were on the edge of our seats and could not contain our surprise, which resulted in some angry British audience members.

If you are ever in London and are wondering what to see on the West End, see Oklahoma. You won’t regret it and you might even leave saying “wow.”

  • What Mindo Taught Me to See

    Since being stationed in the town of Mindo for my service portion of SST, I’ve noticed a big cultural difference between U.S. Mennonites and Ecuadorian “Mindo-nites” – pun intended 🙂 approaches to life. There’s a palpable sense of serenity and…

  • Photo of pink flowers on a tree

    A Day in the Life: Working on a Flower Farm

    For my service, I work in Cayambe with an organization called FACE. Under FACE there are other organizations; Casa Hogar, Sumak, Centro Medico Emmanuel, and Forever Flowers. They work together to help break the cycle of abuse and neglect in…

  • Where Art Meets History

    While being in Ecuador, I’ve noticed how people value their history. It was so impressive and inspiring to see how much they know about their history. They’re not afraid to share it, even through their art. During my first weekend…