The ‘2025 A level London Trip’ had an Ancient Greek theme to it, as we journeyed from The Old Vic’s adaptation of Sophocles’ ‘Oedipus Rex’ and the West End’s ‘Hadestown’, to the Greek-influenced amphitheatre that is Shakespeare’s Globe. As well as walking at Mr Willis’s speedy “London pace”, we also travelled “way down, way down, way down under the ground” - to quote lyrics from ‘Hadestown’ - navigating the Tube network like Theseus navigated the labyrinth.
‘Oedipus’ at The Old Vic was an exciting and engaging contemporary adaptation of the classic tragedy. Dramatising the tragedy of a man who saves a town, but unknowingly comes to the terrible domestic fate that the Oracle had warned him of in his teenage years. The twisted story was enjoyed by all. Rami Malek’s performance as Oedipus was entrancing. The modern dancing throughout the performance helped convey the unrest of the citizens of Thebes and in the political sphere, with the dancing becoming more unified as the play unfolds. We also understood how Sigmund Freud used the play to form his psychoanalytical theory of the ‘Oedipus complex’, which we have used to explore character dynamics in our A level texts.
‘Hadestown’ at the Lyric Theatre was undoubtedly the highlight of the trip. The show was electric. The fusion between the Greek myths Orpheus and Eurydice, and Hades and Persephone created a brilliantly captivating and energetic nature. The songs were so catchy and did not end with the performance as we sang the “la-la-la-la-la-la" chords of Orpheus’ Spring song well into the night.
On the final day, we visited Shakespeare’s Globe. Actor Jonathan Woolf helped us to further our understanding of Shakespeare’s craft in ‘King Lear’. The lecture engaged us with how different directors portrayed Lear. The acting workshop focused on how characters speak and use their bodies on stage to portray motives and tactics. We used these performative techniques to explore the dynamics between Edmund and Gloucester in Act 1; Scene 2.
The trip was filled with fun, and non-stop laughter. Outside of our theatrical epics, we also marvelled at some of London’s finest wonders: The Houses of Parliament; Big Ben; The London Eye; The British Library; The National Gallery and Borough Market – the latter was a real highlight and those strawberries and melted chocolate will not be forgotten any time soon!
The trip was fantastic. Thank you to Mr Willis and Ms Mann, who expertly navigated us around London. Everyone is so grateful for the unforgettable experience.
