After nearly seven years of being in London I finally made it to see a play at Shakespeare’s Globe … joining Dave and his mates, Laney and Ying to see Hamlet.

Walking into The Globe felt so … special. The feeling of an open air-theatre was very cool. We decided to try the authentic experience of getting the standing tickets for £5. My advice if you get these tickets is to get there early so you can guarantee yourself a prime position. Although we weren’t late, we weren’t exactly early and ended up towards the back of the standing area. Which is not a problem … unless, you’re short like us!! And stuck behind tall people!

I had underestimated just how much concentration was required to both pay attention to the play and be standing. I think it was because I had to constantly move around to be able to see what was going on on stage, and we were stood next to these bunch of girls who insisted on standing nearly on top of us even though they had plenty of space on their other wise. Hilariously by the time we got to the interval Laney had been boxed in by the girl in front of her (who had unconsciously kept moving backwards) and the bags of the girls behind her. Literally she was surrounded and boxed in.

The play itself to the end of the first half was surprisingly fast-paced in terms of movement on stage, the energy the actors were displaying and their speech. I’m so unused to hearing Shakespearen English that some parts I couldn’t understand. Not to mention the fact that it was distracting that Joshua McGuire reminded me too much of another actor, whose name kept eluding me, and that was all I could think about! The cast is small and double-up on roles – which, to someone like me who isn’t hugely familiar with Hamlet, was confusing.

Although I enjoyed the atmosphere and the spirit of the evening, come interval my brain had had to much and we left! I’d definitely go again … perhaps to a play I’m more familiar with and perhaps I would opt to try the seats.