June 18

JT and I began our trek to Trafalgar Square around 10:45, in the assumption that we'd be right on time for West End Live, that began at 11. We were wrong. We had to wait in a line that started at one end of Trafalgar Square, and then looped around The National Gallery, through some of the back streets, then back up to the other side of Trafalgar, near the entrance. With the line being so long, we decided to give it an hour, and if we were no where in sight by then, we'd leave. Welp, we were up to security by 11:23, we did have to walk through the entire line, but it went by super quickly. Once we made it up to the gate, we realized we could have just sat around the square to listen, or watch on one of the screens, but since we were there, we were going in.

West End Live turned out to be exactly like the event title. The West End is the Broadway of London, it's where every big musical or show is performed. If a musical starts in the West End, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and it's a success, it'll move to Broadway, and vice versa. We got into the square right as the cast of Wicked was coming onto the stage. They performed 2 songs, in costume, and then they stayed around the be "interviewed" by the hosts. This happened for just about every big musical I know: Les Mis,  Phantom of the Opera, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia, Matilda, Kinky Boots, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Aladdin, Show Boat. Each cast would perform a few numbers, talk a little, promote their shows, then leave for the next act to come on...and it was all free! It was so awesome, I cannot even begin to describe how happy it made me. It was great for shows we didn't know too, because then we could tell if we would want to go see it or not, it was basically a preview for each musical.

Later that night it was decided to be "Movie Night," so we made popcorn (on the stove, which I have come to appreciate more) and bought snacks to watch Serendipity and then We Need to Talk About Kevin (after a few games of Peanuts, of course). I am very aware that these are two totally different genres of movies, but I was not in charge of choosing. One friend of mine told us we had to wacth We Need to Talk About Kevin, because it was "so good," it's not. It's really annoying, and all around weird, I did not enjoy it. I would not recommend it.