On the 4th we met up with Lana and Tammy in Willard for their Independence Day celebration and play some bingo.
Later at home, the kids did some smoke bombs and parachutes.
July 9th Faith and I left with Lana and Tammy for our Utah Shakespeare Festival girls' trip. We started off with a quick stop at the Red Barn.
That night we saw Macbeth and it was my first visit to the new Globe reproduction theater there.
The morning of the 10th Faith, Tam & I went to the discussion in the grove.
We did some local shopping, saw a matinee of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, grabbed a bite to eat, and watched the Greenshow.
On the 11th we hung out on the SUU campus for a bit
and later saw an absolutely amazing production of Hamlet! Directed by Brian Vaughn (💖) and starring our new obsession, Quinn Mattfeld, the costumes and set were inspired by Imperial Russia. I just had to include a review at the bottom of this post.
June 12th we did some more exploration of the grounds,
enjoyed a free costume seminar,
and enjoyed some art at the on campus museum.
We just had to stop by the Parawan Cafe on our way home, not only to enjoy the history (Lana's mother, Grandma Mitchell was a waitress there when she was young), but to also test their claim to the best cinnamon rolls in the state. They were amazing!
Back home, on the 15th I led Summer Riot in the sand volleyball workout. I even brought a music playlist full of Top Gun Soundtrack music!
I have to memorialize the hilariously awesome birthday gift I received from Joy & fam:
On the 25th my book club was discussing the book Rebecca. I love themed food (duh) so I went with something British and mentioned in the story--crumpets! Tried my hand at making them for the first time and they came out quite delicious!
And here is a portion of a review of the Hamlet we saw, by Kathryn Neves:
Afterward we saw Twelfth Night.
On the 11th we hung out on the SUU campus for a bit
and later saw an absolutely amazing production of Hamlet! Directed by Brian Vaughn (💖) and starring our new obsession, Quinn Mattfeld, the costumes and set were inspired by Imperial Russia. I just had to include a review at the bottom of this post.
June 12th we did some more exploration of the grounds,
enjoyed a free costume seminar,
and enjoyed some art at the on campus museum.
We just had to stop by the Parawan Cafe on our way home, not only to enjoy the history (Lana's mother, Grandma Mitchell was a waitress there when she was young), but to also test their claim to the best cinnamon rolls in the state. They were amazing!
Back home, on the 15th I led Summer Riot in the sand volleyball workout. I even brought a music playlist full of Top Gun Soundtrack music!
I have to memorialize the hilariously awesome birthday gift I received from Joy & fam:
On the 25th my book club was discussing the book Rebecca. I love themed food (duh) so I went with something British and mentioned in the story--crumpets! Tried my hand at making them for the first time and they came out quite delicious!
And here is a portion of a review of the Hamlet we saw, by Kathryn Neves:
One of the aspects of this show that especially stands out is its setting. Immediately upon entering the theatre, you can see the signs of Imperial Russia: the costumes, the set, and the snow piled on the stage all work to transport you back to the time of czars and revolutionaries. Vaughn explains that this show is not necessarily "a realistic Russia, but a fictional Denmark similarly woven toward a kingdom under age-old repression, arbitrary rule, and an extreme sense of nationalism—resonating anger, divisiveness, and despair." The changed setting of the play speaks well to Shakespeare's universality: the story of a Danish prince seeking to avenge his father feels real and significant in any time period.
But it isn't only the changed setting that makes this show worth seeing. This production brings the oft-overlooked character of Ophelia (played by Emma Geer) into a much more prominent role. Too often, productions of Hamlet tend to cast Ophelia aside as merely a victim of circumstance, a damsel-in-distress subject to the whims of the powerful men around her. However, in this production, Ophelia takes on more significance—as a confidante, an ally, and a key part in Hamlet's quest for the truth. "I wanted an Ophelia of great agency, who is deeply in love with Hamlet, and a Hamlet who is deeply in love with her," says Vaughn. "I wanted an Ophelia who was like Hamlet: intelligent, strong, and curious and who is helping Hamlet expose the truth in this court. Through her madness she exposes those around her to the machinations that they undergo to try to keep her and Hamlet at bay."
Rest assured, even if you know Hamlet well, this production will still surprise you. The beautiful stage design, the phenomenal acting, and the overall direction of the show come together to create a Hamlet unlike anything you've seen before. The Independent reviewer Brian Passey, agrees; the show “might just be the best version of the Bard’s beloved play you’ll ever see.” And it’s true; you'll leave the theatre feeling as though you've just heard Shakespeare's immortal words for the very first time.
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