Getting through Heathrow felt like a forced march. It took a full hour to get from the gate to the Heathrow Express train—and that doesn’t include getting through passport control. We did finally make it and in fifteen minutes were at Paddington Station, directly adjacent to our hotel.
Our room, of course, wasn’t ready. Sue and I drank caffeine and tried to stay awake.
After a sorely needed nap, I was ready to go. However, Sue and I have different interests in theater. She went off to the Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime. I went to see a dance performance, Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty.
Matthew Bourne is a British choreographer I greatly admire. If any of his shows are being performed when I’m in London I make it a point to go. The dance itself is interesting, but it is his storytelling creativity that attracts me. He has a quirky take on everything he decides to tackle. His Sleeping Beauty bends the story we know—and it ain’t Disney. For eternal love to take place, vampires appear. There are pixyish fairies, a puppet and some of the most gorgeous sets and costumes imaginable. I loved every minute.