Odd Socks and the trip to the Saatchi Art Gallery and 39 steps

After a long two years of working towards creating odd socks, it was about time that we, as the volunteers got a treat for all the hard work we put into this project. For those two years we had been on the adventure of challenges and learning as well as an experience worth its while. We had started as a group of random teenagers, whom became great friends and came up with the idea of creating the social group for the younger community of Lutterworth and the surrounding catchment area basing our events within the local library. We first announced ourselves at the new Lutterworth Library launch before we proposed our cause to win ourselves some money to start up the social group. In the following years we used the money to provide art craft sessions, bring authors into the library, writing workshops and fun-filled games for the benefit of the younger community. As for us as the group, we grew up into young adults and gained experience and skills in organising, creating and management. It was soon however that Oddsocks was coming near to an end as our pocketful of money slowly emptied. It was concluded that we should use some of that last money to treat ourselves despite doing this project was a reward within itself. So after much discussion it was decided that on the 15^th of January we would spend a day in London.

On that Saturday, 10 of us caught the train from Leicester into London. 7 of us were of the volunteered young adults accompanied with Karen, Jo and Jackie ( a group of adults who helped start the group off) The day’s itinerary consisted of visiting the Saatchi Art gallery followed by the theatrical comedy show of 39 steps (as well as the walk around slightly lost in London and taking as many opportunities to shop!) The Saatchi Art Gallery is of a highly recommended taste for those inquisitive young artists out there, with some thought provoking art pieces and beautifully composed sculptures. There will be names of artists that you may have never heard of there however some noteworthy inspirational pieces; one in particular of a large glass box containing insect remnants with miniscule fairy-like creatures flying into battle as the scene is suspended in air hanging by nylon threads; an example of many ‘gawp’ worthy pieces of art found in the white walled gallery.

After finishing the visit to the gallery, and eating some warm hearty food from an outside market, the London buzz most certainly hit us as we entered the famous Piccadilly Circus. It was here where the Criterion Theatre was situated and we were to watch 39 Steps. The theatre production was of a cast of four talented actors recreating the classic murder mystery novel as a comedy in these unheroic and unpatriotic times, it was certainly a play of theatrical tomfoolery which made us laugh to bursting fits. With brilliant scenes such as the wobbly shadow puppetry of a crashing biplane and the cleverly designed escaping-from-the-train scene, jokes and humorous catch lines got the whole audience crying with laughter. The four actors alone became the set and numerous characters with quick witted costume changes that were sleek enough to keep the play flowing with amusement. It was undoubtedly a cleverly mastered production with astounding acting and hilarious humour that is most certainly a British comedy that can never cease to bore no matter how many times one watches it.

As the day drew to an end, we were undoubtedly tired however such a trip was needed and most certainly an experience we had all enjoyed.