Why is the tallest person in The Globe Theatre standing right in front of me? And why am I moaning about it? I could just move in front of him. But I’ve got a pillar to lean on. So I’m not moving. But I can’t ask him to move either. Like Scarlett O’Hara would say; ‘Fiddle dee dee!’. If only I had Rhett Butler to take it out on.

Still, the ticket only cost a fiver. Lu and I are in the standing room in The Globe’s yard. The Globe Theatre being an exact replica of Shakespeare’s theatre company’s from the 1600s. Since she’s been studying Shakespeare at school, I’ve wanted Lulu to experience how Shakespeare sounded in the actual space it was performed in. Turns out it’s a mixed bag. A little intense in the standing section and in my case, impossible to see. The sun’s come over too so there’s a lot of glare. The stewards are handing out paper caps for people to shield their eyes. We’re watching Midsummer Night’s Dream today. It’s turning into a sort of Caribbean-style carnival. Colours and music. Fantastically racially inclusive cast.

A brass band is playing an accompaniment and are sometimes the main attraction themselves. At the beginning they played while a number of kids came on the stage to smash at a piñata. It was suddenly very Renaissance. I could imagine the piñata as a traitor to the royal throne. Like a Guy Fawkes figure in the theatre. Smash the legs off. Topple the head. Maybe don’t set fire to him. A fire in the theatre not such a good idea. 

Lulu’s doing MacBeth this year for GCSE. Plus, getting out of the house and going to London seemed like a good idea. Lulu needs the distraction today. She definitely needs distraction.

I suddenly feel I haven’t seen her for months. I’m feeling that refreshed view into the mind of a teenager. So far, I’ve noticed she veers from being moody and recalcitrant to happily chatty. She goes from being sad about leaving to almost looking forward to it. I say almost. Let’s not exaggerate. I’m starting to realise that teenage brains are wired only for friendship. For making connections. It’s literally right now the only thing she finds interesting. 

Aha though! Two can play at this game. Just before we left Borth, we bought Jamie a plane ticket to visit us in the Caribbean. Yep, a whole plane ticket. Non-refundable too. The old ‘buy your 14-year old daughter’s boyfriend a plane ticket’ trick. This means Jamie’s coming for Christmas – to Antigua. Exciting stuff. Plenty of people have asked us since what will happen if our Romeo and Juliet break up in the meantime. Before Jamie comes to visit. Will he still come if they aren’t together anymore? It seems that predicting the future is one valuable resource. Jack and I are shrugging. All our currency is currently locked in good will. Hopefully, Shakespeare himself would have approved.