Winding down in London

Hello everyone. The trip is really winding down now. I have been trying to get in the things I have wanted to do, but didn't do yet. Yesterday I spent a few hours in the National Portrait Gallery looking at portraits of many people I have studied as well as contemporary ones (George Elliott, Bronte sisters, Queen Elizabeth, Seamus Heaney, Katie Mitchell, Samuel Beckett). Then I went to Saint Martin in the Fields, a beautiful church in Travalgar Square. After people watching on the stairs of the church, I met some friends to see The Storm at the Globe. Very fun play with artistic director, Mark Rylance in the cast. After the show we found out they were having a cast discussion so we went to that and talked to Mark Rylance after the show. He's brilliant, kind, and gentle. He signed my season poster. :) I was star struck.
I went with Nick, another PhD HLC student, to get bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes) at Royal Court Theatre restaurant before seeing a show there. The show was really good. The play began with a family in 1914 and went through present day. Dad, you would have been so impressed with the set. Each time it hit a new generation, it was changed to reflect that and they did a very nice, subtle job. It even included laying down linoleum at one point. I have the script and you may be interested in reading it. It seemed like a show you would like. :)
This morning I had to feverishly write in my journal to have it complete by 10. I went to the British National Museum. One of the exhibits was an art piece composed of pills that an average Britain takes in the course of his/her life. It was composed of 14,400 pills sewn into fabric. I have pictures and copied down some of the information. I figured my medical and pharmaceutical friends would be really interested.
As a group, we ate a 3 course lunch in the Court Restaurant in the British National Museum. After that, Kristine (resident costume designer) and I tried to get tickets for The Tempest and then we tried to get tickets for Les Miserables. We were foiled on both attempts and might try for Les Mis tomorrow night.
I don't know if I have written since Friday but the strangest thing happened- my watch somehow ended up 45 minutes ahead. It was so bizarre. I got to a theatre 1 1/2 early, when I only wanted to be 45 minutes early. It took me awhile (and a lot of confusion) to realize that my watch was so off. Since then I have been leary of time. It says 7:30, but is it really?
Tomorrow I think I am going to go to Covent Garden and the Theatre Museum. Tuesday I fly back! Amanda and Casey- I will send flight information tomorrow morning.