London Day 8

This morning I took a train from London Marylebone to Haddenham and Thame Pkwy. I mistook someone’s directions and took the wrong road, which meant I was walking for miles–literally and and had to stop for directions. But the man who pointed the way was so nice and put me on the right path. It took me an hour to get there (when I could have been there in 10 minutes haha). But anyway, Notley is BEAUTIFUL. That’s really all I can say about it because that’s what it is. It looks smaller than I imagined on the outside but once inside it’s enormous! No wonder they had so many parties, two people would get lost in there! The river was flooded from all the snow but it was kind of neat. Actually, I walked along Larry’s lime walk drive and saw someone taking photos outside. I thought she worked there or something but she said “I think I know who you are.” And it turns out it was someone who had visited vivandlarry.com and who had emailed me a couple weeks ago about visiting London. I wasn’t expecting to meet with anyone but the owners (who I didn’t actually end up meeting…) but, hi Meg, it was nice to meet you!

The grounds were gorgeous and so medieval, but it was a shame it’s been so modernized inside. Larry and Viv’s L-shaped room was lovely and had nice views from the windows. I could just picture them speeding up the drive in their Rolls on the way back from a show in London!

It really was beautiful and so fitting for them and their otherworldliness. Many, many more photos to come when I get home!

London Calling!–That House in the Country

My trip is exactly one month from tomorrow, so I’ve been trying to make plans for meetings and sight-seeing.  Aside from spending time going through the Olivier Archive at the British Library, there are many sights I plan on visiting in the city:

• Durham Cottage
• Westminster Abbey (I’m going to try my best to sneak some photos inside this time, haha)
• The Victoria and Albert Museum
• The National Theatre backstage tour (thanks to Kasia for informing me)
• Pleasures of Past Times in Leicester Square
• The mailbox where Vivien used to post letters to Larry during the War (thanks to Marina for the tip on that one)
• Lowndes Place –does anyone know which number the Oliviers rented there?
• other recommendations?

I’m also hoping to meet up with some special and very well informed people. More on that after it happens, if it happens, but I’m really hoping everything does work out because I think it would be such a fantastic thing if it did.

But I am planning two day-trips to see a couple of houses I’ve been dying to see for a long time. The first will take me to York and then to Malton, and then probably a cab (or bus, if they’re running) to
Castle Howard

Castle Howard was used as the location of Brideshead in both the Granada Television miniseries (which featured Laurence Olivier as Lord Marchmain) and the 2008 film version of Brideshead Revisited. Doesn’t it look magical? Unfortunately the house will not be open to the public when I go (it re-opens in March), however, I’m told the gardens and surrounding area are the main attraction anyway. People have told me it’s doable in a day, so I plan on venturing out there.

And the second house I will be visiting will be a train trip from Marylebone to Haddenfield & Thame Parkway on February 11. If it’s not raining, I’ll probably walk, but if it is, I’ll catch a cab at the station.
Notley Abbey

Notley is not open to the public, however, the present owners seem very kind and have agreed to let me come down for a little tour to take some pictures.

I know it probably seems silly and excessive to take a trip to another country just because of the Oliviers, but I just feel like my admiration for them has grown so much over the past few years that i just want to learn as much as I can about them. They really are what I’m most interested in as far as film history and everything. In a sense Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier have shaped my young adult life. Gone with the Wind got me in to film school and opened up a whole appreciation for classic movies which I never had before. It is because of their lives and their films and everything that has branched off from that, that I want to pursue film history as a career. I really admire and am fascinated by the huge mark they’ve left on not only the film world but on so many other aspects of entertainment and history even.

I’m really hoping everything works out, but I don’t want to get my hopes up too high in case things fall through. I really hope this adventure is worth it–I have a feeling it will be. It’s not just London, it’s the Oliviers’ London, and I’m looking forward to it more than anything! I just want to share my passion for all of this with the world!

I will be blogging here while I’m away to keep vivandlarry.com visitors in the loop. Stay tuned!