So an English major walks into Shakespeare & Co...

As an English major and Shakespeare nerd, one of the things I was most excited to see in Paris was the famous Shakespeare & Company bookstore in the 5th arrondissement. It's the kind of place you hear people talk about, but I actually had no idea what it would look like. Turns out, it's a teeny and ancient building stuffed with books (new & old) and walls covered with eccentric decorations and dim lighting. The narrow staircase creaks with every step and the whole place has that "old book smell" that I've come to love. Basically, the coolest place ever. And what better way to experience Shakespeare & Co than with a group reading of Hamlet? When my friend Sophie, a bigger Shakespeare fanatic than me, told me about these monthly readings, I was super excited especially since Hamlet is one of my favorite plays. I asked for a small part, though, because I didn't know how intense everyone else would take it and I didn't want to screw up the bard's words with my ungraceful tongue. Luckily, no one took it too seriously and everyone just rolled with the awkward pauses and mispronounced words. At one point I forgot what character I was supposed to play, but I wasn't the only one. Besides, after a few glasses of wine and some intense Shakespeare action, no one minds a few slip-ups.

My main gal Millie and a platter of quiche and wine

It was kind of nice to go somewhere and have no anxiety about speaking or reading French. Most of the people there were either British or American visitors, so there was no pressure to practice my hideous accent with them. There were actually quite a few people from California, and that's always nice since I have been a bit homesick lately. One of the best parts was the free quiche and wine - is there anything fancier or French? Especially when it's red wine, which I normally don't drink but I can't turn down free wine. It's still weird to be offered alcohol that wasn't poured by a sketchy-looking guy at a party. However, Millie, the nice woman who ran the reading was not sketchy at all, but perfectly nice and encouraging. She stressed that the night was just about enjoying the play, not showcasing our (nonexistent in my case) acting skills. I had the honor of reading Reynaldo, a minor servant character, as well as a bit part as an actor and later, a sailor. I'm quite the renaissance man when it comes to reading lines. The whole time everyone else was reading, I kept hoping I would have a line soon, so I think I'm not cut out to sit back and watch; at least, when it comes to Shakespeare! Next month is Twelfth Night and hopefully I'll be able to return in a starring role, completely taking over the night with crazy diva demands. I only want vintage rosé set out in vintage wine glasses and I want a bowl of m&ms but only red ones. Also, I want to play every role while everyone just sits back and watches. Or, even better, I just want the reading to be a reenactment of the movie She's The Man instead of Twelfth Night since they're basically the same thing, right? I'm sure old Billy Shakespeare would agree with me.