But, before ballet there must be mooching- We went to China town for a look around and for Jess and Lizzy to get some lunch before the performance.
It was really ace to have a catch up and spend some time together- We all went to school together- and we meet up about once a year to go punting- or that's how it feels! So we're doing much better this year- Ballet and Punting (next month- for Lizzy's Birthday).
The ballet was at the colosseum- which it turns out is a rather fancy victorian theatre. lots of red velvet seats and purple velvet curtains.
Also excellently stacked seats.
We were quite far back and pretty high up but we still had an awesome view of everything that was going on! Kirstie found a ticket deal online so we got seats for £20- I would definitely do that again!
The only Ballet I've ever been to before was the Birmingham national Ballet performing sleeping beauty- about 10 minutes in the prima ballerina's shoe came flying off and smacked someone in the orchestra pit. Chaos ensued.
Thankfully the English National Ballet had no such incident.
The first Ballet "petit Mort" (french for Orgasm) was very rude! the male dancers- all 6 of them!- have phallic swords! lots of sword swishing.
and the lots of very rude dancing with female dancers- It looked like they weren't wearing anything as they had nude leotards on!
They also had dresses on wheels- it had a weird sci-fi feel!
It was really good.
- and fascinating to watch- I never really think of Ballet as being sexualised!
The second Ballet which translated as "the man and death" I think that this was my favourite of the three- although no-one else seems to agree!
It's a 1940s ballet about a man who is driven mad by the callous indifference of his wife, and eventually takes his own life.
It was almost like part play part Ballet- it had proper costumes and 2 sets. the first "set" was an apartment with a bed, table and chairs. It was unusual but it was really clever and different too!
It was also incredibly dark- which is again, something I'd never associated ballet with- I suppose I'm just so familiar with the idea of ballets like the nutcracker or Swan lake I'd not considered how many ways it could be used.
And the third ballet was "etudes"- Studies- this was more like a classical ballet- Although following the two modern dances it actually too me quite a while to get my head round- it's set to scales initially and Dancers performing 1st, 2nd , 3rd position, and as the music increases in complexity as do the steps in the dances.
It was actually pretty impressive- and at more than one point in the performance there were 40 dancers on stage.
It had quite a modern "twist" on it's choreography- 1/3 of the dancers were dressed in black tutus and during their parts of the performance they were often backlit with blue light. It looked amazing.
It was an impressive ending.
After the Ballet we went to Hamleys toy store- it was sooooo busy! mental! I've been there once or twice as a child but I don't remember it being quite as mad!
After mooching about on Oxford street I thought it'd be a good idea to head home to see Traff for a bit- as he's off to spain on Monday.
I got to St Pancras in good time- I got the train, I got a seat, and then the train didn't leave. It transpired that there was an electrical fault. So we sat on the train for 30 minutes. then they told us that no trains would leave this evening- so we had to go to euston.
From there I was told to get a train to milton keynes, and then I had to pay to get the X5 home- I should've been home at 7 and I finally got in at almost 10!
Bloody trains!
It's just as well I brought my crochet to do on the train! Otherwise I'd have been rather seriously bored.
I managed to make a friend on the way home- I met a lady called Maureen who had just returned from Shangahi- It transpired that she lives in Biddenham Village and knows my mentor- Jan!
They go walking together on Tuesdays.
Small world.
All in all it's fair to day that Saturday was quite an adventure.
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