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The ballet

40 posts & 23 voices | Started 1 year ago by samuri | Latest reply from brassneck

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samuri - Member

My wife tricked me! I've been to the ballet before and my opinion was then, if I remember rightly, "over indulgent shite". I reached this conclusion by watching a man in tights dance around the stage for at least twenty minutes to depict his displeasure with a certain individual. That to me is what ballet is about. Spening a seriously ridiculous amount of time depicting something that would take 5 seconds to say.

We went to watch Romeo and Juliet today and I thought it was going to be the play. It was only once we got to the theatre and and saw the excessive proportion of girls that I questioned the delivery technique of the story.

I was quite cross but not cross enough to stay awake throughtout the whole three freaking hours!!! Even if I'd have gone to watch a three hour version of fight club, I doubt my attention would have remained consistant. And while the lady dancers were, as afr as I could tell, lovely, not one of them was dressed in skin tight clothing with their arses permanently on view. I've no issues with ladies wanting to go and watch this stuff, but leave me at home please.

Anyway. Ballet then. Over indulgent bollocks created mostly so girls can watch atheletic mens bottoms prance around in tights or cultural nirvana?

(I'm guessing a fairly hefty male/female split on this one by the way.)

Posted 1 year ago #
KT1973 - Member

Not my cup tea

Posted 1 year ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

I have seen a few and some are pretty good - saw Swan Lake where the swans were all men and it was a pretty dark production by some famous ballet producer. Normally I just enjoy watching the clever stage sets/lighting though. Some of them are very impressive athletes though.

Posted 1 year ago #
ernie_lynch - Member

The only ballet I've ever seen live was in the Phantom of the Opera. I was well impressed and promised myself that I would one day go and see a proper ballet, never have done though. But then I have gone to see live Tango shows which I have really enjoyed, so I guess there are similarities there.

Posted 1 year ago #
bobster - Member

You are clearly ignorant

You don't have to like it and you should inform SO that you it does F all for you.

Bores me to tears.

However, my wife is a ballerina and having told me some of what is involved I can appreciate the skill and dedication involved. Ever watched Swan Lake? You know all the swans in the background doing nothing? They're all stood on one leg doing nothing, with it going dead for about 20 mins, and then suddenly they are meant to dance on it as if they are warmed up and limber.

If you don't like it just don't go, or have you got a HUGE thumb print on your forehead?

Posted 1 year ago #
teef - Member

Wasn't there a theatre bar you could have retired to at the interval?

Posted 1 year ago #
IanMunro - Member

If we could merge ballet, opera and mime into one new art form.
Then killed all the people who wanted to have anything to do with it, we could solve a lot of the world's problems.

Posted 1 year ago #
allthepies - Member

Apparently the audience is almost entirely made up of fit laydeez however....

Posted 1 year ago #
Elfinsafety - Member

Philistines. Waffle on about the relative merits of suspension systems and other boring crap, but give 'em a bit of culture and they're like grunting neanderthals...

'Ug! What this ballet? Me no like. Me want man stuff...'

You're just peeved because your wives fancy the extremely fit blokes in tights more than they fancy you with your beer bellies and sagging moobs. And other drooping appendages...

Posted 1 year ago #
IanMunro - Member

Good point!
Fit laydeez that like ballet though. If it were fit ladies that like bicycle maintenance then it would be nearly heaven.

Posted 1 year ago #
sweepy - Member

I dont like ballet either, but in my opinion you left yourself wide open by agreeing to go to the theatre, thats the kind of thing that happens in these places.
Once in a while, the Mrs makes me go to the pictures with her. Its generally presented as either that or a long talk about our 'relationship.' I'll go along with that, but not a step further. Next thing you know it'll be art galleries.

Posted 1 year ago #
Elfinsafety - Member

Next thing you know it'll be art galleries.

This pleases me; to know that the places of culture I like to visit aren't full of grumpy boring middle-aged Little Englanders muttering about bikes, and instead are frequented by lively young things who might be more interested in discussing the relative merits of Chagall or Hepworth, over a nice meal or drink.....

No; culture's crap, lads. Stay at home. Don't bother with it all, just lets the missus go on her own.

You do know that that's what will happen, don't you? When you refuse to go, and she goes off out in a huff, that she will seek solace in the arms of a sophisticated, erudite and cosmopolitan young man who does share her passions.

And then you'll wonder why she has a 'headache'....

Posted 1 year ago #
Coyote - Member

FFS Fred, was the coffee a little too strong this morning?

Posted 1 year ago #
sweepy - Member

And thats another thing, who on earth wants to go and eat their dinner in a room full of other people, and call it recreation. Girls, thats who.
I'll go, but it better be curry.

Posted 1 year ago #
Elfinsafety - Member

FFS Fred, was the coffee a little too strong this morning?

No it's organic, free-range hand-reared corn-fed mercury-free tea, actually!

Posted 1 year ago #
samuri - Member

You don't have to like it and you should inform SO that you it does F all for you.

Re-read my post, concentrating on the bits that refer to my opinion of it and that my wife tricked me. I thought we were going to watch a play, which is just about acceptable.

I would have gone to the bar but I, unfortunately, was the designated driver. At the least the other bloke with us managed to neck enough beer to numb the pain.

instead are frequented by lively young things who might be more interested in discussing the relative merits of Chagall or Hepworth,

As far as I could tell, the audience at this particular cultural wonderland (with the exception of one neanderthal), consisted entirely of middle to old aged women, gay men and hen parties.
Knock yourself out Fred.

Posted 1 year ago #
plumber - Member

I've been to watch two different version of Swan Lake this year, irrespective of the astounding athletism on display, I was at times genuinely moves by the beauty of it all.

I know its not for everyone but I've enjoyed what I've seen and hope to go to many more.

Note: For the most attractive ladies I find contemporary art galleries very fruitful. I also enjoy people talking complete bollock at the same time

Plum

Posted 1 year ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

BTW - just checked and the guy whose Swan Lake production I saw was Matthew Bourne - I really would recommend it - I genuinely enjoyed it.

http://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/event/mathew-bournes-swan-lake

Posted 1 year ago #
JulianA - Member

Ballet? Fabulous! Bought MrsJulianA and me tickets for the ballet a couple of years ago (she'd been before - I hadn't been and wanted to go) and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. The artistry is amazing.

Twelve of us went the next time (in black tie), including several people who had never been before, and most of us enjoyed it.

Can't wait to go to another. Opera is next up.

Art galleries? Oh, yes please: love them!

Posted 1 year ago #
nickc - Member

I like good Ballet. Some productions can be, well, a bit shit really. Done well it's moving and breathtaking.

Music, dancing, fit pretty girls. what's not to like?

Posted 1 year ago #
Elfinsafety - Member

As far as I could tell, the audience at this particular cultural wonderland (with the exception of one neanderthal), consisted entirely of middle to old aged women, gay men and hen parties.
Knock yourself out Fred.

Something tells me you weren't a happy bunny?

Sorry.

I'm not one for going to the ballet, I must admit, but the few times I've bin, I've enjoyed it a lot. Love classical music; have queued up outside the Royal Albert Hall for over two hours, to ensure being able to listen to Verdi's Requiem.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_nhoZu2cp8

Bit of culture won't hurt you. You never know, you might actually like it. Stop being so bloody neanderthal about it!

Posted 1 year ago #
Junkyard - Member

amazingly skilful and graceful but tbh I did not get it at all.
Wont go again it just did not float my boat
Agree with OP would be pi55ed of I assume she knows your view tell her you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.IME women and art lovers respond well to reasonable arguments about taste and liking other things

Posted 1 year ago #
NZCol - Member

Tried a couple of times with Ballet (and Opera as well).

Its obviously very very skillful and all that but **** me its as dull as a dull thing to me. I had the misfortune of being forced to attend some opening night 'interpretative dance' thing with the Royal NZ Ballet. Unfortunate for those near me as I'd been out biking all day then consumed 4 beers quite quickly with minimal dinner. My snoring became problematic I am told, it was HOT in there though. I mean, not my fault. It was fully bonkers and confusing and I didn't really see the point.

I'm uncultured clearly.

Opera was even worse. Except that Eric Idle thing that I saw now that was skilful and allegedly Opera.

Posted 1 year ago #
mogrim - Member

Ballet's OK, although the Beatrix Potter thing I went to with the kids last xmas was pretty dire. Art galleries are excellent.

Opera, however, is unbearable. It's like back in the olden days when you bought an album by some group on the basis of one good song - you'd get exactly one good song, and another hour of filler. Opera's like that, except four hours long.

Posted 1 year ago #
rightplacerighttime - Member

I went once and didn't enjoy it much EXCEPT, that it was the ballet Rambert doing some modern thing to an entire album (Grinning in Your Face) by Martin Simpson, so at least I was introduced to some amazing music I'd not heard before.

Maybe ballet would be more interesting if they threw in a few more moves like this:Chinese State circus Swan Lake

Posted 1 year ago #
rkk01 - Member

Five or so years ago I would have agreed, boring "artistic" tosh for toffs...

... but that was an easy, and ignorant, view to take.

My kids have been doing ballet for a few years, so we took them to see Swan Lake in Cardiff a few christmases ago.

Absolutely mesmerising

Posted 1 year ago #
boriselbrus - Member

With Ballet it does help if you know the story and are familiar with the music otherwise it can be a bit bewildering. I saw Swan Lake a few months back - beautiful music and amazing dancing. Loved it!

But of course different people like different things. For example I hated riding at Afan, others rate it as their favourite trail. It's nice to have a huge range of things to try and like/not like isn't it!

Posted 1 year ago #
rightplacerighttime - Member

rkk01,

Why do you (and so many other people) have to characterise other people as "ignorant" just because they don't like something?

Can you not just say that you like it, without having to resort to knocking other people down?

I don't like football either, so maybe I'm doubly ignorant?

Posted 1 year ago #
rkk01 - Member

rkk01,

Why do you .... characterise other people as "ignorant" just because they don't like something?

I don't - you have mis-read my post.

I was referring to my own ignorance.

I had made up my mind as an adolescent that ballet was poncy artistic tosh, and that was a view that I carried into adulthood. A view based on ignorance as I had never been to see a ballet.

My views changed after I had been to see a ballet. Yes it was long, not necessarily obvious what the storyline was doing, but, as I posted above, absolutley mesmerising

Posted 1 year ago #
hels - Member

If you don't get on with ballet steer well clear of contemporary dance !

I was at Romeo and Juliet once when Romeo dropped Juliet. Sharp intake of horror from audience who them all hit the floor laughing. Romeo couldn't keep a straight face either. Rumor was they didn't get on. Nothing that interesting had happened since.

Posted 1 year ago #
Junkyard - Member

wow you like something I dont clearly you are the brightest and most culturally aware person between the two of us.
Only arty types [ I dont dis all art I like theatre, museums , art galleries and classical music] have an insulting word for people who dont enjoy the same things as them ...many of these luvvies are supercillious , smug, arrogant c0cks about their hobby/interests.

Posted 1 year ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

many of these luvvies are supercillious , smug, arrogant c0cks about their hobby/interests.

I disagree - people just like different things. Have you ever had real reason to think someone is being smug about liking ballet?

(BTW, the only reason I have been to see ballet (along with orchestras, theatre etc) is that my wife has always enjoyed that sort of stuff since childhood and I am simply open-minded enough to give it all a go.

One of the first performances I ever saw was Miss Saigon (theatre, not ballet)on Broadway after she badgered me into going long before we married. I loved every minute of it and realised that if I liked that, there would be many other experiences I might like so I will always give them a go. I also saw the Nutcracker and loved that too. I did once see a modern interpretive Swan Lake and even my wife admitted it was gash.

Posted 1 year ago #
hels - Member

Hmm - the Swan Lake with all male dancers was quite er something !

Posted 1 year ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

Hmm - the Swan Lake with all male dancers was quite er something !

You seen it too? The Matthew Bourne production?

Posted 1 year ago #
Junkyard - Member

They have an insulting word for whhn you dont like their tastes any other hobby have a similair insult?
CLearly not all art lovers ar eup their own rear with smugness but some certainly are. Intelectually snobbery due to their refined sense of aesthetics and poor understanding of differences in taste.

Posted 1 year ago #