Category: Theatre

Molly and I were talking about seeing Giselle or Coppelia at the SF Ballet.

Me: I know the story of Coppelia, but I don’t actually know what Giselle is about.
Molly: It’s…basically like Swan Lake, but she’s a nymph.  And she drowns herself at the end.
Me: Spoiler alert!
Molly: What, they all end with the main character killing herself!  Except The Nutcracker, which you find out at the end is all Clara’s dream.
Me: SPOILER ALERT!!

Drew and I saw The Nutcracker last night and loved it.  I know that kids are a given at The Nutcracker, but I still got a little annoyed when the little boy behind us explained every “magic” trick to his grandma in a loud kid-whisper.  I know it’s not really magic, because this is theatre.  But please tell your Nana at intermission.  But you know who was adorable?  The little little girl who I could hear somewhere in the grand tier, who, when the ballerina dancing doll came out in the first act, cried, “Look, mommy!  A ballerina!  A ballerina!”  Awww.

After we were home, Drew and I were dissecting the show.  He decided that when ballerinas walk, all turned out and pointy-toed, they look like ducks who are trying really hard not to walk like ducks.  Then we cracked ourselves up saying, “Not like a duck, not like a duck, walk like a person, walk like a person…remember, they’ll never let you in the restaurant if they suspect you’re a duck.  Make eye contact and don’t fumble with the money.”

Then Drew went to sleep while I read Eclipse, and at one point I noticed he was making a lot of noise rummaging around his pillow.  I asked him what he was doing and he said he was checking his pillowcase for money.  I said, “…What?”  and he said, “The pillowcases are full of money.”  “Yeah,” I said, “that’d be nice.  Go back to sleep.”

Today we went to the Dickens Fair and almost right off the bat saw this random chick dressed like a ballerina.  One of her arms kept fluttering around.  I think she thought it was bewitching.  She did get major bonus points when she went en pointe for someone to take her picture.  But every time we saw her (and if you’ve ever been to the Dickens Fair for a day, you know how often you see the same people), we looked at each other and both thought, “Not like a duck, not like a duck…”

Otherwise, the Dickens Fair was Dickensy.  And fun.  And busy.  Erin’s dad does single stick fighting and was doing several demonstrations during the day, and asked Drew to come take pictures of him.  I took video.  So we would meet Tom at 2:20, then go wander around the Fair, then meet up again at 3:30, etc.  I actually think it’s the only way to see the Dickens Fair.  No one can just meander around and look at things for six hours.  The structure was nice.  I wanted to buy a mop of curls to wear over a bun, but Drew wouldn’t let me.  Also, we couldn’t find where they were being sold.  I also wanted to buy a nightlight, a Christmas ornament, a feathery head ornament, some fudge, a gyro, some popcorn (by the late afternoon we were both starving), and a flowery circlet headpiece thing.  Luckily we only had $10.  Because what do I need with any of those things?

Finally, here’s a nice thing I do.  The Opera offices are on the 3rd floor of the building (which is the top).  Basically no one on the 2nd floor uses the elevator, but in the morning Opera people will use it to go up.  I always do because I’m usually always carrying my purse, my lunch, at least one water bottle, and a cup of coffee, and I’ve just walked from Bart and don’t want to take the stairs.  But the elevator is super slow.  So whenever I take it to the 3rd floor, I always press the button for 1 to send it back down for the next person.  That’s a nice thing I do.  I just wanted to mention that.