I got invited to the ballet in the park last weekend – or rather, ballet in the cemetery. I’ve been there before and it is as cool as it is creepy. It’s also rife with mosquitoes. So, prior to heading out, my friend and I put on some Deep Woods Off. Having seen him put on spray on suntan lotion, I cautioned him against spraying his face directly because if he got it in his eyes he would “cry forever”. I sprayed some DWO in his hands and he wiped it on his face – and promptly got some in his eyes.
I helped him back into the house and got him some wet paper towels so he could wipe his eyeballs off. Later, he would tell people that I maced him. I’m pretty sure I did the opposite of that with my warning and he sort of maced himself.
Anyway, off to the cemetery and the ballet.
Aaaaand, I didn’t get it.
I tried, I really did. Yea, Culture! But it didn’t work. Neither the costumes, the title of the piece, nor the movements told any kind of story. And while the dancers were very athletic and had some interesting movements, they also repeated those moves over and over. I kinda tuned out a little – though I didn’t read a book or look at my phone.
I did like the pants they wore, though.
The second act was much the same as the first – though this time they wore shorts and did an inverted bicycle move quite a bit. The third act – which we had been cautioned was rated “PG” (it wasn’t) – was a little more lively, but still…
Am I too comic-book, video-gamed, sci-fi-ed, to appreciate the ballet? Or was it just not that great?
Oh, and insult to injury? The concession stand ran out of candy before the third act. The Nerve! And even though I had marinated in DWO – I got a mosquito bite on my cheek.
No wonder I didn’t enjoy it. The walk back to the car was kinda fun though – a few of us pretended to be zombies. And I got compliments on my lurching. What can I say? I practice.