Well darlings, what a day! Itās been a whirlwind of tulle, taffeta and, well, tears! But fear not, your girl is here to spill all the tea, in between wiping away mascara, of course! Itās 27th March 1998, and oh honey, itās been a right royal tutu drama at the Royal Opera House.
Letās start with the obvious: the tutus. I mean, **heavenly**! Weāre talking tiers upon tiers of tulle, the kind that could rival the most dramatic of wedding cakes. Itās all about big, bigger, **biggest!** These dancers are practically drowning in their own voluminous skirts. And the colours! Letās just say theyāre giving me major colour blocking envy. A splash of lilac here, a dash of cerulean there. If you were going to have a rave in a ball gown, these would be the tutus to do it in.
But here's the kicker, darlings. You wouldnāt know this was a **ballet** from the audience! The moves? Letās just say "expressive" might be a kind way of describing it. Think more āinterpretive dance" in the loosest sense. A lot of flailing arms, dramatic eye rolls, and frankly, a good dose of, "honey, have you seen this skirt?!" You see, apparently, there's a new 'radical' interpretation of ballet on the block, a āFreeform Fairy Taleā. It involves a fair amount of improvisation which seems to amount to, āweāve run out of moves and the costume designer has gone wildā. Iām just saying, a little less interpretive, and a little more "weāre actually performing the choreography", would go a long way, don't you think?
**Letās unpack this āradical' performance for you. First, thereās āSleeping Beauty.ā The actual Sleeping Beauty! Or as she prefers to be called in this groundbreaking adaptation: "Sleepy Beauty" ā all angst, eyeliner and more **black** than a gothic prom. You have to admire the irony; while everyone is having a ball (literally!) in the ballroom, Sleepy Beauty is chilling in a dark corner with a moody **black tutu** ā just **radiant**, you know?
And then there's the wicked fairy! I mean, āevil step-mother with questionable style.ā Itās like, the 'Freeform Fairy Tale' is embracing the darkest, most controversial corners of the classic narrative, and with this character, they definitely went for ā**bold**. This wicked stepmother literally has a tutu that changes colours. Honestly, like something straight out of an '80s pop video, just with less synthesizers and more theatrical tulle. At one point, it goes from an all-black affair (mirroring Sleepy Beauty's angst) to this blinding emerald green - truly breathtaking and dramatic - as the music becomes a symphony of screaming strings and *really* deep horns! Then comes this explosion of red flames and it goes... **red.** Oh darling, we practically got our entire audience up dancing - all but one, an old fella with a monocle thatās obviously seen it all, if you get my drift! You see, heās like a living embodiment of all things 'tradition', which just goes to show that sometimes 'tradition' just doesn't *quite* understand the power of, well, 'new' and, dare I say, a touch of **drama**.
Next up: āCinderellaā. The ultimate *ball-gown-lover's* nightmare. Yes, honey, *they* decided to give Cinderella a **green tulle** skirt! *And it works*! Honestly, I'm living for this colour - so **unexpected**! Letās face it: green is a bold move, especially against the background of Cinderella's story ā where **pink**, obviously, *is* the usual color choice. It says ābreaking traditionā, ānot your average princess', 'fashionably *not* following the fashion'. This Cinderella was less about waiting for a handsome prince, and more about ātaking up space", in the most literal sense! Oh, the irony. What's more, Cinderella's āPrinceā is a sassy guy in **pale, pale lilac tights** and a tunic that just might be **beige**. I mean, this āFreeform Fairy Taleā truly takes all the rules of the original tales, throws them up in the air, and *dances* in their dust.
By this point, you must be picturing this ballet as a right chaotic, hilarious spectacle. And youād be right. This isnāt your grandmammaās ballet, but trust me: itās entertaining as heck!
But, darling, hold onto your hats. It's not just about the spectacle. Oh, this 'Freeform Fairy Tale' actually is *meaningful* - although you'll be busy looking at the sheer abundance of tulle to really understand the depth! There's a hidden subtext. It's like, the dance is *protesting* the rules of traditional ballet, the traditional narratives and just those who enjoy their comfort zones. The costumes, with their dramatic color contrasts and clashing textures, represent rebellion, and their freeform movement - *well,* darling, *itās rebellious*! Honestly, after the whole *'dance for yourself'* **ballet-goes-feminist-propaganda**, the tutu revolution started right here at the Royal Opera House! And darling, let me tell you: *this isn't just a tutu*. This is **a revolution**.
And as for the *performance*, the tutus may be grabbing your attention. The āFreeform Fairy Taleā, the colours, the choreography - it all is creating *buzz*. But it is also quite the statement, if you ask me. Honestly, *we're* breaking *expectations*, re-imagining classics in the best possible way *without losing our heads* (well, I *do* hope those *tullus* will eventually settle).
Well, dear readers, I must dash! You simply have to get yourself down to the Royal Opera House. It's just like everything I said, but with better lights and, I daresay, even more drama! So darling, what are you waiting for? This ballet's all about **letting loose**. Come one, come all, and join the **tullumination** - the revolution that's got the dance world in stitches (and *yes*, I *do* mean that literally). Just don't forget your dancing shoes - and **maybe** a *few tissues*, you might just be shedding some tears (hopefully from joy!) But don't worry; it will all be worth it! You're going to have an absolute blast, darlings. This 'Freeform Fairy Tale' will leave you **swooning**. I simply cannot wait to see what happens next!