A Pleasant Episode of Culture Shock

This weekend we have mainly been going to the Ballet!

The Novoi Bolshoi Ballet of Uzbekistan have been in town and treated us to a performance of Don Quixote on Saturday and a Medley of Classics today, and it was such a treat. Ellie sat so happily transfixed the first day that I just had to take her back today especially as the finale of the programme was scenes from her beloved The Nutcracker.

Just before Christmas she had asked me whether we could go to see The Nutcracker this year, and I had to promise her that the next time we are in England for Christmas I would take her again, so you can imagine she was delighted to go earlier than anticipated and I was amazed at how much of the story she remembered.

Back at home afterwards she was on a bit of a high, twirling and prancing all over the place in her fairy costume and she's gone to bed one very tired but happy little girl determined to dream about it.

I'm not sure what the Indian audiences made of it, or indeed how often this type of event even happens here. There were certainly a large number who were very serious about it, a few more who fidgeted and talked(!), there was lots of applause in the wrong places, the odd mobile phone going off, rustling of crisp packets, people popping in and out... and so I deduce that educating new audiences in India is pretty much the same as the UK! Hard work! Interval drinks were bottles of water, pepsi or orange at 10 Rupees a throw...less than 10p...do you read that Symphony Hall??!! On the other hand ticket prices for this type of thing are very high...top price 3000 Rupees(£40) bottom price 500 Rupees (£8)....the stuff of dreams for your average man on the street of Chennai.