Lolita Outing at the Ballet Theater

Lolita Outing at the Ballet Theater
by Clover S. Laurel

Titania is hopelessly in love with a donkey, and she doesn’t even know it!

It may not yet be summer, but that didn’t stop us from going to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream ballet at the Baby Grand in Wilmington, Delaware. A weekend event in early April, the ballet started at sunset and went on for about the length of a movie. Unlike the original play, this ballet version of the story was told with very little dialogue, allowing for the dancing and the expressive faces of the dancers to interpret the events of the plot to the audience. However, if you have not read the original story, you may have a little trouble with keeping up with who’s who.

The story tells of a night (in midsummer) in the forest when four young people, stricken with love troubles, are pursuing each other. Whether their feelings are requited or not is an issue that does not get resolved until the end. An added layer of drama comes in the form of a dispute among the fairies. The King and Queen of the Fae are having a disagreement on who claims ownership of a child, and the King’s plan to humiliate Titania as payback is what drives the plot. He calls upon a troublemaking sprite named Puck to use a flower’s essence on Titania while she sleeps to make her fall in love with a man who was turned into a donkey. Meanwhile, the flower is also used on one of the humans who are spending the night in the forest, causing a sort of “love rectangle” to form. Hijinks ensue.

Overall, the ballet was very enjoyable for my friend and me. The dancing was elegant and entertaining and helped tell the story well. The best part was the ending scene in which all of the Fae are blessing the castle; a projection of stars appeared on the wall behind the dancers, and the music was sweeping and triumphant. It was breath-taking to watch the way they moved across the stage with the starry background. Of course, my friend and I knew the story quite well and would whisper some observations to each other over the course of watching it.

Our coordinates were focused on comfort since we knew we would be sitting in theater seats for a while (and walking back to the car afterward). I am sporting a kuro lolita outfit with handmade and charity shop finds, and she is wearing a flowery skirt from Belladonna, an off-brand ruffled blouse, and a brown cardigan and boots. Many people at the theatre enjoyed our outfits, and one lady even asked us for some advice on where to buy because her daughter is interested in the fashion. (Of course, Wunderwelt is a great option!) It makes me happy that more people are joining the community! These positive feelings are what lolita is all about.

Clover S. Laurel