Was it a hundred years since I'd been to the ballet?
Well, that's how it felt when a friend invited me to a performance of Sleeping Beauty at The Playhouse Theatre complex in Durban.
We took it for granted back in the day, but a ballet performance is a rarity in our midst these days! Durban was only given two performances, so tickets were sold out in no time for 'ballet-hungry' folk!
When my friend booked tickets, we could only get seats way up in 'heaven.' At least we could see the whole stage and the musicians in the orchestra pit.
The Royal Hotel
We did the traditional thing and left early so we could have lunch at The Royal Hotel in Durban CBD, where we always park.
The grand old dame of Durban is over 150 years old and has seen many famous faces, but she is starting to show a little wear and tear. Thankfully there still are good pieces left from a more gracious era.
One entire wall is still covered in a tapestry that's been there for yonks.
Traditional African art
A little Christmas cheer
Waiting to be served would have given much subject matter for any comedy show!
It was as if we were invisible!
Someone arrived long after us, dressed up in a political party shirt, sporting the gleeful face of their infamous leader, and was served in no time. We later learned that the same party was celebrating their first birthday celebrations that weekend; likely all the waitresses were on duty in a private lounge for the delegates staying at the hotel!
We waved, went in search of a waitress, waved again, and eventually, someone came across enquiring how she could help us.
We've been sitting for over half an hour, need to order lunch or we're going to miss the ballet. This is the coffee shop, right?
Their parkade has an agreement with The Playhouse Theatre which brings in business, so off she ran. My friend said:
Does she think we're bloody well waiting for the bus, or what?
A waitress arrived looking flustered, took our order, which arrived in a reasonable time.
We had been waiting a whole hour, would have left if we weren't so hungry, but there no longer is anywhere else to go in that part of town!
At least the food and drinks were good - I ordered an Iced Coffee and a Lamb Curry Roti, both delicious, but it was time to run to The Playhouse!
The Playhouse
I could not take any decent photos of the exterior of both the Royal Hotel and the theatre complex. The Playhouse was turned into a state-of-the-art complex in the 80s, with one section of the exterior maintaining its' Tudor style.
It was awesome sharing the experience with my son's girlfriend!
Beautiful Nativity scene
The afternoon also took me on a trip down memory lane.
Photo scanned from my late uncle's album - that's him as Puss in Boots.
As you've gathered by now, he used to be a dancer, and that's where my love of ballet started.
When it was time for Puss in Boots to take centre stage, I had to peck away a tear or two, as Rulov excelled in this role.
Durban City Hall
Walking back to The Royal, we had more time to admire the beautiful neo-Baroque architecture of our city hall,
The city fathers commissioned a new hall in 1903, choosing what they termed a 'bold and progressive' design submitted by architect Stanley Hudson. Hudson set about creating a replica of the Belfast City Hall in Northern Ireland.
Source
Leaving the city centre, we drove past the old Receiver of Revenue's office building, which now accommodates the Department of Public Works, while the taxman now sits in a modern building!
We had two alarming incidents - my friend forgot to put her foot on the clutch in the parkade, and nearly drove through the wall. My car was parked at her home, and I took a corner too sharply so hit the pavement!
A bumpy ride with two old gals taking turns behind the wheel, gave my son's girlfriend quite a start, but did not spoil the afternoon for any of us;)
,PS I forgot it's long weekend, but hope to get the MRI report about my neck tomorrow (the shoulder injury does not faze me). I've figured which neck movement bring on the numbness and shocks, and only experience it when I forget. Hopefully can be resolved with physio.
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Artwork by @artywink
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Hey @lizelle you are welcome.
Thanks for using @worldmappin 😘
I'm sure when you mention the 100 years, it's because of the excellent works of art you are photographing and not because of you, ironically LOL
I like valet, well actually I like watching it, my oldest daughter was enrolled in valet, but there came a point in my financial life that I could no longer afford to pay for the classes.
I really liked everything you did, but the best part is that you had fun, and that's the best part.
Regards
We had a fun afternoon for sure! I wanted to be a ballerina but the teacher shouted at me so I stopped going to classes and chose piano lessons instead😉
Thank you for stopping by @lanzjoseg
That sounds like a fun afternoon, all except waiting for your food and drinks to arrive! That looks like a nice place to watch the ballet!
It is a lovely venue indeed, stood still for a long while after COVID, so thankful we're getting some of the bigger shows again!
The golden age of art left us a great legacy, such as the elegant neo-Baroque architecture and the ballet.
The Royal Hotel stands out for its theatrical magnificence, a place where the wonders of the past shine like stars.
I hope that someday I will be able to stay there to appreciate its art and taste its menu.
Both venues are beautiful, thank you for your valued comments!
Hi @lizelle , I think the last time I was at the play house, was with you and Arthur years ago.
The lunch looked delicious my friend, glad you enjoyed the show.
Thanks fir sharing