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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to take 3 year old to swan lake.

261 replies

Lonelymummyof1 · 07/05/2017 23:42

Swan lake it showing in july and daughter is obsessed with it !
It does not have a age requirement listed but is 3 too young ?

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Rainbowqueeen · 07/05/2017 23:48

I would say yes for most 3 year olds but it depends on your daughter.

I would find out:
1.How long is the performance (including intervals)

  1. Start time and finish time

Can you book a seat at the end of the aisle so you can leave if necessary and are you willing to do so?

If you do go you need to be prepared to leave if she starts fidgeting or talking to avoid ruining the show for the people near you.

CormorantDevouringTime · 07/05/2017 23:50

Is there a cinema showing it? Or a relaxed performance? The problem with "if she starts talking then take her out" is that by that time it's too late. There are child-friendly performances but not normally Swan Lake because the plot's a bit dark.

melj1213 · 07/05/2017 23:51

Depends on the three year old tbh ... can/does she sit through an equivalent length film? Can she do so, quietly and without disrupting other people? Are the tickets expensive? Is it billed as a child/family friendly showing or is it a serious performance? Is there an afternoon matinee or is it a late evening show? What will you do if she gets fussy?

DIYandEatCake · 07/05/2017 23:51

It depends on the 3 year old I guess. If you're confident that she'll be able to sit still and quiet for the duration then go for it. It'd only be unreasonable to take her if she'd be disruptive.

greenworm · 07/05/2017 23:52

Will she be able to sit quietly and watch it for 2.5 hours or so? If so no problem. But it seems like a long time for a 3 year old to be quiet and not want to talk / ask questions etc.

Sometimes there are children's performances of ballets, specifically where everyone is on the same page that there will probably be more noise/ fidgeting/ talking than usual, have you looked into this?

Original poster
Lonelymummyof1 · 07/05/2017 23:52

No its at the royal albert hall haha !
Its 3 hrs and 15 minutes long, she is obsessed and watches the entire dvd of it at least twice a week.
But never really sat through a movie at the cinema

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Original poster
Lonelymummyof1 · 07/05/2017 23:53

Its a 7.30 pm show does not say anything about children and tickets are expensive.

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MorrisZapp · 07/05/2017 23:54

No, don't take her. It'll be boring and scary for her and irritating for the punters who have paid shedloads to watch a ballet without interruption.

ScarlettFreestone · 07/05/2017 23:54

She needs to be able to sit very quietly through the whole thing.

You can't get up and go to the loo during the performance either.

So it depends whether she can manage that.

I think it's wonderful to introduce children to ballet, opera, theatre and orchestral concerts however I'm always aware that people may have paid hundreds of pounds for their tickets.

I'd be pretty furious if a child talking/wriggling etc spoiled a very expensive evening.

We took our children to the ballet for the first time at 7yo and they were fine. I personally wouldn't have chanced it at 3yo.

MommaGee · 07/05/2017 23:54

Is probably leave it a little while. Live performance atmosphere is probably enough to throw her. Is try a few kids theater shows and take her to swan lake in a couple of years dressed up as the black swan

melj1213 · 07/05/2017 23:55

A serious 3hr production at the Royal Albert Hall when she hasn't ever sat through a movie? YABU

If I had paid a lot of money for tickets to the show and had it ruined by a 3yr old, I'd be seriously pissed off at the parent who thought that was a good idea.

MommaGee · 07/05/2017 23:55

Take me!

ScarlettFreestone · 07/05/2017 23:56

Does that mean you've never taken her to the cinema or that she hasn't successfully made it through a whole film?

If the former I'd try it and see how it goes. If the latter I would absolutely not take her to a ballet.

Original poster
Lonelymummyof1 · 07/05/2017 23:56

Without going in to a sob story its her " make a wish "
But I am trying to think of the other people who have paid etc
Thankyou for your opinions, going to takr them all on bored.

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Original poster
Lonelymummyof1 · 07/05/2017 23:58

Cinema - she has only been to a medi cinema in the hospital where they are pretty laxed and encourage dancing and singing.
Thankyou will take her to a real cinema and see how she goes.

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McWeedie · 07/05/2017 23:58

Check out ENB at Sadlers Wells. They do productions designed for weenies called My First Ballet. With wee breaks and its not too long. Haven't checked whats on but we're off to Cinderella in JulySmile

MommaGee · 08/05/2017 00:01

Try this
www.roh.org.uk/showings/swan-lake-live-2018

blackteasplease · 08/05/2017 00:01

I took dd to the nutcracker when she was 4. She was just about ok and she was a v sensible 4 year old who loved ballet.

My ds is 3 now and i wouldnt take him in a million years even though he can sit through films in the cinema. Just because if he decided he didn't want to sit still and quietly they'd be no way he wouldn't disturb people or that he could be reasoned with.

UnbornMortificado · 08/05/2017 00:02

If it's a make a wish type thing (and apologies I'm not very well informed about such things) would a private box not be able an option?

I know crowd funding pages get mixed opinions but what your wanting sounds a lovely and very worthwhile thing to get behind.

taxi4ballet · 08/05/2017 00:04

English National Ballet do a series of short ballets especially for little ones called "My First........" and that would be much more suitable for her to be honest. At the moment they are doing "My First Ballet Cinderella"

They also have a 'Ballet Buddy' scheme your dd can join, and they run loads of participation events for little ones.

DoryDingDong · 08/05/2017 00:05

I would call the theatre and speak to them, they may be able to help and advise. If it's a make a wish kind of thing then they may well have helped with that kind of thing before and know how to avoid disruption to other people while you're little one has a fab time.
What a gorgeous thing to do if you can xxx
I really hope you can.

Original poster
Lonelymummyof1 · 08/05/2017 00:06

I tried that taxi4ballet, she does not want it she has this weird obsession for a 3 year old which is to attend the royal ballet school and be in swan lake !
Swan lake is all she cares and dreams about to the point she actually believes when she copying them on youtube she is 100 percent nailing the jumps haha.

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Original poster
Lonelymummyof1 · 08/05/2017 00:08

Which actually is probably the other problem - she likes to joim and when there is clapping she tends to think its aimes at her and shouts TA DA !

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MommaGee · 08/05/2017 00:10

Crap that's the wrong year

Original poster
Lonelymummyof1 · 08/05/2017 00:12

Mommagee thankyou that is the same site I am looking at for this year.

Erghh why can she not just like peppa pig would make life alot easier :)

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