June 16th, 2022
With our last day in London being today, I was excited to start the day off at the Victoria and Albert Museum. I remember passing by this museum on our coach tour on our first day here, and I was excited to find out that we would be coming back there!
Going through the Theatre and Performance exhibit, one of the first pieces that caught my eye was the white ballerina costume and pink flower crown that was shown in the room dedicated to the ballet. When seeing this, I immediately thought of Amanda’s character in The Glass Menagerie. While Amanda and a ballerina seemingly do not have much in common, I believe they carry the same core commonalities. A ballerina is supposed to represent grace, elegance, and femininity. Growing up with a mom who was a ballerina herself, I know that they are supposed to be poised and controlled at all times on stage.
This directly compares to Amanda from The Glass Menagerie, as she is a Southern woman who holds the same values. Victorian in character, Amanda cares about her appearance, and the audience sees this characterization come alive when there is a costume change, and Amanda comes out in her long white Southern belle dress, as she strives to impress Jim, the alleged male caller. A dress that is definitely similar in style to this ballerina costume. Both the ballerina and Amanda are performative in nature, as both are representative of larger groups of women and how these groups appear to others as well. Whether on stage dancing or living a life true of Southern values, the performance of both types of groups cannot go unnoticed. It is important to notice this similarity, as women themselves are expected to present themselves in an idealized way which is heightened through how the ballerina and Amanda are presented.
After visiting the museum, I attended the evensong at St. Paul’s Cathedral. I have been meaning to do this one day for the entire trip, but I finally got around to doing it, and I am glad that I did. It was quite remarkably one of the most beautiful things I have ever been to and heard. I will definitely remember the service and how I felt there for a long time to come.
London, you have been a dream. See you soon Stratford-Upon-Avon. May you have a tesco meal deal too 🙂
-Maggie Martin
Theatre in London U of A 