Amayzine

Everything you think when you walk down the red carpet

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May smiling on the red carpet Aida with daughter Belize

Yesterday I got to go with my favorite plus one (my daughter Belize loves musicals) to the world premiere of Aïda. She suddenly fit into my purple-white dress from Les Coyotes de Paris and combined it with a jacket from The Kooples. Again from my closet, indeed. I had found a crazy cool skirt from Zimmermann at Pauw that I combined with a simple shirt. The skirt already demanded enough attention after all. Some old, but therefore no less beautiful Tom Ford heels underneath and I was ready.

In the square in front of the Circustheater, we were welcomed by Carolien, the PR guru of Stage Entertainment. She asked if we wanted to walk the carpet, then she would make sure we could be smoothly added in. We looked at each other. Doubt. Not going meant convenience and a quick iced tea before the show started. But we had done our best and how often in your life do you really have a red carpet moment? Especially at thirteen. Well then. We took a respectful step aside when Tim Rice walked by (the man who composed the music for Aïda together with Elton John) and shuffled behind Jim Bakkum (I whispered to her who that was) towards the hedge of photographers. And then you think this.

Red carpet Aida

  • Those people are probably all wondering who I am.
  • The photographer who is taking a photo now is of course hired by Stage, because why else would you take a photo of us?
  • Oh god, now they are all suddenly taking a photo.
  • Don't walk too fast, or you'll step into someone else's shot.
  • We should have taken the back route.
  • I'm doing this for the skirt, everything for the skirt.
  • Okay, we take our moment. And smile. Even if it's just for the photo.

And then at the end of the carpet, you are suddenly back in the safe hands of the nice people from Stage. At the beginning of the carpet, they ask if you want to hand over your coat or your phone and they make sure everything is neatly hung up again at the end of the carpet.

The red carpet, it's just like a ride on a roller coaster. When you're in it, you think: what have I done to myself, and when it's over, you want to go again.

Photography: Edwin Smulders