The Nutcracker by Birmingham Royal Ballet Review
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Fri 22 Nov 2024 - Tue 31 Dec 2024
Carlos Acosta may have breathed new life into Birmingham Royal Ballet(BRB) as its director but when it comes to Christmas, it's all about the much-loved traditional version of
The Nutcracker.
Sir Peter Wright created this magical version back in 1990 and it's still a crowd-pleaser that returns every November in the run-up to Christmas. There's something so special about this version that it feels like the festive season can well and truly begin when the Nutcracker opens at Birmingham Hippodrome.
Birmingham Royal Ballet's sumptuous production of
The Nutcracker will be performed in Birmingham and London this year. It will stay at
Birmingham Hippodrome , where I caught it on opening night, until December 14 and then move on to London's Royal Albert Hall from December 29 to 31.
Acosta by the way is getting his own take on the Tchaikovsky classic with a
Nutcracker in Havana version showing at
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from January 13 to 14 next year.
Back to this timeless version by BRB and it opens at a glamorous Victorian Christmas party with a huge tree, a magician entertaining and delightful characterisations from three generations of a family. I think that's why it's appealing on so many levels to all ages.
Children argue over toys, grandparents take a turn on the dancefloor and there's young romance in this narrative first section of the ballet. There's also the first of many colourful and vibrant magical characters, like the lovable bouncing Jack In The Box, and some tricks that will delight younger members of the audience.
All the while there's a glorious classical soundtrack from Tchaikovsky performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, led by excellent conductor Thomas Jung.
The most dramatic and exciting scene of all comes at the close of the party when teenager Clara, played by fine dancer Sofia Linares on opening night, sneaks downstairs after dark. She wants to get a look at her new present of a large Nutcracker but gets whisked off into another world by a magician instead.
As she's shrunk to under the Christmas tree, the special effects and scenery changes that take place in those few minutes are incredible. It's all topped off with a life-size King Rat emerging from the fireplace, as pictured above. It never fails to impress, year on year.
With toy soldiers and The Nutcracker coming to life to rescue Clara against dancing rats, the tempo picks up a pace from here until the interval. It ends on a high with the Snow Fairy, danced exquisitely by Yu Kurihara.
She performs with her attendants, dancing snowflakes and winds amid a snowstorm for a superb Act One finale that is the essence of Christmas.
There's no let up after the interval when Clara appears flying across the stage on a goose. It gets a round of applause every year.
Act Two is more varied as the magician reappears to introduce Clara to dancers from around the world, who each entertain her with their country's national dance.
Although harking back to older times, the sensational music and routines from Russia, China, Spain and Arabia, pictured below, are filled with cosy charm, although very much twee stereotypes.
The dreamy classical music and visually beautiful Waltz of the Flowers make way for the romantic grand pas de deux by The Prince and Sugar Plum Fairy. I saw the stunning pairing of Celine Gittens and Yasiel Hodelin Bello on opening night who have pinpoint accuracy in their steps but they are enthralling for even beginners to ballet.
Gittens has been a long favourite with BRB audiences but Bello is an emerging talent from Cuba who I could easily see becoming a poster boy for Birmingham's ballet company. He impresses with both his dancing and charisma.
Joining BRB last year and heralding from Havana, it's hard not to see resembles to Acosta. Bello is a name to watch out for in the future, no doubt.
BRB's
Nutcracker is still a force to be reckoned with. This beautiful ballet is as enchanting and magical as Christmas gets. It's simply unmissable.
RATING: 5 stars out of 5
Running time approx 2 hours 10 mins
See more at
Birmingham Hippodrome website here for tickets until December 14 and the
Royal Albert Hall website for shows in London from December 29 to 31. Tickets cost from £18.50.
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#family_friendly 298073 - 2024-11-22 08:36:30