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Falling snow, a rapidly-growing Christmas tree and an army of sword-fighting rats: it can only be Sir Peter Wright‘s The Nutcracker. Birmingham Royal Ballet’s opulent, charming and whimsical production returns to Birmingham Hippodrome – where Wright’s version received its premier in 1990 – and brings with it a host of magical moments.
🎠NEW! UK Theatre Newsletter
Set to Tchaikovsky’s sparkling score, performed in a sprightly manner by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Wright’s The Nutcracker retains much of the original narrative seen in the 1892 St Petersburg production. We are introduced to the Stahlbaum family during their Christmas Eve party, where magician Drosselmeyer entertains the guests with illusions and gives young Clara Stahlbaum a very special wooden nutcracker doll. After the party ends, Clara tiptoes downstairs and magically shrinks to doll-size, causing her to become embroiled in a battle between the Rat King and the toys under the tree, before the Nutcracker transforms into a prince and transports Clara into a fantastical new world.
The first act is the very definition of Christmassy. John MacFarlane’s designs bring the Stahlbaum’s grand hall to life in luxurious jewel tones: ruby-red swathes of velvet, a towering emerald tree and an imposing gold staircase, all drenched in candlelight, while girls in white taffeta and boys in navy soldier uniforms provide beautiful contrast. Life-size toys, including Riko Ito’s gravity-defying Jack-in-the-Box, perform intricate routines that delight the children both on-stage and in the audience.
When the clock strikes midnight, the Christmas tree grows in an impressive feat of stagecraft until only its lowest boughs can be seen, towering over Clara, and the fireplace expands to become a fiery, smoking portal to the realm of the rats.Â
Perhaps the most beautiful moment of the night, though, comes when Clara is swept away to the Land of Snow. Twisted, frost-covered branches frame the stage while Yuki Sugiura’s radiant Snow Fairy, along with her attendants, four Winds and a flurry of light-as-air snowflake dancers, swirl across the stage in delicate patterns until snow (as real-looking as could possibly be hoped) begins to descend from the sky.Â
The narrative dips in Act Two, where tradition dictates that Clara has little to do other than watching the inhabitants of the Kingdom of the Sweets perform their dances on a static set. Luckily the variations in Tchaikovsky’s music and the choreography mostly succeed in keeping the audience’s attention until the arrival of the much-awaited Sugar Plum Fairy.Â
Miki Mizutani as Sugar Plum Fairy and Max Maslen as Prince
Photo Credit: Johan Persson
Wright’s production maintains the original choreography from Lev Ivanov for the Sugar Plum Variation and the Grand pas de deux, and Miki Mizutani performs it with an air of imperial majesty, making the continuous pirouettes look easy, while Max Maslen’s Prince provides strong and steady partnership.Â
The heart of the show is of course Clara, and Reina Fuchigami has wonderful stage presence, practically glowing with wonderment from start to finish. Lachlan Monaghan has fun as the cape-swirling Drosselmeyer, in a less sinister interpretation than others before him, and BRB’s corps get plenty of moments to shine too, especially in the Waltz of the Flowers.Â
The Nutcracker has something for everyone, and it’s no wonder that many audience members return year after year. Filled with nostalgia and tradition but with up-to-date effects and technique, this is a festive treat for the eyes and the ears.
The Nutcracker at Birmingham Hippodrome until 13 December
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