The Nutcracker is Bourne again...
This triumph of sound, light and movement returns to the Theatre Royal for its thirtieth anniversary. And it feels as fresh and new as it did back in the dim distant days of 1992.
But, how to describe this excess of excellence? Well, Tchaikovsky’s much-beloved ballet gets the Matthew Bourne choreography and is dragged high-kicking into the twenty-first century.
Tchaikovsky’s music for this ballet is world-famous and instantly recognisable. You know, the Sugar Plum Fairy, et al. The dancers, meanwhile, are perfect, their stamina awe-inspiring. Individual cast members flit between roles to accommodate the stress and strains of nightly performances. But on opening night, Harrison Dowzell was stunning as the male protagonist, the Nutcracker. At the tender age of 22, Harrison is a West End veteran, ten years after he topped the bill as the eponymous Billy Elliot. A definite star on the rise there.
One of Matthew Bourne’s long-time collaborators, Dominic North, was a hoot as the obnoxious brat Fritz. He gave a fine comedic performance, stealing his scenes.
However, this is an ensemble cast, with everyone giving it their best and no one ballerino or ballerina overshadowing their peers. The cast certainly looked like they were having fun and this was infectious.
Tchaikovsky’s much-beloved ballet gets the Matthew Bourne choreography and is dragged high-kicking into the twenty-first century
The costumes are pure eye-candy, in every sense of the phrase. The Liquorice Allsorts dress being a favourite among the audience. And there was also a two-tone smock, Day-Glo helmeted motorcycle boys, a ventriloquist’s dummy, and a character with hair shaped like an ice cream sundae. Superb.
The sets are entertaining too. The curtain lifts on a grim orphanage, with walls and windows skewed in the manner of Dr Caligari’s Cabinet. Complete with cabinet. The moment when the orphanage transforms is epic and will have your heart pumping. Later, in Sweetieland, blue skies are decorated with fluffy cloudlike pillows. All a feast for the senses.
The plot is slender. Orphans. Cruel adults. A magic portal to a candy-coloured wonderland. A love triangle. Simply an excuse for the dancing, really. And that is exactly what you want after a long day in our post-Covid dystopia, something that is not intellectually taxing and can take your mind clear off your problems. So, five gold stars for this cracker of a ballet. Grab a ticket while you can. You’d be nuts not to.
Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker! plays at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal between Tuesday 12 and Saturday 16 of April 2022. For more information and tickets visit the TRCH website
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