The Royal Ballet's Nutcracker

Wonderful Christmas fare ( even if screened in April) http://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/palace-opera-and-ballet-presents-the-royal-ballet-in-the-nutcracker/The Royal Ballet weave their magic in an Peter Wright’s splendiferous, spectacular version of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet. It is a sumptuous, quite traditional version, which has been around for about 30 years now and retains the Petipa /Ivanov choreography and it has to be said, unlike some versions of the work, actually makes a lot of dramatic sense. The production is set roughly in the early part of the nineteenth century. In Act 1 the Stahlbaum’s house is luxuriously furnished and in Act 2 the sugar garden of the palace is iced to perfection. The huge interlocking very complicated waltzes (snowflakes and flowers) with their intricate patterns were splendidly performed by a crisply dramatic corps de ballet. The Rose Fairy (Yasmine Naghdi) was dewily delightful. Debonair Herr Drosselmeyer, mysterious clockmaker and perhaps slightly sinister magician, who is attempting to break the spell on his nephew Hans-Peter, was magnificently portrayed by Gary Avis in a commanding performance. He was elegantly, expensively dressed in green – blue with red stockings and swirls a dramatic cloak. His character is in control of everything and I liked the reunion and sense of deja-vu at the end. It has its dark undertones, but overall is bright and enchanting- after all, this is Christmas. The palace inhabitants of Act 2 are not too sickly sweet. The tree transformation is sensational. As Clara, Francesca Hayward is all wide eyed enchantment. She is thrilled by her gift of the nutcracker doll and joins in the dances of all the young girls with their various dolls in Act 1 and the dance of the Mirlitons in Act2 for example. In Act 1 she has to put up with the brattish behaviour of her brother Fritz who breaks the nutcracker, though Drosselmeyer ends up repairing it. This was a beautiful portrayal presenting youth and fresh innocence. As Hans-Peter /The Nutcracker, charming expat Australian Alexander Campbell was terrific with a very clean elegant line and scintillating technique. In this version it is the Sugar Plum Fairy (Lauren Cuthbertson) and her Prince ( Nehemiah Kish ) who have the Grand Pas De Deux in Act 2. As Sugar Plum, Lauren Cuthbertson is tremendous- filigree, delicate icing. She sparkles in the famous solo and displays glorious creamy very controlled adagio movement of the upper body with superb epaulement and is tremendous in the supported turns.Cuthbertson also shows off some very tricky lifts and fish dives. As her Prince, Nehemiah Kish shows off not just his great partnering skills but also his fabulous fluid line, regal bearing and amazing elevation and turns. The ensemble work was most impressive. Much enjoyment was had by all the attendees of the Stahlbaum’s Christmas party in Act 1. The doll dances, presented as entertainment by Herr Drosselmeyer, were first a Harlequin and Columbine and then a couple dressed military style in blue and yellow. In Act 2 the national dances, again controlled by Drosselmeyer, were a vaguely pseudo-Spanish group in black and orange, a blue and white ‘ Chinese’ dance including parasols, pointe work, bobbing and pointy fingers which Clara participates in ,a sultry exotic ‘Turkish’ dance (shades of Fokine) and an exuberant Russian dance which Hans-Peter joins in. The battle between the toy soldiers and the mice (the Mouse King in a most impressive gold mane) is quite striking and thrilling, although Clara’s wishy- washy attack on the Mouse King is something of a disappointment. The red and gold Christmas Tree Angels that glide like Russian dancers were tremendous and the very ornate sleigh that Clara and Hans-Peter travel in was very impressive. Most delightful, this is perfect magical family fare for Christmas . Running time allow 2 hours 40 includes behind the scenes short documentaries before and interviews during interval. The Royal Ballet’s production of THE NUTCRACKER is screening at selected arthouse cinemas until the 6th April