Final Writing Style 2

The Nutcracker

The curtain opens on a household preparing for a Christmas party. As an audience member you feel as if you are peering through one of the snow-lined windows into this magnificent home. The set is stunning with deep red cloths draped from the ceiling and a sparkling Christmas tree set in the corner of the stage with a mass of presents underneath. Guests begin to arrive and the scene starts to stir and becomes alive with colour and movement. Clara was youthful, light and technically incredible. She possessed a playful quality, which made you believe that she was a young girl.

Drosselmeyer, dominating and powerful, provided much of the magic of the production as he made the lavish set then grow seamlessly; giving the illusion of Clara shrinking to the size of a small toy as she drifted about in a dreamy state. This transaction was marvelously done and the new set was even more magical! As battle commenced the soldiers were in unison and well regimented whilst the rats twitched and scurried sending a shiver down my spine.

Following the battle, the scene changes to a winter wonderland, with shimmering silver being the predominant colour. The snowflakes wore iridescent costumes and drifted in an ethereal state about the stage. Lei Zhao captured the quality of a snowflake as she drifted across the stage, holding impossible balances for what seemed like minutes at a time. Her secure technique enables her to really use her port de bra and sparkle.

The second act opened with Clara flying through the air on the back of a shimmering white goose, a lovely touch which recaptures any magic that may have been lost in the interval! Clara watches a host of different cultures dance before her with their ‘National’ dance. The Spanish dance was first and was full of feisty Mediterranean spirit; you could almost feel the heat radiating from the stage. This was followed by the Arabian dance, led by Victoria Marr who danced with the fluidity that this dance requires whilst the men used their strength to contrast her movements. The Russian dance followed and in contrast to the piece before, was very scrappy. Whilst they had a good energy throughout, the piece ended on a very bad technical note with Clara almost falling off the back of one of the dancers. The Chinese dance was quaint but uneventful and unmemorable. The Dance of the Mirlitons was last but by no means least. The dancers had the clean technique that this piece demands. Natasha Oughtred in particular danced beautifully with absolutely exquisite footwork. The Rose Fairy, the lead in The Waltz of the Flowers danced with disdain and looked both arrogant and bored, not something that I believe a fairy is supposed to be.

The production ended spectacularly with the Grand pas de deux danced by two of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s principals. The Prince shone within the role by demonstrating his clarity of line and enthusiasm. Sugar Plum Fairy was good however the role requires classical line that this dancer doesn’t possess. She has the type of legs that look breath taking at 180˚ but very disappointing at 90˚, she is therefore not suited to this role. She was however very charming and did a very good job of milking her curtain call.