24 – 28 January
Like A Christmas Carol, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is something of a Christmas staple in some quarters. The story by Hoffmann via Dumas offers the promise of bonhomie around the Christmas tree, cracking nuts, the warm embrace of family and the slide into a supernatural fantasy world on Christmas Eve. All of which have made it an irresistible piece of programming for many a cash-strapped theatre. Being very much of a family show it therefore often finds the kind of extended slot that only traditional pantomime enjoys in the seasonal schedule. The production at the Theatre Royal is from the company under the artistic direction of Marina Medvetskaya which is currently touring the U.K.
Of course we make certain allowances for touring productions over a large big-city based production, but that doesn’t mean we are so easily fobbed off with a few wobbly backdrops and a wrinkled Christmas tree. There is a certain make-do-and-mend feel about the costumes and set, and transformations, such as there were, appeared somewhat less than magical.
At the opening there was a party or mini ball at which some simpering ladies engaged in some insipid flirting with the host after the children had been shooed away with their presents. Only with the appearance of the magician and toy maker, Drosselmeier (Azamat Askarov) was anything other than standard fare injected into proceedings. I confess that had I not known the basics of the story I would have been sore pressed to identify what was going on. Hoffmann’s intricate plot was nowhere to be seen.
We could sense there was a story somewhere, but it seemed to get lost when an assortment of dancers came on and for no apparent reason started lolloping around without any by-your-leave. Individually they could all clearly dance and that was, in some cases, the only justification they needed for doing their own thing.
However the show was held together by the consummate artistry of the prima ballerina, Arissa Hashimoto who as ‘Clara’ and the ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’ was effulgent throughout. With notable point work she seemed to float, weightless in the pas de deux with her partner, the Nutcracker Prince (Yassaui Mergaliyev).
The dances of the toys added much needed colour and interest. The liquid arms of the Eastern dancer (Zhanna Tevosyan) were mesmerizing and the dances of the other national dolls were little gems in themselves.
Of course people go the ballet for a number of reasons and in this case the music of Tchaikovsky is reason enough. The score of The Nutcracker is stuffed with memorable tunes which the un-credited and so presumably scratch orchestra performed with skill and feeling.
★★★☆☆ Graham Wyles, 25th January, 2023
Photo credit: PMB Presentations
