If you’re looking for something truly special to kick off the festive season, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker is back at Birmingham Hippodrome and this year feels extra magical as the company celebrates 35 years since its world premiere here in Birmingham back in 1990. It’s a production that so many local (and not so local) families return to year after year, and after seeing it again this week, I was reminded exactly why.
Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker still has that goosebump factor. The designs by John Macfarlane are as rich and Christmassy as ever, David Finn’s lighting gives everything a warm glow, and of course the whole evening is carried by Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, performed beautifully by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, led by conductor Jean-Claude Picard with Robert Gibbs as Leader. You could feel the excitement ripple through the audience before the curtain even went up.
This season’s run is dedicated to Derek Purnell, BRB’s Chief Executive from 1995–2005. A lovely touch that acknowledges the people who helped shape this company into what it is today.
For those who haven’t yet enjoyed a production of The Nutcracker, it tells the story of Clara, a young girl whose Christmas Eve takes a magical turn when she’s given a Nutcracker doll by the mysterious Drosselmeyer. What starts as an ordinary family party quickly becomes something extraordinary. When the clock strikes midnight, Clara finds herself caught in a battle between toy Soldiers and the Rat King’s mischievous Rats (my personal favourites), before the Nutcracker transforms into a real Prince right before her eyes. He leads her through a sparkling snowy forest and soon the Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes her with a show-stopping celebration of dances from around the world. It’s dreamy, festive, and full of that childhood wonder we all remember – the perfect Christmas escape, to get you into the festive mood.
During Act I the story unfolds, setting the scene and introducing us to the characters.
As Clara, Reina Fuchigami managed to portray the curiosity of a young girl on the brink of a magical adventure. Lawson Hateley had the audience smiling as her cheeky younger brother Fritz.
Lachlan Monaghan brought charm and a touch of mystery as Drosselmeyer, the magician who starts it all, and it was great fun watching Ryan Felix in his double roles as the Magician’s Assistant and later as the spirited Nutcracker Doll.
The opening party scene is always a great scene for grabbing attention – full of bustling family energy. Clara’s parents (Daria Stanciulescu and Jonathan Payn) brought warmth, while Laëticia Lo Sardo and Rory Mackay were lovely as the Grandparents. And the Butler, danced by Marlo Kempsey-Fagg, added humour.
The younger dancers from Elmhurst Ballet School and The Royal Ballet School deserve a huge shout-out – they brought so much life to the stage, and it’s brilliant to see local young talent performing alongside the professionals. I believe in a few years, some will most definitely be professionals on the stage.
The battle scene between Soldiers and Rats was wonderfully energetic, with Mason King leading the charge as a brilliantly dramatic Rat King. It’s got to be one of my favourite scenes (I have a few), as the mannerisms and movements are so soldier and rat-like. It’s rather marvellous.
And then just before the interval, came the snow scene – always a highlight and it’s fabulous to hear so many gasps of awe in the audience. Yuki Sugiura was a glowing and elegant Snow Fairy (my friend’s personal favourite dancer from the evening), surrounded by her attendants and a flurry of Snowflakes that almost made you forget you were indoors.
Act II is where the show turns into a full festival of dance and it’s wonderful to see the dancers shine. We did see a few mis-haps but it was the first performance of the run, all of the press were in and it must be incredibly nerve-wracking and it didn’t detract from how phenomenal the whole performance was .
The Spanish Dance trio (Sofia Liñares, Miles Gilliver and Javier Rojas) were sharp and vibrant. The Arabian Dance, led by Eilis Small with Gabriel Anderson, Rafael Bejarano Vidal and Ixan Llorca Ferrer, was silky and mesmerising.
The Chinese Dance (Ryan Felix and Tom Hazelby) brought the charm, and the Russian Dance trio (John Fontanini, Marlo Kempsey-Fagg and Thomas Kujawa) were as power-packed as ever.
The Dance of the Mirlitons, with Olivia Chang-Clarke, Alisa Garkavenko, Frieda Kaden and Sophie Walters, was beautifully musical.
Then came one of the most visually stunning parts of the whole production: the Waltz of the Flowers. Beatrice Parma (my absolute favourite dancer of the evening – what a performance) floated across the stage as the Rose Fairy, supported by her consorts and a gorgeous group of Leading Flowers: Rosanna Ely, Yuki Sugiura, Amelia Thompson and Lucy Waine.
The show reaches its peak with the Grand Pas de Deux from the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince – and Miki Mizutani and Max Maslen were absolutely breathtaking. Technical, elegant, calm, and so beautifully performed. The audience loved them.
With two 50-minute acts and a 25-minute interval, the evening flows perfectly and ends around 9.40pm – just right for a festive night out in the city.
The choristers from Ex Cathedra’s Academies of Vocal Music added their signature magic to Act I, filling the theatre with that unmistakable Christmas atmosphere. I haven’t noticed that in previous productions so believe this may be a new addition which was very welcomed.
After 35 years, BRB’s Nutcracker is still the Midlands’ festive tradition. It’s joyful, nostalgic and beautifully danced. Whether it’s your first time or your fifteenth, it’s the perfect way to start the season.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – captivating
If you’re local and thinking about booking – do it. This production has been winning Birmingham hearts for decades, and this year is no different.
Book your tickets here: https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/brb-nutcracker-25/