Christmas Special Reinvented

The Nutcracker by Matthew Bourne

It is hard to believe how quickly time flies! A couple of weeks ago, I celebrated the premiere of Matthew Bourne's new play "The Midnight Bell" during the night out with Ken Loach and my friends. Now I am counting the days to Christmas, delighting in another production by the same director.

For theatre and ballet enthusiasts, "The Nutcracker" is like "Kevin Home Alone" for film lovers. It is a Christmas must-see! Experiencing the play for the first time in Bourne's interpretation last Sunday in the Sadler's Wells Theatre teleported me into the world of magic. I was walking the streets of London feeling light-hearted as if I had entered a new dimension.

This hugely celebrated play has been reinvented for us using modern technology such as 3D mapping, creating magnificent effects on stage. Lengthy ballet sequences have been removed from it altogether. The baseline of the story and the music by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky stayed the same.  

In the beginning, we see a sinister orphanage in a distorted perspective. Monochromatic costumes and collapsing angles of the set bring op art and Salvador Dali's paintings to mind. Everything is for a show in this grim institution where discipline rules over love. Kids perform daily activities in front of wealthy benefactors and, in return, are given Christmas presents, amongst which there is an unusual nutcracker in a shape of a boy puppet. 

When the kids fall asleep, one of the girls dreams up an alternative universe with all the characters from her daily life in new roles. In her fantasy, the nutcracker comes to life as a Frankenstein oddity. He comes across as frightening at first but soon wins the orphans' trust by helping them escape from the oppressive establishment, leading them into the beautiful world of imagination. 

The colours and the set change, contrasting with the previous sombre background. Soft light and feathery shapes dominate the scene. The actors appear in new costumes: fluffy hats, floating skirts and white suits. The second act moves us more into the Alice-in-the-Wonderland-like reality, with bonbon decorations, unusual new characters and even more flamboyant outfits designed by Anthony Ward. To the young girl’s despair, the Nutcracker turns into a handsome young man but regrettably falls in love with an overconfident and cheeky Princess Sugar. Will the unimposing orphan be able to win him back?

I can only use one word to describe the show: impressive. Like in all Matthew Bourne's plays, dance, acting, set design, costumes, and sound come together, forming a fantastic theatrical experience. It is like nothing you have ever seen before. 

Matthew Bourne's interpretation of "The Nutcracker", co-written with Martin Duncan, had its' first premiere in 1992. From that moment on, it has been inspiring new audiences worldwide. The director mentions essential changes introduced this season. If you have seen the play before, I am sure it will surprise and leave you speechless, moving your heart and imagination again.

Agnes Prygiel, 14/12/2021 London

October in Stone Space Gallery

Geographies of Print 

Victoria Arney - collection of graphics

After sharing my review from Rob Birch's preview in Leytonstone's Stone Space Gallery a couple of months ago, I returned to this elegant window-based exhibition room in East London every month for a new show.

October in Stone Space was dedicated to minimalistic black and white prints by an art collective Geographies of Print, including Victoria Ahrens, Carol Wyss and Vicky Arney. It was a pleasure to meet these highly accomplished ladies during the preview and chat about their process over a glass of wine. Working with traditional printmaking techniques, they create far from conventional pieces. 

The exhibition's centrepiece was a nostalgic graphic by Victoria Arney depicting a sonographic recording of birdsongs. It was produced by a scientific apparatus and turned into an appealing collection of prints pinned up on the wall. 

Arney's work reminded me of Paul Klee, and the phenomenon of synesthesia, where one sense is perceived through another. Artists diagnosed with this neurological condition were known for creating particularly recognisable paintings, illustrating music in a form of abstract configurations.

Carol Wyss' installation and a paper mobile

Carol Wyss built a mini installation in the gallery corner out of black and white paper cylinders resembling a burned down forest or a fallen down city. Her second piece was a mobile paper cutout in a shape of a dandelion. When you looked closer, you could see a collage of human bones. 

Carol's works reflect the topics of death and rebirth in art and one's personal life. The pieces have some hidden energy and radiate strength and perseverance. Presented immaculately, they make a lasting impression. 

Prints by Vicky Ahrens

In her work, Vicky Ahrens drives her energy and inspiration from geology. At the exhibition, the artist presented graphics of caves and shorelines made in the original, distant and hard to get to locations around the world with the use of materials and techniques available on the spot. During a short conversation, she told me about her fascination with volcanos, caves and the meaning of those in our language and symbols. Ahrens also mentioned how the Geographies of Print collective came to life, inspiring me with her enthusiasm and dedication. 

The exhibition "Without Horizons, Without Shore" struck me as personal and very well presented. As always, the preview in Stone Space was delightful and captivating.

Agnes Prygiel, London 22.12.2021