The Nutcracker by Matthew Bourne
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