“The first fall of snow is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another, quite different. If this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?”
J.B. Priestley
Such an enchanting winter landscape is captured in ‘The Nutcracker’, the classic sugar plum fantasy which has just opened at Theatre Royal, Glasgow before touring to Edinburgh and across Scotland. “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice” by E.T.A. Hoffman was adapted by Alexander Dumas and in 1892 Marius Petipa choreographed this fairy tale with Tchaikovsky composing the melodious music.
The premiere of Scottish Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ choreographed by the company's founder, Peter Darrell, took place on 19th December 1973 at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. Following the Petipa scenario and Tchaikovsky score, the narrative focussed on the Christmas festivities as seen through the eyes, heart and mind of a child.
Back on stage this Festive season, ‘The Nutcracker’ will be more magical than ever. Artistic Director Christopher Hampson, together with a few Scottish Ballet’s dancers and resident choreographers, have updated the 2014 version with new choreography and more sparkle, inspired by Peter Darrell’s original creation.
The period is the 1870s. On Christmas Eve as the snow begins to fall, at Colonel Stahlbaum and family are hosting a grand party at their ornate townhouse. In the drawing room, a giant Christmas Tree surrounded by piles of presents, there's music and dancing and Drosselmeyer delights the guests with magic tricks. Clara Stahlbaum is given a gift of a Nutcracker Doll which she adores, skipping around the room with glee. Later, lost in dreamland she encounters the Nutcracker Prince, King Rat, toy soldiers and a troupe of timid little mice. Clara and the Prince take a journey to the Land of Ice and Snow, the realm of the Snow Queen, and Land of Sweets, the colourful world of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
With vivid costumes and vivacious choreography, The Nutcracker’ is a joyous Festive treat – like a fizzing flute of Moet for adults and a large selection box for the young ones – imagining the timeless magic of Christmas time.
From the reviews of the first night at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow:
5 stars from Mary Brennan in The Herald: ‘Peter Darrell’s 1973 choreography had children’s experiences and imaginings at its heart. So how wonderfully uplifting it is to see that, whatever else has been reworked, the abiding focus is still on childhood’.
5 stars from Mark Brown in The Telegraph: ‘This is a confident, enchanting and highly stylish take on a much-loved classic. Clever and opulent in its design, wonderfully balanced in its choreography, and entirely excellent in its performance, it is a gorgeous Christmas ballet’.
This spectacular show is not to be missed and coming to a theatre near you on the Scottish Ballet tour in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Newcastle.
Showtimes:
Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 6th - 30th December, 2024
Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 8th to 18th January 2025
Eden Court, Inverness, 22nd to the 25th January 2025
His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, 29th January to 1st February 2025
Theatre Royal, Newcastle, 6th to 8th February 2025
https://www.capitaltheatres.com/whats-on/all-shows/scottish-ballet-the-nutcracker/2299
https://scottishballet.co.uk/whats-on/the-nutcracker/