Dance review: The Nutcracker: ‘An absolute delight’

English National Ballet’s new Nutcracker *****

The English National Ballet’s Nutcracker has, over the past few years, looked tired and in dire need of reworking, something its new director, Aaron S. Watkin, has rectified with a sparkling new production which is far superior to the previous offering.

With choreography by Watkin and Arielle Smith, this staging has more narrative cohesion – there are numerous clever links between the first and second acts – giving the entire ballet a clearer storyline. Sweets play a big part in the story: Clara tastes them in Drosselmeyer’s sweetshop in a prologue which sets the scene; they are part of the Act I party and, most importantly, the dances in Act II are all sweet-themed, rather than pure national dances. (In the original detailed scenario that choreographer Petipa wrote for Tchaikovsky, the dances were named ‘Chocolate’, ‘Coffee’ and ‘Tea’. Watkin gives a nod to this with dances based on Spanish nougat, Middle Eastern sahlab and Chinese candied fruit.)

The sets and costume designs are by Dick Bird. Set in Edwardian times, there is a definite Mary Poppins vibe in the prologue, complete with dancing chimney sweeps and protesting suffragettes. There is also an evil Fagin-type shopkeeper with his accompanying retinue of young pickpockets – and later in the story he morphs into the Rat King.

Act II is extraordinarily colourful, with vivid tents either side of the stage from which emerge various dancers. On opening night the loudest cheers were for the tiny children decked out as Liquorice Allsorts – absolutely adorable! (Sue Blane had designed something similar in the ENB’s 1997 production – it worked back then and it works now.) The costumes are witty: alongside the Allsorts are red and white marzipan candy canes and pretty ‘buttercream roses’ who dance the famous waltz.

The battle with the rats is cleverly done, with film projections adding a touch of magic, and the Christmas tree takes over the whole stage (the glorious music never fails to send a shiver down my spine at that moment).

In this version, Clara is danced by a young girl (opening night gave us an impressive Delilah Wiggins) in Act I – Ivana Bueno takes over during the transformation scene, all adolescent love and wide-eyed wonder. Emma Hawes was a delicate Sugar Plum Fairy (and also Clara’s mother in Act I) and Aitor Arrieta, her Cavalier. If a couple of the lifts did not quite come off in the difficult Act II pas de deux, this could be put down to first night nerves, but overall, the dancing is impressive.

With Birmingham Royal Ballet presenting its version at the Royal Albert Hall at the end of December, and Carlos Acosta’s Nutcracker in Havana touring until January, audiences will have a good choice of productions to see. ENB’s new staging of this Tchaikovsky classic is a worthy addition to the various Nutcrackers doing the rounds – it is an absolute delight.