Birmingham Hippodrome- until 13 December 2025
Reviewed by Emma Millward
5*****
Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker at Birmingham Hippodrome has become one of the city’s most cherished festive traditions since the world premiere first took place there 35 years ago. This year’s revival reaffirms why it continues to captivate audiences of all ages. Under the exceptional direction of Carlos Acosta, Birmingham Royal Ballet achieves just the right balance of grand spectacle with emotional warmth. Created by Wright in 1990 as a thank you for Birmingham’s continued support, the production celebrates its 650th performance next week and can still surprise and enchant audiences after all these years.
From the moment the curtain rises on the Stahlbaum family’s lavish Christmas party, the production’s meticulous craftsmanship is evident. The bustling, atmospheric opening scene sees child performers racing about with believable seasonal excitement, while the adults mingle, recreating the familiar buzz of a family social gathering. Wright’s choreography ensures every performer onstage has a role to play.
We follow the story of Clara (Reina Fuchigami), a young aspiring ballet dancer who receives a Nutcracker doll from the charismatic magician Drosselmeyer (Lachlan Monaghan). Clara is intrigued when her mischievous brother Fritz (Lawson Hateley) breaks the doll and it magically mends itself. Later that night, as the clock strikes midnight, strange and magical things start to happen. The onstage Christmas tree grows, giving the illusion that Clara has shrunk to the size of the toys. The Rat King (Mason King) and his rat soldiers appear and attempt to kidnap Clara, but toy soldiers underneath the Christmas tree come to life and help Clara to chase them away. The Nutcracker doll transforms into a handsome Prince (Max Maslen) and dances with Clara.
One minute we are in an opulent house, the next we are in a snowy forest as the Snow Fairy (Yuki Sugiura) and her snowflakes and winds dance for Clara and the Prince as the glorious sounds of the Waltz of the Snowflakes bring the first act to a conclusion. The second act opens with Clara flying across the night sky on a huge goose, this drew gasps and applause from the audience. She flies to a magical land where Drosselmeyer introduces her to interesting and exotic people from all over the world, including the mesmerising Arabian, Chinese, Russian and Spanish dancers. Drosselmeyer uses his magic to turn Clara into the Sugar Plum Fairy (Miki Mizutani) before they perform a beautiful Grand pas de deux, followed by the dance that was a standout moment for me, The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
The Royal Ballet Sinfonia, conducted by Jean-Claude Picard, brings Tchaikovsky’s score to life with energy and warmth. The music feels closely connected to the onstage action, without ever overpowering the dancers. Visually, the production is gorgeous. The costumes (Elaine Garlick) shimmer without appearing gaudy, the sets feel rich and immersive. The clever, ever transforming stage design by John Macfarlane, combined with lighting by David Finn, is exquisite throughout. The homely warmth of the house in the first act contrasts with the wintery elegance of the second act.
Although there are too many dancers to name individually, Birmingham Royal Ballet has once again created an exceptional production that transports the audience to a spellbinding world and is the perfect start to the festive season.