ESCAPE TO THE LAND OF SWEETS WITH A SUMPTUOUS BALLET FAVOURITE
Scotland’s national dance company are bringing a traditional favourite to Newcastle Theatre Royal next week. Enrobed in snow, ice, candy and pure enchantment, prepare to take a magical sleigh ride with Scottish Ballet’s The Nutcracker 31 January – 3 February 2018.
As Newcastle Theatre Royal is the only venue in England to host the critically acclaimed dance company’s beloved seasonal classic, North East audiences are in for a treat.
Devised by Scottish Ballet’s founder, Peter Darrell, and revived to widespread acclaim in 2014, The Nutcracker is renowned for its sumptuous costumes, striking chocolate box set and snowflakes galore. Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score is also performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. This tour marks a return to a much more traditional Nutcracker after the company’s 2010 and 2013 visits to the Theatre Royal with Ashley Page’s darker and bolder version set in the Weimar Republic.
Peter Darrell’s The Nutcracker follows the magical story of a little girl, Clara, who on Christmas Eve is given an enchanted nutcracker doll. As she drifts off to sleep, we follow her into dreamland where the nutcracker doll transforms into a Prince and comes to life. He dances the iconic Pas de Deux with The Sugarplum Fairy and embarks upon a journey to the Land of Sweets where we meet the Snow Queen and experience tastes of the Middle East and Russia. Clara then returns home to awaken from her beautiful slumber, but was it just a dream..?
Darrell’s production of The Nutcracker is also unique in that the main character, Clara, is danced by a young girl performing alongside the Company’s 40 professional dancers. The cast will include talented young dancers from Scottish Ballet’s Associates programme, who will gain the experience of a life-time working on stage in this iconic classic. Over the past 40+ years, hundreds of children have participated in The Nutcracker’s magic, and many have since gone on to have inspiring careers including choreographer Michael Clark, actress Ruth Connell (Rowena MacLeod, Supernatural) and current Scottish Ballet Principal dancer Christopher Harrison.
CEO/Artistic Director, Chris Hampson said: ‘It is always a pleasure to bring Peter Darrell’s The Nutcracker to the stage. This production has been at the heart of Scottish Ballet since the 1970’s and has been delighting generations for decades.’
The Nutcracker is at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Weds 31 Jan until Sat 3 February 2018, playing evenings at 7.30pm, matinees on Thu 2pm and Sat 2.30pm. Tickets from £14.50 can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk