Morning:
10°c
Sarah Frater's rating
, Nutcracker has real depth
By
Sarah Frater
16 Dec 2008
Because The Nutcracker is so familiar, it’s easy to take for granted. It’s the Christmas ballet performed year in, year out, often by more than one company, and if you don’t see it on stage, the chances are you’ll hear one of its tunes on the radio or TV. In truth, many Nutcrackers are only average and some are plain dire but a good one brings seasonal cheer, and the best can be unexpectedly moving.
Tchaikovsky’s falling melodies tug at our longings. As we watch the pretty spectacle — the happy family party, the sweet young couple and the gracious Sugar Plum Fairy — the music won’t let us forget how we long for emotional harmony. Grown-ups in the audience recognise this and you suspect the children do, too, for their small voices rise with the music’s emotional peak.
The Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker also benefits from the assured touch of Peter Wright, a director and producer who knows how to keep things both traditional and real. His judgment and good taste have created a Nutcracker with real depth, not easy when it doesn’t really have a plot. He chose Julia Tevelyan Oman to create the designs which are wonderful, with a comfily grand home and a twinkly Kingdom of Sweets. But there are a few signs of wear and, with some of the costumes and wigs now looking a dusty.
There was also some uneven dancing at last night’s opening but it couldn’t undermine the production. On top form were Miyako Yoshida and Federico Bonelli as the Sugar Plum Fairy and The Prince. The pair are all gentle elegance, he noticeably better than recent performances when he looked suspiciously as if he was knocking things off.
Gary Avis was, for my tuppence, a little too jolly as Drosselmeyer, the magician and toy maker, who should evoke melancholy rather than merriment. Some of the national dances in Act II also looked under-rehearsed and the Snowflakes were occasionally ragged.
Ricardo Cervera was near-perfect as Hans-Peter/The Nutcracker, as was Laura Morera as the Rose Fairy. Iohna Loots was a pretty Clara, the ballet’s heroine and symbol of innocence. A good Nutcracker reminds you how important this is.
In rep until 10 January (020 7304 4000, www.roh.org.uk).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (1)
I was throughly transported by last nights opening night of Nutcracker. The cast were top notch, Miyako Yoshida is absolutely the difinitive Sugar Plum and Bonelli is a magnificent Prince, but I always feel that the whole piece stands and falls on the the trio who set up their end of the show moment to thrill us. Clara, Hans-Peter/The Nutracker and, most important of all Drosselmeyer are the characters who draw us in to the whole magical journey. I would imagine that, as this cast has remained the opening night cast for several years now, that Sir Peter Wright must feel, as I do, that the dramatic pitch of the performances of these three artists (Loots, Cervera, Avis) is absolutely perfect adn what he intends for his production. Cervera and Loots work fabulously together (Cervera performs so many roles so well, but I have always felt that he is at his best here). Drosselmeyer can be played in various ways, as Sarah Frater says, for her taste she likes a more melancholy edge to it. For me, however, the most important thing is, the performer must convince the audience of his total belief in the journey and be utterly in control of it. The production stands and falls on this characters ability to do that. With Avis in charge there is not a single moment when you ever need to worry that this will be anything other than the case. Melancholy be blowed!! We have quite enough of that in the world already. Merry Christmas!!
- Tim, London, 16/12/2008 11:19
Report abuse
