The Nutcracker - Birmingham Royal Ballet

The Royal Albert Hall

'The Nutcracker' for beginners! This adaptation introduces the classic tale in a way that all audiences can follow. It's presented beautifully, but some choices don't add up. Is spoon-feeding the story too much?

It's grand, powerful and stunning! The Birmingham Royal Ballet have just opened its adaptation of the Christmas classic tale of 'The Nutcracker' at the Royal Albert Hall. Keeping the festive spirit alive with its later start from 29/12/25 - 31/12/2025. A very short run. Whilst the scenery is grand, and the costumes complement the choreography, there are areas of this adaptation that don't tingle your senses as much as they should. Whilst the score of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is played exceptionally well by the orchestra that is directed and conducted by Paul Murphy, the production does not quite meet the high standards that the orchestra presents. One unique choice the Birmingham Royal Ballet has made is to play a voice-over of the Drosselmeyer whilst the dancer who plays him exaggerates and embodies the lines. The magic of ballet is creating your own interpretations and admiring the dancers' abilities to present the story in their own personal way. Whilst this is a good creative choice for new ballet audiences, it feels a little too different. It's spoon-feeding the story to the audience and taking away the beauty of watching the dancers create this story. It's a good watch, but it does not stand out from the other productions of this story this festive season.

That being said, there are some brilliant aspects of this show. The first is costumes and props, designed by John Macfarlane. What beautiful designs. Watching how each item moves with the dancers and embellishes the choreography is an artistic choice that mesmerises the audience. One standout costume was the designs for the dancers in the Arabian dance in Act Two, what light and glorious items of clothing! They perfectly complement each dancer and the fluidity of the choreography with the thin, floaty garments. However, the costumes in Act Two, in the land of sweets, in some sections, do not seem to represent sweets; they focus more on the cultural aspects.

During the piece, some areas feel unfinished, and there are gaps in the narrative. The focus does not seem to be on Clara and the Nutcracker, which is a different choice. The relationship between the two loses its focus in the second part of the show. It's also interesting how Clara meets a young man in the first act, and she seems besotted with him, but then the Nutcracker is a different dancer, when you would think that it would be based on who she was with at the party. As it's all supposed to be a dream, it's as though the dream isn't based on the party before. The only similar aspects are the toys and rats. You want more moments and chemistry between Clara and the Nutcracker; it just feels like they are dancing together, and Clara is not as enamoured with the prince as much as she is with the toy. The dancers give their energy and commitment to each section, but the piece feels it may have needed a little longer before opening, due to moments that feel out of time and need polishing.

Whilst it is a great quality piece, it does not reach the standards expected for a piece at the Royal Albert Hall. The dancers, orchestra and design elements can meet these standards, and hopefully, it was just opening night flaws. However, this review is written from an individual who has seen a range of dance pieces, to a theatre goer who is not as regular, this would be a high standard. It's still a visually beautiful piece of work that could be something more! It's worth watching, it's festive and a grand experience. If you want to dip your toes into the story of the Nutcracker, you're new and want to be able to follow the story with ease, this is perfect. Don't miss out! It's a short run.