This isn’t a sponsored post.
BrumHour saw The Nutcracker at the invite of Birmingham Royal Ballet.
By George Elsmere-Whitney
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker 2025 at Birmingham Hippodrome: Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”A sumptuous festive treat!”
Choreography by Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon, Music Pyotr by Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Nutcracker is a classic Christmas tale of magic and adventure, and this production captures that charm from the very start. The ballet follows Clara (Reina Fuchigami) from a lively Christmas Eve party into a dreamworld that unfolds after midnight. The gift of a Nutcracker doll draws her into a battle with King Rat (Mason King), before sweeping her away through drifting snow to a fantastical kingdom.
The whole production is a sumptuous festive treat, complete with sparkling costumes, a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree, and magical falling snow. The stagecraft is genuinely impressive. Drosselmeyer (Lachlan Monaghan) shrinks Clara down to the size of her new doll, and the already huge Christmas tree grows to an enormous scale right before the audience’s eyes, creating one of the most memorable visual moments of the evening.
A standout moment comes when Clara transforms into the Sugar Plum Fairy (Miki Mizutan). Wearing a glittering pink tutu that any young ballerina would dream of, Mizutan gives a performance bursting with joy. Joined by the Nutcracker, now a handsome Prince (Max Maslen), the pair are enchanting in their grand pas de deux, bringing warmth and elegance to the stage.
Tchaikovsky’s beloved score is beautifully brought to life by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia under the baton of Jean-Claude Picard. Peter Wright’s choreography honours the ballet’s most iconic moments, such as the ethereal Snowflake dance, while also refreshing elements that have aged less gracefully. The second act’s entertainments, staged for Clara by Drosselmeyer, can be tricky for modern audiences. Wright’s updated Arabian and Chinese dances, however, feel thoughtful, respectful and contemporary without losing any of their spark or theatrical impact.
It is impossible not to be swept up in the magic of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production and to feel, just for a moment, like a kid on Christmas morning. The Nutcracker is at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday, 13 December 2025. Discover more about Birmingham Royal Ballet and book tickets here: brb.org.uk.
