This isn’t a sponsored post.
BrumHour saw The Nutcracker at the invite of Birmingham Royal Ballet.
By Dave Massey x.com/BrumHour bsky.app/profile/brumhour.com
Review: Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker at Birmingham Hippodrome
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A stunning Christmas ballet.
Choreography by Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov and Vincent Redmon, music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
It is always a real privilege to review something I have looked forward to for a long time, and I have been lucky enough to see The Nutcracker with a few different people. Their reaction is pretty much the same; “Wonderful!”
Clara, performed by Sofia Liñares at this performance, receives a nutcracker doll from Drosselmeyer (Max Maslen) which then sends Clara on a magical journey into a secret world.
The sets are show-stoppingly stunning, with beautifully classic costumes, and delicious lighting picking out the section of the stage to focus on. Seeing parents or grandparents bring small children is just lovely. It is so inspiring that this could be their very first experience of live theatre.
Sofia Liñares was excellent as Clara at this performance, treating everything she witnessed like it was brand new. The Prince played by Yasiel Hodelín Bello was so good, there are moments where you feel like he’s about to break into lines of character dialogue but he’s really about to deliver the next part of his story through movement. Céline Gittens is stunningly elegant as The Sugar Plum Fairy, relishing in a role which seemingly lasts ten minutes in the second act.
This is a story of transformation and growth, and the transitions from scene to scene are so smooth. The moments where sleight of hand take place make you wish you could pause the live performances.
The Royal Ballet Sinfonia with conductor Thomas Jung really pull the audience into the Nutcracker story. It is a delight to see and hear.
A stunning Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker with Birmingham Royal Ballet is at Birmingham Hippodrome until 14th December 2024. Discover more and book tickets here: brb.org.uk/shows/the-nutcracker-2024.
