Birmingham Royal Ballet The Nutcracker at the Birmingham Hippodrome Review
Birmingham Royal Ballet
The Nutcracker
25 November to 13 December 2016
Reviewed by Catherine Brown
What better way to get in the Christmas spirit than by watching ‘The Nutcracker’! The ballet is currently being performed at Birmingham Hippodrome by the Birmingham Royal Ballet. The production has become part of a seasonal tradition for the city, having been shown here for the last 25 years. The venue is in the city centre and is easily accessible by train or car.
Even before the show began, the excitement and anticipation from the audience was evident – highlighted by young girls in sparkling dresses peering over the edge into the pit to watch the orchestra warm up.
The story starts on Christmas Eve with a young girl called Clara and her brother Fritz celebrating with family and friends around a beautiful tree. One of the guests, Drosselmeyer, is a magician who gives Clara a beautiful nutcracker which everyone admires. Jealous of the attention, Fritz grabs the toy and breaks it much to Clara’s dismay. Drosselmeyer magically repairs the nutcracker but the damage is still playing on Clara’s mind later that night.
At the stroke of midnight, the toys around the tree come to life, the changing in staging here making for a wonderful illusion. The Nutcracker and his soldiers are challenged to a fight by an army of mice led by the Mouse King. Clara has shrunk with the toys and has to come to the rescue of her beloved Nutcracker. The Nutcracker transforms into a prince and the pair are transported to the land of snow where they are welcomed by a flurry of snowflakes.
The interval allowed us to explore the facilities at the Hippodrome. The staff were very welcoming and polite and we were able to purchase ice cream and bagged sweets. There were also a selection of soft and hot drinks and alcoholic beverages. There were plenty of clean toilets which avoided the chance of large queues.
Act 2 began with Clara flying in on the wings of a swan to a fantastic world created by Drosselmeyer. This was my favourite scene, where Clara is introduced to dancers from around the world including Spain and Russia. I was particularly impressed by the strength and agility of the Arabian dancers, while the Chinese dancers added wonderful humour. The sugar plum fairy encourages Clara to join in and she transforms into a magical ballerina. Finally, Clara wakes from her dream and is back by the Christmas tree with her nutcracker.
All of the dancers were extremely talented and the lifts and turns which seemed so effortless were mesmerising. The story is accessible to newcomers to the ballet and it was lovely to see so many young children in the audience. I was captivated by the dancers and left the theatre with a smile on my face and a yearning to go and dig our Christmas decorations out of the loft! I would recommend this show to audiences of all ages, definitely worthy of a 5 out of 5 rating.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £19 (booking fees may apply).
The Nutracker is at the Birmingham Hippodrome until 13 December 2016. For more infromation or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0844 338 5000.
Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB | 0844 338 5000
