The Nutcracker Bold, brilliant retelling of a festive classic
AGLORIOUSLY enchanting and wildly adventurous adaptation of a festive classic has audiences spellbound at Bristol Old Vic this Christmas.
Following in the footsteps of such Bristol Old Vic festive treats as Peter Pan, Swallows and Amazons and the record-breaking A Christmas Carol, the historic theatre’s brand-new Christmas spectacular truly puts the “crackers” into The Nutcracker!
Put those ballet shoes away and forget trying to work out what a sugar plum is, for this is a Nutcracker unlike any other.
From the pens of Tom Morris (A Christmas Carol, The Grinning Man) and composer/lyricist Gwyneth Herbert (The Snow Queen, A Christmas Carol), and directed by Lee Lyford (The Snow Queen, A
Christmas Carol, The Elephant Man), The Nutcracker is a boldly theatrical musical adaptation of the story behind the classic ballet, full of wonder, adventure and music.
Little Claire, full of big dreams and a vivid imagination, is excited about Christmas. Her workaholic parents and phonebore brother have no time for her childish shenanigans.
Then, on Christmas Eve, Claire receives the magical gift of a Nutcracker from a mysterious clock maker that turns her family’s whole world on its head.
This Nutcracker, a gentle clown, leads Claire to a fantastical kingdom where toys come to life, nutcrackers can talk and just about anything feels possible.
But danger is looming, and our gentle Nutcracker must be protected from the evil sevenheaded Mouse King by Claire, her toys and an imaginary unicorn.
This show is inventive, contemporary and, in places, rather dark and strange. I will concede that this Nutcracker will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but my
10-year-old twins and I were enchanted.
The set and costume design by Tom Rogers is striking.
Characters parade in diverse and exaggerated costumes, with weird and wonderful headpieces, in front of a backdrop of golden clockwork cogs and twinkling fairy lights.
Music is at the heart of this festive fairytale. Award-winning composer and lyricist Gwyneth Herbert, who also plays Queen Rat, returns to her traditional Christmas role at Bristol Old Vic, providing spectacular live music in an extravagant Bowieinspired costume. Part jazz, part soul, part futuristic, the genredefying music carries the story along. Gwyneth is joined on stage by the multi-talented musicians Harry Bird and James Gow, who double up as Claire’s toy Bear and cuddly Lemur.
Musical highlights include Do You Really Want To Play With Me, where the toys first come to life and we first meet these fabulous characters. The Mouse Queen song is full of energy, vitriol and fun, while the moving rendition of Change The World Little One, sung by Claire’s Dad to his sleeping daughter, brings a lump to the throat. At this point, I felt two little hands – one each from my boy and girl – reach over to mine in unison.
Rising talent and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School graduate Denzel Baidoo stars as Nutcracker. He plays the role with unassuming likeability and his dance moves – from soft and sinuously contemporary to robotic body-pop – are captivating.
Mae Munuo plays Claire, the little girl whose toys come to life, with warmth, heart and believability.
Tristan Sturrock, whom television viewers may recognise from playing Zacky Martin in all five series of Poldark, is the glue who holds the show together as the mysterious Mr Choke, the peculiar clock maker. Tristan has created some of the King Street theatre’s most memorable characters including Peter in Peter Pan, Long John Silver in the outdoor production of Treasure Island and the lead in 2019’s Cyrano. Now, he brings a fantastic Jarvis Cocker-meets-Willy Wonka strangeness to his latest role with plenty of humour and emotion.
Bristol Old Vic regular Patrycja Kujawska, most recently seen at the theatre in Cyrano and Emma Rice’s Wise Children, plays the roles of Mother, Queen Spoon and the Baboon with Spoon with vitality and precision.
Fellow Cyrano actor Guy Hughes plays Clare’s brother Eddie, Action Man and the saxophone-wielding Curly Purly.
His Action Man in particular is played brilliantly with a mixture of bravery, angst, naivety and humour.
Kirris Riviere as dad Martin and dog toy King Sausage, is perfectly cast and blends presence, humour and vulnerability in his performance.
There is a moral here – as there always should be in a Christmas tale – that we should hold on to hope and belief, that we should be present in the now, and that we don’t have to be who others expect us to be.
With lots of spectacle, bags of originality and oodles of heart, this unconventional and unexpected show is a festive treat.
» The Nutcracker is at Bristol Old Vic until January 7. Visit bristololdvic.org.uk