Press Release: English National Ballet - Nutcracker National Tour

[Jan McNulty]

English National Ballet 

Nutcracker 
National Tour 
Wednesday 29 November 2023 – Sunday 7 January 2024

www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker

 

 

English National Ballet’s Nutcracker is touring nationally this Christmas with performances at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre from 29 November – 2 December and the London Coliseum from 14 December – 7 January 2024. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julia Conway as Sugar Plum Fairy and ENB dancers in Nutcracker © Laurent Liotardo

 

The much-loved festive family treat returns for 40 performances, continuing English National Ballet’s tradition of presenting a version of Nutcracker every year since it was founded in 1950. In this production, choreographed by Wayne Eagling, over 100 dancers and musicians will bring the classic story and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score to life, including the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Waltz of the Flowers, played live by English National Ballet Philharmonic.

 

On a sparkling Christmas Eve in a frost-dusted Edwardian London, Clara receives an enchanted Nutcracker as a present. Together, they discover a magical world where she battles with the Mouse King and meets a handsome stranger. As the air grows colder, Clara and her valiant Nutcracker take a hot air balloon ride across London to the glistening Land of Snow where a puppet theatre comes to life with dancers from around the world.

 

A perfect Christmas production for both regular attendees and first-time ballet goers, last year, over 70,000 audience members attended English National Ballet’s Nutcracker run at the London Coliseum. The production returns to the Mayflower Theatre for the first time since sold out performances in 2017.

 

Alongside its performances, English National Ballet will host a range of workshops and events, offering an introduction and insight into the world of ballet. Activities include onstage workshops for all ages, craft making, family friendly performances, and behind-the-scenes talks. For more information see www.ballet.org.uk

 

Listings:

 

English National Ballet
Nutcracker

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 
Wednesday 29 November – Saturday 2 December 2023

www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker 

 

London Coliseum 
Thursday 14 December 2023 – Sunday 7 January 2024

www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker

 

 

Credits: 

Choreography: Wayne Eagling

Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Design: Peter Farmer

Lighting Design: David Richardson

 

 

Notes to Editors

English National Ballet is a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England.

Ballymore is Principal Building Partner of English National Ballet.

 

About English National Ballet 

English National Ballet has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by the great English dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, it has been at the forefront of ballet’s growth and evolution ever since.

 

English National Ballet brings world class ballet to the widest possible audience through performances across the UK and on eminent international stages; its distinguished orchestra, English National Ballet Philharmonic; its digital platforms Ballet on Demand and BalletActive; being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as Dance for Parkinson’s; and through talent development initiatives including Ballet Futures which looks to create a more diverse and inclusive future for the artform.

 

English National Ballet continues to add ground-breaking new works to its repertoire whilst celebrating the tradition of great classical ballet, gaining acclaim for artistic excellence and creativity. 2019 saw the Company enter a new chapter in its history with a move to a purpose-built state-of-the-art home in east London, allowing a renewed commitment to creativity, ambition, and connection to more people, near and far, than ever before. 

 

[Jan McNulty]

I've never heard of a tour with 2 venues being described as a "National Tour" before.  As someone who lives north of Watford I find it downright insulting!

[Blossom]

27 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

I've never heard of a tour with 2 venues being described as a "National Tour" before.  As someone who lives north of Watford I find it downright insulting!

I was thinking exactly the same!!

I guess as always ACE is influencing where they can tour.

And of course we get 3 Nutcrackers in London between ROH, RAH (BRB) and Coli which I feel is somewhat unfair. Although in some ways good to contain viewings of ENBs Nutcracker. Hoping Aaron S Watkin will introduce his version.

[Sim]

Well considering the Coli is their London home they aren't even touring to two venues; I would say just the one.  As has been pointed out....hardly a national tour to take it to Southampton and nowhere else.  Talk about false advertising or a misnomer!!  

[LinMM]

I agree and what are they doing between Dec2nd and 14th 

Surely at least one extra venue north of Watford could have fitted in with a slightly later start of the performances in London. 

[Lynette H]

10 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I agree and what are they doing between Dec2nd and 14th 

Surely at least one extra venue north of Watford could have fitted in with a slightly later start of the performances in London. 

Up and down the land, most theatres have panto in that time slot. The logistics of this might be more difficult than we imagine.

[Sim]

13 minutes ago, Lynette H said:

Up and down the land, most theatres have panto in that time slot. The logistics of this might be more difficult than we imagine.

Fair enough, but then don't call it a 'national tour'!

[bridiem]

40 minutes ago, Sim said:

Well considering the Coli is their London home they aren't even touring to two venues; I would say just the one.  As has been pointed out....hardly a national tour to take it to Southampton and nowhere else.  Talk about false advertising or a misnomer!!  

 

Absolutely. It's not a 'tour' at all.

[Jan McNulty]

28 minutes ago, Lynette H said:

Up and down the land, most theatres have panto in that time slot. The logistics of this might be more difficult than we imagine.

 

The Liverpool Empire isn't advertising a show between 2nd and 14th December...

[Bruce Wall]

3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

I've never heard of a tour with 2 venues being described as a "National Tour" before.  As someone who lives north of Watford I find it downright insulting!

 

Giving new significance to the term 'National'.  .... Things ain't what they used to be ... or so it appears.   As with so many other things hereabout .... it's diminished.  

 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by Bruce Wall

[capybara]

2 hours ago, LinMM said:

I agree and what are they doing between Dec2nd and 14th 

Surely at least one extra venue north of Watford could have fitted in with a slightly later start of the performances in London. 

 

I think that The Nutcracker seasons are very hard on the dancers so it's probably not wise in terms of their well-being to think in terms of performing in early December.

The other, undeniable fact is that any 'later start' in London would hit ENB's coffers very hard.

 

[Couldn't agree more about the absolute  nonsense of describing 4 days in Southampton as a National Tour.]

 

 

[Mary]

It's not a tour,  it's a visit.....

[northstar]

Just noticed this, perhaps the difference this year compared to previous ones is that there was never a dedicated press release proclaiming a 'national tour' of its Nutcracker. Does ENB Nutcracker ever tour widely (recent years?) I did some digging and saw that for example in 2017/2018 its Nutcracker only went to Southampton apart from London. And in 2019/20 the only non-London location was Liverpool.

 

I'm near Liverpool and seen ENB Nutcracker by Eagling a handful of times. While the artistic production for this version is not my favourite, if it was in Liverpool I would still consider going to see certain dancers perform, or maybe to hear the music played by the fab ENB Philharmonic. But I wouldn't go to London or Southampton to see it. 

Edited September 23, 2023 by northstar

[Irmgard]

On 20/07/2023 at 17:30, LinMM said:

I agree and what are they doing between Dec2nd and 14th 

Surely at least one extra venue north of Watford could have fitted in with a slightly later start of the performances in London. 

I can tell you that the first week of December is dedicated to rehearsing Mary Skeaping's "Giselle" as we only have two days to get it onstage between the end of "Nutcracker" and opening night.  Such are the issues of a ballet company without its own theatre.

[Emeralds]

On 23/09/2023 at 13:22, northstar said:

Just noticed this, perhaps the difference this year compared to previous ones is that there was never a dedicated press release proclaiming a 'national tour' of its Nutcracker. Does ENB Nutcracker ever tour widely (recent years?) I did some digging and saw that for example in 2017/2018 its Nutcracker only went to Southampton apart from London. And in 2019/20 the only non-London location was Liverpool.

 

I'm near Liverpool and seen ENB Nutcracker by Eagling a handful of times. While the artistic production for this version is not my favourite, if it was in Liverpool I would still consider going to see certain dancers perform, or maybe to hear the music played by the fab ENB Philharmonic. But I wouldn't go to London or Southampton to see it. 

From what I recall (I attended this Nutcracker every year from its second season onwards- and apart from when it had to be cancelled due to Covid restrictions) their Nutcracker only occasionally goes outside London. That Liverpool visit and the Southampton visits are not common. I guess they brought it because they felt those cities didn’t have their own Nutcracker (unlike BRB in Birmingham, Northern Ballet in Leeds, Scottish Ballet in Glasgow/Edinburgh/Aberdeen/etc). But perhaps most of the audiences in Liverpool/Southampton might not want the same Nutcracker year in year out.  

[Jan McNulty]

4 hours ago, Emeralds said:

From what I recall (I attended this Nutcracker every year from its second season onwards- and apart from when it had to be cancelled due to Covid restrictions) their Nutcracker only occasionally goes outside London. That Liverpool visit and the Southampton visits are not common. I guess they brought it because they felt those cities didn’t have their own Nutcracker (unlike BRB in Birmingham, Northern Ballet in Leeds, Scottish Ballet in Glasgow/Edinburgh/Aberdeen/etc). But perhaps most of the audiences in Liverpool/Southampton might not want the same Nutcracker year in year out.  

Liverpool has had various ENB productions over the years.  It’s just about the only thing we were getting at one stage!

 

We considered ourselves very lucky to get Swan Lake on their last visit.

[Emeralds]

37 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

Liverpool has had various ENB productions over the years.  It’s just about the only thing we were getting at one stage!

 

We considered ourselves very lucky to get Swan Lake on their last visit.

I hope they bring something different next time round, Jan! I did catch Theme and Variations when illness/injury/unforeseen circumstances hit the two casts so it was a little rough in places (though the underlying quality was excellent) but I think a triple bill with Theme and Variations/Four Last Songs/Blake Works 1 would be brilliant for Liverpool- I think T&V would benefit from a few more runs to “bed in” comfortably. Blake Works 1 sends everyone home happy! I’ve already seen people asking Dawson if he knows whether FLS can be toured as they want to see it. In fact, if they actually programme those three ballets together for Liverpool, I’m tempted to get the train up to see it! 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Emeralds