Northern Ballet's Nutcracker 2023- Leeds Grand Theatre 29 Nov-10 Dec

[Emeralds]

See amid the Winter's Snow: 

The weather forecast tells me there will be sleet and a few flurries of snow in Leeds tonight, which seems apt on the opening night of Northern Ballet's 2023 run of David Nixon's production of The Nutcracker at Leeds Grand Theatre! (Sadly, no visit to the south with Nutcracker by the company this year.) Looking forward to reading members' reactions, thoughts and reviews of this year's performances. I don't have casting information yet, but hopefully the website will be updated very soon. Toi toi toi to the company! 🎄 🎶 🎁 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Emeralds

[MJW]

52 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

See amid the Winter's Snow: 

The weather forecast tells me there will be sleet and a few flurries of snow in Leeds tonight, which seems apt on the opening night of Northern Ballet's 2023 run of David Nixon's production of The Nutcracker at Leeds Grand Theatre! (Sadly, no visit to the south with Nutcracker by the company this year.) Looking forward to reading members' reactions, thoughts and reviews of this year's performances. I don't have casting information yet, but hopefully the website will be updated very soon. Toi toi toi to the company! 🎄 🎶 🎁 

 

Cast details (for part anyway)  - 

 

https://northernballet.com/the-nutcracker/casts

Edited November 29, 2023 by MJW

[Guest oncnp]

Some behind the scenes from the Guardian Northern Ballet’s Nutcracker – in pictures | Stage | The Guardian

[Jan McNulty]

7 hours ago, oncnp said:

Some behind the scenes from the Guardian Northern Ballet’s Nutcracker – in pictures | Stage | The Guardian

 

The same selection as in Today's Links published in the National Review.

[Emeralds]

16 hours ago, MJW said:

 

Cast details (for part anyway)  - 

 

https://northernballet.com/the-nutcracker/casts

Thanks, @MJW! 

 

Looks like essentially 3 casts: 

 

29/11, 30/11 eve, 2/12: 

Gillespie, Beattie, Larose, Hanks, Skoupas

30/11 mat, 1/12:

Nunès, Di Vilio, Chun, Poeung, Tomlinson

2/12 mat, 3/12

Merrill, Cañellas Artigues, Lewis, Barnes, Serraclara

 

(Listed in the order of Clara, Nutcracker Prince, Louise/Sugar Plum Fairy, James/Cavalier, Drosselmeyer. As always, casting may be subject to changes.).

 

Jerome Barnes, principal at Scottish Ballet, is dancing with NB as a guest artist for this run. If this run was at Sadler's Wells or Woking (which they visited last year), I'd book to see all three casts, as the casting includes at least two dancers I want to see in every cast! 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Emeralds

[Jan McNulty]

1 minute ago, Emeralds said:

 

 

Jerome Barnes, principal at Scottish Ballet, is dancing with NB as a guest artist for this run. If this run we're at Sadler's Wells or Woking (which they visited last year), I'd book to see all three casts, as it's cleverly distributed out to include at least two dancers I want to see in every cast! 

 

 

It's a swap as Joe Taylor is dancing in Scottish Ballet's Cinders!.

[Emeralds]

1 minute ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

 

It's a swap as Joe Taylor is dancing in Scottish Ballet's Cinders!.

I actually want to see that production too, @Jan McNulty, both Joseph Taylor's cast and one more cast!

 

I think this autumn and winter I really could do with one of those Star Trek/The Matrix/Twilight abilities (pick the fictional realm of one's choice) where I can just be beamed to or literally fly to cities far away without depending on train schedules, avoiding strikes, or coming up against weather related cancellations or delays.  😀 

[Tango Dancer]

Just back from the theatre.  Well that was rather lovely, at least the dancing was.  It was a shame about some of the audience. 

 

It's the first time I've seen this version and I really liked it.  The cast worked beautifully as a whole and the numbers for the corps were beautiful especially the party scene.  I also really liked Kevin Poeung as James / Cavalier.  He had a lovely light technique in the jumps and solos and partnered Sarah Chun sensitively.  She had some lovely port de bras and was a delicate fairy.  

 

I also really liked the Spanish dancer (great jumps) and the Cossacks.  I thought the costumes on the Mirletons were beautiful and loved the delicate choreography.  The mouse king was really good in the battle scene.  

 

On the whole I thought it was a great version. 

 

The audience in contrast were terrible.  I had a family in front of me with 3 young children who didn't stop moving, talking, eating sweets and drinking and when they got bored kept putting the light on their watches to check the time.  I had a family with a small baby behind me and it cried (what felt like) the whole evening.  There was also someone somewhere snoring through the Sugar Plum Fairy solo.  I know there are more families present during the Nutcracker but I wish people taught their children to sit still and didn't bring babies somewhere they won't enjoy.  

 

 

 

 

[Emeralds]

Thank you for the informative review @Tango Dancer- first report of this season for NB's Nutcracker! Glad you enjoyed  the production and dancing- I would like to see the partnership of Sarah and Kevin in the grand pas de deux too, and in the roles of Louise and James. Will have to cross my fingers that NB can make it down south with this production and their Sinfonia again next time, as the ASLEF strikes and my commitments this fortnight make a trip to Leeds out of the question. 

 

Commiserations about having to endure the disruptive behaviour from audience members around you. With some members enduring the same at Birmingham Hippodrome, I fear we might be getting more reports of behaviour like this for this season. I  just have one question for the adults who brought the small kids and the  ones with the baby - isn't an evening show from 7pm to 9pm well past the children's bedtimes?! There are matinées on weekdays and weekends with equally good casts (the same cast danced on the Thursday matinee in fact) which the small children would probably enjoy more when not overtired.

 

As for babies at Nutcracker 😲,  I thought theatres didn't - or shouldn't - generally allow infants in, for obvious reasons! A few companies with the financial resources, eg ENB (because relaxed performances mostly do not get a full house) do add a weekday matinee which is a relaxed performance during a long run where attendees with medical or other conditions where they can't be quiet or sit still for long periods are welcome, and babies and restless/very young children can attend). But Friday night is definitely not a relaxed performance show slot. 

[Tango Dancer]

Sarah and Kevin were really amazing so if it makes it south, I'd definitely recommend the production.  

 

I'm not sure how old the baby was (I'm rubbish at guessing ages) but it didn't look very ambulatory although it did have hair.  So probably 2ish I guess?

 

I wouldn't take children to a 7pm Friday showing either, one of the ones in front of me nearly fell asleep (although that may have been the sugar rush wearing off from all of the sweets).  Strikes me as a waste of money to take 3 children to a show they won't enjoy (and they weren't the cheapest seats).  When I was a child I was taken to the matinees of Nutcracker, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty etc and made to sit still and behave.    

[Jan McNulty]

I was at both performances on Saturday 2nd December.

 

 

Northern Ballet's Nutcracker is a smaller scale production than RB, BRB or ENB but it has a heartwarming charm and I have never left the theatre without feeling on a high.

 

David Nixon re-set the production in the household of the Edwards family in England in the Georgian Period.  He designed the gorgeous costumes, and those in Act 1 are (for me) particularly beautiful.  Clara has a young brother Frederic and an older sister Louise.  Louise is waiting for her beau, James, who arrives a little late.  There is lots of dancing for the adults and children.

 

The party is in full swing when Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives.  Unlike some other versions he is avuncular rather than sinister.  He does some tricks with his walking stick and has a large box with 2 French dolls and one Chinese.  When the ballet was first made, Sebastian Loe created the role of one of the Chinese dolls almost in the hip hop style.  On Saturday afternoon Filippo di Vilio in the same role looked almost boneless and was quite amazing to watch!  

 

Uncle Drosselmeyer presents Clara with a Nutcracker doll.  She is delighted but her brother Frederic is jealous and there is the ensuing "argument" between the siblings.  The party ends and everyone goes to bed.

 

Clara comes downstairs to find the Nutcracker doll and encounters the Mouse King.  The tree seems to have grown and The Nutcracker is now life-size.  He comes to rescue Clara with his soldier colleagues but is nearly overcome by the Mouse King before Clara manages to distract the Mouse King and the Nutcracker is able to win.

 

At the end of the battle scene the Nutcracker turns into a real prince and he and Clara are transported to the Kingdom of Snow.  There is a beautiful, romantic duet for them before the snowflakes arrive.  The stage at Leeds is quite small (as are most of the stages NB tour to) and the clever choreography makes it look as though the stage is full with 8 snowflakes swirling around.  At the end of the act Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives with a sleigh to transport Clara and the Nutcracker Prince to a garden of delights.

 

When they arrive her sister Louise has become SugarPlum and James her cavalier.  The set in act 2 looks like a giant, elaborate tea caddy.  (When David first created this Nutcracker we went to an event where he explained that the countries of the national dances were all on the trade routes for tea, hence the set).  Clara and the Nutcracker sit in the tea caddy looking at the national dances.  The national dances give a flavour of Petipa's idea of what they might look like.  There is some very attractive choreography.  I particularly like the Spanish dance, which is a virtuoso solo and the Trepan.  Again the flowers seem to fill the stage.  The gpdd is David's choreography with the odd nod to what we have come to recognise as mostly Petipa's choreography.  It is very attractive to watch.

 

On Saturday afternoon Aerys Merrill was a delightful Clara.  She is a neat, deft dancer and she acted the role beautifully.  Her Nutcracker Prince was the dashing Antoni Artigues.  The sublime Amber Lewis was a gorgeous SugarPlum whose brilliant Cavalier was guest Jerome Barnes.

 

 

In the evening the always wonderful Rachael Gillespie was Clara with rising star Harris Beattie as her Nutcracker Prince - what a glorious partnership they are.  Their duet in the snow scene sent shivers of joy down my spine.  Dominique Larose and Jonathan Hanks were a dazzling SugarPlum and Cavalier.  I loved Harry Skoupas' exuberant performance as Uncle Drosselmeyer.  What an evening to remember!

 

 

In both performances the very wonderful Kevin Poeung was the family butler in Act 1 and was hilariously scene stealing.

 

It had been a wonderful day.

 

 

 

[Ondine]

On 30/11/2023 at 08:21, oncnp said:

Some behind the scenes from the Guardian Northern Ballet’s Nutcracker – in pictures | Stage | The Guardian

 

I do wonder why those snowflakes are wearing their vests under their costumes. Surely the entire point of being a snowflake is that you're chilly? Most odd and rather messy looking.

 

Pics v interesting, ta!

 

 

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

5 hours ago, Ondine said:

 

I do wonder why those snowflakes are wearing their vests under their costumes. Surely the entire point of being a snowflake is that you're chilly? Most odd and rather messy looking.

 

Pics v interesting, ta!

 

 

 

 

 

You don’t see the detail when you are watching live so it’s no problem!

[Emeralds]

On 05/12/2023 at 00:49, Ondine said:

 

I do wonder why those snowflakes are wearing their vests under their costumes. Surely the entire point of being a snowflake is that you're chilly? Most odd and rather messy looking.

 

Pics v interesting, ta!

 

 

 

 

I think they're not vests but stretchy material so that the costumes can extend/stretch to fit dancers of different builds without having to make a new one when a taller/shorter dancer joins or leaves the company. You don't want a big costume with a bodice that's far too loose slipping off a petite dancer or a small costume that doesn't cover up a taller/broad shouldered dancer sufficiently leading to costume malfunctions. Bigger companies like ENB/RB/BRB make more costumes for a bigger ensemble but also have the resources for a few spares in other sizes.

[Ondine]

4 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I think they're not vests but stretchy material so that the costumes can extend/stretch to fit dancers of different builds without having to make a new one when a taller/shorter dancer joins or leaves the company. You don't want a big costume with a bodice that's far too loose slipping off a petite dancer or a small costume that doesn't cover up a taller/broad shouldered dancer sufficiently leading to costume malfunctions. Bigger companies like ENB/RB/BRB make more costumes for a bigger ensemble but also have the resources for a few spares in other sizes.

 

Yes. It was a wee jokelet really.

 

There is a photo here which shows just how stretched some of the lacing is!   One size doesn't quite fit all.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2023/nov/30/northern-ballet-nutcracker-grand-theatre-leeds-in-pictures

 

Anyhow being northern it should be goose or mutton fat and brown paper around the chest and it wasn't cast off until spring.

 

http://www.goosefat.co.uk/page/comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ondine]

On 04/12/2023 at 20:19, Jan McNulty said:

Northern Ballet's Nutcracker is a smaller scale production than RB, BRB or ENB but it has a heartwarming charm and I have never left the theatre without feeling on a high.

 

David Nixon re-set the production in the household of the Edwards family in England in the Georgian Period.  He designed the gorgeous costumes, and those in Act 1 are (for me) particularly beautiful.  

 

 

I think the joy of Nutcracker is that it can be scaled up or down and I think down suits it well.

 

While the RB production does need the 24 snowflakes, for that large stage, a smaller stage, with fewer flakes, if the costumes and choreography are right, can still produce the magic.

 

https://northernballet.com/the-nutcracker/photos

 

A flavour of the production, I agree gorgeous costumes and magical sets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Ondine

[Ondine]

There are further videos here (includes Sugar Plum Fairy)

 

https://northernballet.com/the-nutcracker/videos

 

Here is one about costumes.

 

 

 

 

 

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Ondine said:

. It was a wee jokelet really.

 

😉 😄 

[Emeralds]

Ooh, I just realised that their last show was today! What a pity they're not bringing it south this time. Roll on Romeo and Juliet. 

[Jan McNulty]

I saw the two performances last Saturday (9th).  As it happens it was the same casts we had seen the previous Saturday.

 

Both casts absolutely sparkled.  This really is a heart-warming production and I couldn't stop smiling from start to finish at both performances.  The orchestra was absolutely magnificent.  

 

As well as the orchestra leafleting outside the theatre and wearing their special T-shirts Federico made an impassioned speech.

 

Dancer George Liang was the Nutcracker collecting donations at every performance.  Northern Ballet has posted on IG today that he raised over £3700.  Well done George!

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C09ntRcLR7A/

[Emeralds]

Cracking job, George! 👍 👏 😉