Acosta Danza in Carlos Acosta's Nutcracker in Havana at Norwich, Canterbury, Aylesbury, Richmond, London, Woking, Wolverhampton. Milton Keynes. Salford and other venues (November 2024- January 2025)

[Emeralds]

Carlos Acosta's new (and first ever) production of Nutcracker, named Nutcracker in Havana, set to a newly commissioned score by Pepe Gavilondo Penn and Yasel Muñoz with some of Tchaikovsky's music and new compositions, and choreographed by Acosta, had its world premiere on Friday 1 November by his company Acosta Danza, at Theatre Royal Norwich. and is due to tour various venues in the UK. (I must admit it was quite difficult to find out in advance where and when exactly it was/is touring to and probably more dates and venues will be added later). 

 

Current tour dates available- 

Norwich, Theatre Royal: 1-3 Nov 2024

Canterbury, Marlowe Theatre: 8-9 Nov

Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre 19-20 Nov

Richmond. Richmond Theatre 26-27 Nov 

London, Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre: 10- 15 Dec

Woking, New Victoria Theatre: 10-11 Jan 2025 

Wolverhampton, Grand Theatre: 13-14 Jan

Million Keynes, Milton Keynes Theatre 17-18 Jan

Salford, The Lowry: 27-28 Jan 

 

Information (with links to theatres) for tour dates at: https://musicalsontour.co.uk/carlos-acosta-nutcracker-in-havana-tour/

Info at Theatre Royal Norwich: 

https://norwichtheatre.org/whats-on/carlos-acostas-nutcracker-in-havana/

Acosta Danza: 

https://www.acostadanza.com/en/node/1

Carlos Acosta's official social media pages and (if you read Spanish) the social media pages of Acosta Danza also have more information and pictures. 

 

Looking forward to reactions, reviews and/or curtain call photos from members who were/are able to see this production! 

[Emeralds]

(Apologies that this post went up after it's started- you won't be able to see it at Norwich any more unless you're in the matinee right now....but as you can see, plenty of other dates and locations to catch it!) 

[CCL]

Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find any combination of price point/date/location that works for me with this production. Frustrating, as I would love to see it!

[AnneL]

There’s a review in today’s links which makes it sound very enticing. Features Laura Summerscales as Sugar Plum, apparently.

[Emeralds]

@AnneL, I was wondering if you meant Laura Rodriguez, who is in the company, or whether you meant Laurretta Summerscales, who often guests with Acosta Danza as she is married to Carlos Acosta's nephew Yonah- is "niece-in-law" a real term? (If it is that is she). Then I noticed that they were both dancing at the premiere- Laura Rodriguez danced Clara and Laurretta Summerscales danced Sugar Plum Fairy. Both incredible dancers. A dream cast! I also noticed that Raul Reinoso danced Fritz (Clara's brother)- he was in the 50th birthday gala performances Carlos staged at ROH. With thanks to @Blossom and @Jan McNultyfor compiling the Dance Links posts. I can't seem to find advance casting info anywhere for this tour but if anyone can, do post the link please. 

Edited November 3, 2024 by Emeralds

[AnneL]

I did mean Lauretta, who I mentioned only because I remember seeing her with ENB some years ago. Apologies for the error and any confusion! 

[art_enthusiast]

oh dear - totally forgot to book for this and now it looks like there are hardly any seats left for London

[art_enthusiast]

5 hours ago, Emeralds said:

(Apologies that this post went up after it's started- you won't be able to see it at Norwich any more unless you're in the matinee right now....but as you can see, plenty of other dates and locations to catch it!) 

 

The Southbank seats appear to be mostly gone already! 

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

oh dear - totally forgot to book for this and now it looks like there are hardly any seats left for London

Sadly, QEH is quite a small concert hall (often used for student concerts although visiting small ensembles from NYCB previously used to dance there). I was rather surprised they didn't book Royal Festival Hall or Sadler's Wells but maybe they were already booked up way in advance. 

 

Also apologies to the composer after autocorrect interfered despite me typing out "Péon" carefully! It should read Pepe Gavilondo Péon.

Edited November 4, 2024 by Emeralds

[Richard LH]

Good availability at Milton Keynes at present....

[Jake]

Not currently in the frame of mind for dystopia (next time round, perhaps), instead I took myself off to the beautiful Matcham-designed theatre in Richmond for Carlos’ Nutcracker in Havana.

Yes, it made me appreciate the live music and spacious stage at Covent Garden, but it was a joyous, fast paced, compact evening with the familiar score (plus a few additions) played Cuban-style, and some interesting extra touches including a maypole (at Christmas!).

The dancers (sorry no cast sheet so no names) were clearly having a whale of a time and the audience seemed to respond. A delightful Clara, among several of the smaller parts, caught me eye.

Made me wonder yet again whether some of the RB performances could benefit from speeding up a little. Yes, I understand the arguments on both sides.

Lovely to see the great man himself join the curtain call.

[Jake]

[Tango Dancer]

6 hours ago, Jake said:

Not currently in the frame of mind for dystopia (next time round, perhaps), instead I took myself off to the beautiful Matcham-designed theatre in Richmond for Carlos’ Nutcracker in Havana.

 

 

That's a lovely theatre, so pretty.  When I lived in London I used to go there reasonably often because I lived nearby.  Glad the performance was good.  I've booked for Salford in January.  

[AnneL]

I feel ashamed for forgetting to post my thoughts when I saw Nutcracker in Havana earlier this month in Canterbury! I thought the show was lovely, well worth seeing. I managed to track down a cast list (no mean feat as they were hidden behind a counter!) and the cast was led by Laura Rodriguez as the Sugar Plum Fairy. The theatre was almost full so hopefully it will prove a success with audiences in the theatres where it’s touring. I loved the way the music was arranged to give a Cuban feel to it, and the dances with wooden (?) footwear- one in each act - really stood out. Basically, most of the elements one expects in a Nutcracker were there but with a twist.

[Emeralds]

Thank you, @AnneL and @Jake for the lovely reports and photo! It sounds jolly and fun. I'm going to see if any returns come back for their performances at Queen Elizabeth Hall. 

[alison]

Drat, I wish I had known it was on at Richmond 🙁

[Scheherezade]

On 27/11/2024 at 10:06, Jake said:

Not currently in the frame of mind for dystopia (next time round, perhaps), instead I took myself off to the beautiful Matcham-designed theatre in Richmond for Carlos’ Nutcracker in Havana.

Yes, it made me appreciate the live music and spacious stage at Covent Garden, but it was a joyous, fast paced, compact evening with the familiar score (plus a few additions) played Cuban-style, and some interesting extra touches including a maypole (at Christmas!).

The dancers (sorry no cast sheet so no names) were clearly having a whale of a time and the audience seemed to respond. A delightful Clara, among several of the smaller parts, caught me eye.

Made me wonder yet again whether some of the RB performances could benefit from speeding up a little. Yes, I understand the arguments on both sides.

Lovely to see the great man himself join the curtain call.

 

I saw this at Richmond too, Jake, and echo everything that you've said.

 

Yes, I did wonder how the dancers would cope with the much smaller stage but they did, and wonderfully. I also liked the feisty friend/sister in pink in the opening scene and again (I think it was her) in the Spanish dance.

 

The audience was wonderfully behaved, applauded enthusiastically but not intrusively. The couple sitting next to me were bubbling over with enjoyment. They started to stand at the curtain calls then glanced behind and thoughtfully sat down again so as not to block the view of anyone behind.

 

A pity about the absence of cast sheets since the online information said that they would be available at every venue. I asked but was told they hadn't been provided with any.

 

A great start to the Christmas season.

[Emeralds]

I can imagine that tours to small venues like Richmond Theatre might benefit from having the cast list online or just a printed list on the wall for audience members to photograph and read off their phones, instead of printed ones to hand out. Still, it is brilliant to hear that this production of Nutcracker is touring so well. 

[Scheherezade]

2 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I can imagine that tours to small venues like Richmond Theatre might benefit from having the cast list online or just a printed list on the wall for audience members to photograph and read off their phones, instead of printed ones to hand out.

 

Exactly what crossed my mind, Emeralds.

[San Perregrino]

It’s a fast paced, fun and vibrant, enjoyable mixed bag of a production that stays faithful to the beloved tale whilst relocating it to Cuba and introducing Cuban rhythms. In the main, this production works its spell for the audience.

 

Drosselmayer’s magic at transforming a Cuban family at home into a swish group of partygoers in a mansion is fantastic sleight of hand and misdirection.

 

The Nutcracker (and his platoon) resemble an explorer (Indiana Jones ?) more than a soldier. Perhaps it’s a soldier’s jungle kit as we do fly out of the city and over trees to the second act location.

 

Much traditional style choreography remains and there is some work en pointe.

Standout new choreography is the equivalent of the Chinese dance.
The wooden sandals dances in both acts were also terrific.

I wasn’t keen on the equivalent of the dance of the Mirlitons section.

It felt like the maypole (borrowed from La Fille?) was one ingredient too many as on each occasion it no sooner appeared than disappeared with no time to weave patterns with the ribbons. 

 

A brave effort to Cubanise the music which overall worked well though at times it didn’t do it for me, sounding more like elevator Muzak in a shopping centre. I did wonder afterwards if the score had been fed into AI or ChatGPT to arrive at this ‘Cuban’ version.

Again, overall the sets and projections gave a real sense and feel to the world being created.

 

For those interested, the programme (£8) has all the dancers photos and biographies including guest artists. At Richmond Theatre using the programme it was relatively easy at the interval to identify the dancers one was watching.

[Emeralds]

3 hours ago, San Perregrino said:

 

For those interested, the programme (£8) has all the dancers photos and biographies including guest artists. At Richmond Theatre using the programme it was relatively easy at the interval to identify the dancers one was watching.

At first I thought the large font was a quote from a review or the company programme! Eventually I realised it was @San Perregrino's own words 😉. Who danced Clara and Sugar Plum Fairy (or equivalent) at this performance, San Perregrino? 

[Emeralds]

A small number of returns have been made available for this production, which opens tonight at Queen Elizabeth Hall at London's South Bank Centre tonight. NB some are wheelchair spaces/seats. 

[Emeralds]

For those hoping to catch this at Christmas, the December performances have ended but it is going to Woking, Surrey in January (10 & 11), then Wolverhampton (13 & 14 January).

[Richard LH]

....and Milton Keynes 17/18 January....

[Pas de Quatre]

Having had time to digest them both, I really enjoyed this new Nutcracker more than the ENB's.  I saw it in Queen Elizabeth Hall at 2.30 pm on 12th December.  Although still quite spacious it had an intitmate feel .  Carlos Acosta was there in the audience, just a few rows in front of us, and he received a spontaneous round of applause at the interval when he came back to his seat.  His warm smile said it all, the production is a success and he seemed genuinely please to be among the audience, even graciously posing for a few selfies with fans! 

 

As well as excellent dancing, there was some interesting stage craft.  A projected wander through the streets of Havana,  flying over the roof tops, and also  the transformation of the humble home into a mansion which combined physical movement of scenery with an amazing projection. The party scene was jolly and incorporated the dance with clogs which also appeared in the second act.

 

Things livened up with the entrance of a remote controlled rat - brilliant!  The battle then takes place between the rats and Mambises, the Cuban soldiers from the War of Independence.  It was very effective, with interesting choreograohy.  After the defeat of the KIng Rat the Mambi Captain is tranformed into the Prince.

 

The snow scene is also very effective containing a mixture of contemporary and classical choreography, and was it a homage to Giselle at one moment when the snowflakes are in a circle on their knees round Clara and the Prince, and perform a forwards and back ports de bras?

 

Another projection flew us over the Island, across the Ocean to the Kingdom of Sweets, and I am sure I spotted a Yellow Brick Road en route!  Act 2 had the usual dances, which were all well thought out with interesting choreography.  Standouts were the Spanish, elegant and traditional, likewise the Arabian, which was a pas de deux of great beauty.  Also the audience loved the pair dancing a Martial Arts piece to the Russian music and there was a fabulous energetic solo for a Chinese man.  All the other dances were well done too, and for the climax we had the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier in the traditional classical choreography.  At that performance it was Lauretta Summerscales and Alejandro Veirelles.  The ending was the traditional - Clara wakes up at home.  

 

So if you can get a ticket, do go to see this!

 

   

Edited December 24, 2024 by Pas de Quatre
Correct mistake

[Fonty]

Having failed to get a seat in London, I am travelling to Milton Keynes for this.  Really looking forward to it.  

[maryrosesatonapin]

I enjoyed tonight's performance at Milton Keynes. Normally I am uncomfortable with much-loved classical music being altered, but in this case it seemed to work and the whole show was as warm as Carlos's smile. Although the stagecraft, costumes and of course dancers were all bright and well-thought-out, you could tell the budget was very much less than that of the ENB Nutcracker which I saw a couple of weeks ago. But I much preferred the Havana version.

Lauretta Summerscales and Laura Rodriguez (Sugar Plum/Clara) danced beautifully. I particularly loved the Arabian dance but wasn't so keen on the clogs or the maypoles. Alejandro Silva seemed rather earthbound as the Prince.

It is lovely to see how Carlos Acosta spreads his magic over so many companies, and brings enthusiastic audiences to watch dance. What energy and passion he possesses!

[Richard LH]

A very enjoyable full-house matinee at Milton Keynes yesterday. I felt that what the production somewhat lacked in terms of the sort of magical transformations, and elaborate staging,  found e.g. in Peter Wright's versions, it made up for in sheer exuberance of the (albeit fewer) dancers and the Caribbean party atmosphere. I was surprised how well, for the most part, PIT's music has been  adapted to Cuban-type rhythms and instruments. Very inventive choreography and scenery/videos, making full use of what was probably a limited budget, and staged within the constraints of a touring  production. 

[alison]

I'd forgotten I'd considered going to see this in MK - I wonder if it's on anywhere else I can get to?

[Richard LH]

34 minutes ago, alison said:

I'd forgotten I'd considered going to see this in MK - I wonder if it's on anywhere else I can get to?

Only now at the Lowry, Salford, Jan 27 and 28.

 

Edited January 19 by Richard LH

[Fonty]

I also saw the matinee yesterday, and I agree with your comments, @Richard LH. Like you, I was surprised at how well the music adapted overall. The only place where I felt it didn't work at all was the music for the second act Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux. I think this is one of the most gorgeous pieces that Tchaikovsky ever wrote, and I thought that the extremely loud, jaunty blasts of brass were awful, and destroyed the whole feel of the piece.

 

The staging was imaginative, and I loved the driverless car that offered a very different mode of transport to the Kingdom of Sweets for Clara and her prince.  I thought the second act was more successful than the first, which I felt dragged a little in places. The various sweet dances were fun and lively, and the choreography was entertaining.  The SPF pas de deux and solo were really lovely and in fact I would go so far as to say the latter was one of the nicest I have seen.  Laura Rodriguez danced it beautifully. The rest of the cast were full of zest and looked as though they were really enjoying themselves.

 

Acosta said his aim was to catch the imagination of those who would not normally go to see a ballet. I would say he has been very successful with this. Speaking for myself, I wouldn't rush to see it again in the near future, but I am not the target market. The theatre in Milton Keyne is not a small one, and it appeared to be full, with the audience loudly appreciative at the end. Fingers crossed it will encourage newcomers to ballet to see more in the future.

[Richard LH]

1 hour ago, Fonty said:

Like you, I was surprised at how well the music adapted overall. The only place where I felt it didn't work at all was the music for the second act Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux. I think this is one of the most gorgeous pieces that Tchaikovsky ever wrote, and I thought that the extremely loud, jaunty blasts of brass were awful, and destroyed the whole feel of the piece.

Yes this was a part where the musical adaptation didn't really work. Overall though I thought the changed score, along with the altered choreography,  managed to be playful and vibrant, whilst remaining respectful to the original.

[Pas de Quatre]

Yes, I agree about the music for SPF pas de deux. On the programme notes it said this section was set in a nightclub, and there was a bluesy feel to the orchestration, but it didn't work for me. But overall this Nutcracker is a triumph.

 

It would be wonderful if Carlos Acosta becomes a popular success in the same way that Matthew Bourne has, but then able to introduce people to more of the original classical repertoire.