As the first of Ashley Page’s creations for Scottish Ballet, first unveiled in 2003 to popular acclaim, The Nutcracker serves as a reminder of the company’s growth in the past six years.
Page’s affection for the Russian version comes out in his strict adaptation of the original’s structure and light touch - there are none of the explorations that mark later Christmas extravaganzas, and the grand pas and divertissement of Act II follow the traditional form, even as they smuggle in Page’s trademark angular movements.
If this production is less daring than his Sleeping Beauty, it is more austere than many Christmas ballets - the set is minimal with occasional dramatic flourishes, and the opening scene, which is driven more by character than dance, relies on the choreography to develop atmosphere. This adds tension to the battle between the prince and the mice, and prevents the production sinking into sentimentality.
Claire Robertson and Erik Cavallari take the lead roles with aplomb, although Cavallari lacks the expressiveness that brings the Nutcracker to vivid life. The smaller groups are efficient and exact, while the corps de ballet sometimes struggles in formation. But as both a tinsel treat and a statement of Page’s aesthetic clarity, The Nutcracker triumphs.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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