The Nutcracker, Varna International Ballet Review
Written by Sam for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The Nutcracker, performed by Varna International Ballet and Orchestra is about a girl named Clara who receives a wooden Nutcracker doll for Christmas, which magically comes to life. Together, they battle with the Rat King, and the Nutcracker transforms into a Prince who accompanies Clara on her adventure to the wintry Ice Realm and the Land of Sweets and Delights where she meets many different characters, including those from around the world.
This production of The Nutcracker is led by Artistic Director Daniela Dimova, with Music Director and Chief Conductor Peter Tuleshkov.
Firstly, the costumes were marvellous and captivating. They were aesthetically pleasing to look at and they kept you focused on the stage due to the detail and the unusual yet unique style. It was refreshing to see many of the performers wearing harem trousers, skirts, and dresses because I was intrigued by how they were going to move in their attire as some costumes looked more restrictive than others. However, their movements were graceful when needed and also, portrayed emotion through their body language and choreography. It was easy to differentiate between sadness, anger, love and happiness.
The scenery is simplistic, and this may be due to the group participating in a UK tour, with short stints in 20 cities and large towns therefore, an animated projected backdrop is the most suitable option. I did like the different backgrounds and how the director utilised the projector to its fullest potential. The images were colourful and festive, but I found some of the animations quite distracting at times, particularly when there were a number of rats dancing in the tree and then the ballet dancers were performing on stage – I wasn’t sure where to look.
The Nutcracker isn’t a story I know well, so I did find it hard to follow during Act One because it was very busy on stage, and we were being introduced to a lot of characters. However, those portraying characters from around the globe executed their performances well and on several occasions, the audience laughed at some of the comedic scenes featuring the younger performers.
I was excited by Act Two because the performances were more energetic and focused on a specific character, so we saw smaller performances from groups however, I felt that this was a lot longer than it needed to be. Certain performers were given longer on stage than others, so the timings of these smaller performances all differed and not everyone received the same exposure. I felt that Act Two could have ended sooner than it did because it felt like some of the dance pieces towards the end were fillers rather than telling a story.
My overall rating is not based on the performers, as they were incredible to watch as they glided, leapt and flowed across the stage. It’s more a reflection of the actual story of The Nutcracker. Everyone involved, including the orchestra, really put on an excellent show, and it was clear from the audience’s reaction that everyone’s part in this production was greatly appreciated.
The acclaimed Varna International Ballet is currently on a UK tour, with its final performances concluding in early March in Northampton.
★★★
