Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker arrived at the Liverpool Empire theatre last night, bringing a new take on the classic tale.
Nutcracker begins on Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross’ Orphanage and follows the journey of Clara, a young girl who is gifted a special ventriloquist doll. During the night, Clara and the audience are taken on a magical journey through a winter wonderland, eventually ending up in the kingdom of Sweetieland.
Matthew Bourne has put his unique twist on a variety of classic productions over the years, including Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet, and Nutcracker is no exception.
READ MORE: Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell is a dark but dazzling dance theatre masterpiece
Bourne’s captivating choreography paired with Tchaivosky’s stunning score and Anthony Ward’s incredible sets and costumes provides a fresh take on the adored Nutcracker tale that has been around for more than a century.
The show combines classic ballet moves with contemporary dance styles, bringing a fresh interpretation to the tale.
Along the way we meet a variety of fun, cheeky characters, including The Knickerbocker Glory, The Marshmallow Girls and The Gobstoppers.
Every member of the cast maintained a high level of energy throughout and their dance moves were impeccably timed, truly moving as a collective, which can be hard when there are many cast members dancing on stage at once.
Despite not one word being uttered throughout the entire show, the emotion the cast was able to convey was impressive.
There were plenty of comical moments that made the audience, which consisted of all ages, laugh out loud.
The sets are remarkable, successfully distinguishing between the orphanage, winter wonderland and Sweetieland - three very different locations that all have a different feel to them.
A little girl sat behind me gasped “wow” as the sets changed, truly summing up the magic of the production.
Overall, Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker is delightful fun for the whole family, providing some much-needed, sweet escapism. It came as no surprise that the audience were on their feet clapping the moment the curtain began to fall.
Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker runs from March 1 to 5 at the Liverpool Empire. You can buy tickets here.
Get the top stories straight to you inbox by signing up to one of our free newsletters.
