You'll be lucky to pick up a ticket for this confection of sights, sounds, vibrant colours, style and quirky humour. Matthew Bourne has done it again, bringing his own brand of Lewis Carroll-like wit and pathos to that sweeping Tchaikovsky score. He is the master of magic, weaving hopes and dreams in and out of sweetie-land, following a bleak Christmas visit by its patrons, to the local orphanage.
The dancing is assured and joyous, the choreography fresh and adventurous. No wonder local dancer Aaron Sillis, last seen in Norwich's Christmas production of Peter Pan, has beat a path to work with Bourne. Don't go expecting the ballet to be the classic version of "The Nutcracker"...he has stood that one on its head, and the problem is with Bourne that once you have experienced and enjoyed his style, there is little going back. This time the Christmas party is at the orphanage, where celebration is muted, entertainment staged for the visitors, though the merriment is spontaneous.
It takes the Nutcracker King, brought to glorious life by Adam Galbraith in white trousers with white braces, to captivate orphan Clara, and convert dull grey and black to potent pink and snowy white.
 The Nutcracker King and Clara |
With his companions similarly attired, here is the echo of Swan Lake, and who else but Bourne would fly in a white satin pillow large enough to be a tent, and have a couple of pyjama clad angels play cupid. Bourne saves the best for last. Staying true to the idea of differing characters, though not necessarily from around the world, he has created human marsh mallows, gob stoppers and liquorice allsorts, all grist to the mill of the Rolling Stones-type mouth centre stage. Arthur Pita steals the show at this point, with the best choreographed impression of the late Terry Thomas I have ever seen. Scott Ambler, seen in Norwich playing the unfortunate young Prince in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, doubles as the scourge of the orphanage Dr. Dross, and the King of Confectionery. Saranne Curtin as his daughter Princess Sugar gives a confident performance, particularly where she and the Nutcracker dance together. Favourite moment? Where Clara can't quite believe that her golden hero is real, and lays her head briefly and tenderly on his chest...very much a Bourne moment. If you have a thing about hygeine, this is not for you because much licking is carried out in the name of pleasurable eating. Purists may well hate this production, and well they might, but I believe it spells the future for ballet...it's the most fun you can have without a feather, but there again, that's included too. Nutcracker! is showing at Norwich's Theatre Royal until Saturday 5 April. | 
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