As the millions of people worldwide who consider watching it a holiday tradition can attest, the plot of The Nutcracker can be succinctly stated as a teenager falls in love with a doll, with a side of rodent combat. With that being the skeleton, the meat on the bones of this famous, festive ballet is its colour, magic and cast of characters – a mind-blowingly fabulous array of Mirlitons, Fairies (Rose, Snow, Sugar Plum), flying geese, band-box soldiers and a Magician to wrap it all up.
In terms of its various iterations, anyone with an affinity for the fantasy films of the eighties, like Labyrinth or The NeverEnding Story, needs to see a performance of Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker, first performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1990, and brought to Australia in 2007. John F Macfarlane’s costume and set design, combined with David Finn’s lighting, is as enchanting and spellbinding as anything Jim Henson did. The opening of Act 2, where Clara soars in on the back of a white goose – while the moon traverses the background – is a facsimile of the magic of Falkor flying to Fantasia.
Mia Heathcote as Clara (daughter of Australian Ballet alumnus Steven Heathcote) gives us an angelic, milky-skinned Clara exuding wide-eyed astonishment and lyrical limbs. Heathcote not only has a striking physical resemblance to the actress Amy Adams, she’s also got the dramatic prowess to match – a real character artist, you can tell she’s listening with her whole being. She looks authentically girlish and adolescent, but with flashes of maturity and power that save her depiction from one note.
Our Nutcracker Prince, Joseph Caley (formerly of English National Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet), is a stunning dancer, with beautiful, attentive partnering that he makes look effortless. Caley’s jumps manage to be both smooth and powerful, with travelling double tours en l’air pouring into velvety arabesques en fondu. Callum Linnane brought intensity, charisma and melodramatic lines as Drosselmeyer, in a part that can easily descend into kitsch. While his sweeping scarlet cape was fabulous, the cartoonish facial hair was slightly intimidating.
The corps de ballet was dancing with imagination, charm and energy. Some of the jetés on the diagonal looked a little heavy and strained, with some noticeably tense shoulders, but otherwise the Waltz of the Snow is a delight (though, a small reservation, I did question the use of what is essentially ‘jazz hands’ in the classical repertoire). The Waltz of the Flowers is also polished and breathtaking, with the most glorious pink/red balayage Romantic tutus.
In times of increasing awareness around cultural sensitivities, many versions of The Nutcracker – perhaps more than other ballets – have actively reworked aspects to transform potentially offensive stereotypes into representations that are considered more ethical and inclusive. As a prime example, The Australian Ballet has reworked the Chinese Dance, since it last performed The Nutcracker in 2019, and the Arabian Dance has had adjustments too. Yet, when it comes to the Christmas gifts for children, gender stereotypes and strict segregation still abound, with the little girls sitting quietly and demurely in the corner playing with dolls, while the boys parade around the stage blasting trumpets and bashing drums – ‘boys will be boys’ – taking up all the space.
Well, baby steps, on the gender revolution front, I suppose. Let’s wait and see what the 2030 Nutcracker looks like for those little girls.
The light, lovely and articulate Imogen Chapman danced a sensual, silky, self-possessed Arabian Princess (partnered, ably, by Brodie James, except when he took a bit of a tumble after catching a foot in his billowing harem pants). Yuumi Yamada brings charm and technical expertise to every role I’ve seen her perform, and she can now add Mirliton to the list. The statuesque Isobelle Dashwood catches the eye everywhere she appears.
How lucky am I to bookend my ballet year seeing Ako Kondo perform two versions of a Rose: the satire adage (in Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice) and the serious. The fact that Kondo pulls off both with aplomb is testament to her glorious versatility: beauty, balance and serious comic chops! Kondo’s artistry, timing, flair and formidable control as the Rose Fairy is breathtaking, and she’s clearly a crowd favourite, earning bursts of applause, including after her series of exhilarating piqué turns.
The grand pas de deux didn’t quite live up to its reputation, as Sharni Spencer, though elegant as ever, appeared to struggle at times (perhaps she was injured). Caley supported her beautifully, looking like he could smile through anything.
Despite some wobbles and areas for improvement, this is a well-oiled, colourful, heart-warming, extravaganza of a production for The Australian Ballet, that is a must see, particularly at Christmas.
On a final note, the Opera Australia Orchestra brings Tchaikovsky’s glorious score to full life.
This review has been amended.
