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Miracle on Rosebery Avenue: New Adventures' Nutcracker! an explosion of sheer joy

By Graham Watts, 21 December 2021
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“his impromptu cast could not have appeared slicker or better prepared”
Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 17 December 2021
Programme
The Nutcracker (Sir Matthew Bourne)
Performers
New Adventures
Benjamin Pope, Conductor
Anthony Ward, Set Designer, Costume Designer
Howard Harrison, Lighting Designer
New Adventures Orchestra
Ben Brown, Dancer
Cordelia Braithwaite, Dancer
Dominic North, Dancer
Monique Jonas, Dancer
Danny Reubens, Dancer
Daisy May Kemp, Dancer
Alistair Beattie, Dancer
Shoko Ito, Dancer
Kayla Collymore, Dancer
Jonathon Luke Baker, Dancer
More Dance reviews
The Red Shoes: dazzling dance drama at Sadler’s Wells
Deborah Weiss, 10th December
Stunning visually, Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes makes a triumphant return to Sadler's Wells, with New Adventures at the top of its game.
*****
30 years on, Bourne’s Swan Lake still shines in Amsterdam
Mark Vicente, 30th October
Thirty years after its original production, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake makes its return to the stage championed by an impressive ensemble of dance artists from Bourne’s own company New Adventures.
*****
Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell: emotionally compelling
Amanda Jennings, 12th June
In The Midnight Bell, Sir Matthew Bourne has produced some of his best choreography, loose and free-flowing but tense with desire and mixed with dread.
****1
Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake: breathtakingly clear action
Amanda Jennings, 12th December
Bourne has created an extraordinary legacy.  His Swan Lake will remain relevant for generations to come.
****1
Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet: a 21st century love story
Naomi Mori, 10th April
Sir Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures brought its groundbreaking Romeo and Juliet to Tokyo for the first time and wowed the audience with its magical storytelling.
*****
Matthew Bourne's Edward Scissorhands: a huge cut above average
Deborah Weiss, 13th December
Bourne's Edward Scissorhands may not have quite the dramatic impact of his Romeo and Juliet or Swan Lake, but there is much to applaud and enjoy.
****1
More reviews...
Read reviews of
Anthony WardBen BrownBenjamin PopeCordelia BraithwaiteDaisy May KempDanny ReubensDominic NorthHoward HarrisonJonathon Luke BakerKayla CollymoreMonique JonasNew AdventuresNew Adventures OrchestraPyotr Ilyich TchaikovskySir Matthew BourneThe Nutcracker
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Graham Watts
Graham Watts
Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.