English National Ballet's Nutcracker opens another festive run

By Graham Watts, 17 December 2021

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Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 16 December 2021

The Nutcracker (Wayne Eagling, Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov)

English National Ballet

Toer van Schayk, Director

Peter Farmer, Set Designer, Costume Designer

David Richardson, Lighting Designer

English National Ballet Philharmonic

Erina Takahashi, Dancer

Francesco Gabriele Frola, Dancer

Aitor Arrieta, Dancer

Fabian Reimair, Dancer

William Simmons, Dancer

Katja Khaniukova, Dancer

National Ballet of Japan: a breathtaking Beauty opens the season

Naomi Mori, 25th October

National Ballet of Japan opened their 2024/25 season with Eagling’s The Sleeping Beauty. Haruka Sassa's Aurora, guesting from Staatsballett Berlin, and prima ballerina, Yui Yonezawa, debuting as the Lilac Fairy, were highly impressive.

****1

Ayako Ono dazzles in National Ballet of Japan’s Nutcracker

Naomi Mori, 25th December

National Ballet of Japan’s Nutcracker by Wayne Eagling is a family favourite, with lead dancers Ayako Ono and Yudai Fukuoka giving a flawless performance as the leads.

****1

ENB's Nutcracker: beautiful dancing but blurred narrative

Alexander Simpkins, 14th December

English National Ballet's current Nutcracker shows off the brilliance of the dancers across the ranks but after many years, the weaknesses in the plot and characterisation remain flawed.

***11

NEBT in Genesis Dance Project: a mixed set of offerings

Graham Watts, 2nd November

A curate's egg of dance.

***11

ENB's Nutcracker shows real strength throughout the ranks

Deborah Weiss, 15th December

Wayne Eagling's production for English National Ballet does not show any signs of waning popularity... audiences still want their yearly fix!

***11

Easter delights in Dutch National Ballet's Spring Special

Graham Watts, 5th April

A complete roster of principal dancers appear in a gala full of the joys of spring.

****1

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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.