ENB's Nutcracker: beautiful dancing but blurred narrative

English National Ballet in Wayne Eagling's Nutcracker

Erik Woolhouse in the Cossak dance in Wayne Eagling's Nutcracker

Ivana Bueno and Ken Saruhashi as Lead Flowers in Wayne Eagling Nutcracker

Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw in the Grand Pas de Deux in Wayne Eagling's Nutcracker

By Alexander Simpkins, 16 December 2023

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“their belief momentarily sweeping aside all my reservations about the production”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 14 December 2023

The Nutcracker (Wayne Eagling)

English National Ballet

Daniel Parkinson, Conductor

Peter Farmer, Set Designer, Costume Designer

David Richardson, Lighting Designer

English National Ballet Philharmonic

Michael Coleman, Dancer

Sangeun Lee, Dancer

Gareth Haw, Dancer

Ivana Bueno, Dancer

Chloe Keneally, Dancer

Ken Saruhashi, Dancer

Lorenzo Trossello, 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

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

English National Ballet's Nutcracker opens another festive run

Graham Watts, 16th December

Despite excellent performances, time needs to be called on Wayne Eagling's Nutcracker.

**111

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

More reviews...

Alexander Simpkins

Alex is a London-based ballet teacher. He began training at the Suzanna Raymond School of Dance and graduated from Central School of Ballet. For 15 years, he danced for companies in Austria, Spain and Germany, including Ballet de Zaragoza. Since 2015, Alex has taught in the UK at London Studio Centre, Gielgud Academy of Performing Arts, CityLit and the RAD Dance School. He contributed articles to the Dancing Times between 2018 – 2020. Recently, he initiated an award which enables dance students to see live ballet performances, in memory of his teacher, John O’Brien (former Rambert dancer and Dance Books founder.)