Nutcracker in Havana: a novel take on the popular ballet

Enrique Corrales as Mambi Doll, Denzel Francis as Rat King in Carlos Acosta's Nutcracker in Havana

Brandy Martínez and Leandro Fernandez in Nutcracker in Havana

Laurretta Summerscales as Sugarplum and Alejandro Silva as Prince in Nutcracker in Havana

Adria Díaz as Clara, Alexander Varona as Drosselmeyer and Raúl Reinoso in Nutcracker in Havana

Company of Nutcracker in Havana

By Graham Watts, 03 November 2024

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“It is a refreshing treatment of very familiar music.”

Reviewed at Theatre Royal, Norwich on 1 November 2024

Nutcracker in Havana (Carlos Acosta)

Acosta Danza

Nina Dunn, Set Designer

Andrew Exeter, Lighting Designer

Laurretta Summerscales, Dancer

Alejandro Silva, Dancer

Laura Rodríguez, Dancer

Raúl Reinoso, Dancer

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Carlos Acosta's full-length Carmen is hot but it doesn't sizzle

Deborah Weiss, 2nd July

Carlos Acosta's Carmen is full of exuberance and first class dancing but it doesn't quite set the stage on fire.

***11

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote thrills at the National Ballet of Canada

Gianmarco Segato, 1st June

Superstar dancer Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote debuts at the National Ballet of Canada, showcasing thrilling dancing in a sumptuous, sun-filled Spanish setting.

*****

Carlos Acosta: On Before inspires rapturous standing ovations

Kathy Elgin, 16th February

Carlos Acosta can still draw in the crowds and this carefully chosen programme is well worth watching.

***11

The Royal Ballet's Don Quixote delivers a crowd-pleasing romp

Vikki Jane Vile, 30th September

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote is a dazzling production which stands out for its lack of filler moments. There are no slow crowd scenes, just flat out dancing.

****1

Birmingham Royal Ballet: Black Sabbath – The Ballet A hit or a miss?

Graham Watts, 27th September

A remarkable merging of two of Birmingham's greatest cultural institutions.

***11

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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.