The Nutcracker is a hit with the audience in Leeds

Rachael Gillespie The Nutcracker

By Viki Westall, 06 January 2023

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“Every character has a backstory, creating believable narratives.”

Reviewed at Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds on 5 January 2023

The Nutcracker (orch. by John Longstaff) (David Nixon)

Northern Ballet

Charles Cusick Smith, Set Designer

David Nixon, Costume Designer

Mark Jonathan, Lighting Designer

Northern Ballet Sinfonia

Alastair West, Lighting Designer

Rachael Gillespie, Dancer

Saeka Shirai, Dancer

Jonathan Hanks, Dancer

Harris Beattie, Dancer

Northern Ballet's The Great Gatsby unfolds at breakneck pace

Graham Watts, 16th May

Those unfamiliar with the great American story will need to read the extensive synopsis in the programme to keep up with the whizz-bang comings and goings on stage!

***11

Narrative knots entangle Northern Ballet's Dangerous Liaisons

Graham Watts, 8th June

A ballet that has been reduced in substance but is still weighed down by complexity.

**111

Northern Ballet at 50: a gala celebration in Leeds

Graham Watts, 4th January

Northern Ballet reaches its half-century with a gala at Leeds Grand Theatre featuring highlights from its "greatest hits".

***11

Nixon's Little Mermaid is a Masterpiece

Kirsty Morgan, 22nd March

A fantastic score, wonderful costumes, brilliant dancing and stunning choreography coalesce beautifully in David Nixon’s magical The Little Mermaid for Northern Ballet.

*****

A magical Midsummer Night's Dream from Northern Ballet

Margaret Willis, 28th September

The lady at the bus stop announced that she had just been to the ballet, and commented: “I didn’t really understand it but I loved it”. The ballet was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed by Northern Ballet, and yes, it was somewhat confusing, though highly enjoyable and very funny.

****1

Northern Ballet's The Great Gatsby at Sadler's Wells

Hanna Weibye, 14th May

Goodness, Northern Ballet are an appealing company. Their dancers are cheerful, charismatic and talented; their ethos one of hard work and unflagging dedication to outreach, bringing the delights of ballet to as wide an audience as possible across their mostly northern catchment area. A new full-length story ballet based on F.

***11

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Viki Westall

Viki trained at The Royal Ballet School and The Hammond School of Dancing before joining London Festival Ballet at the age of 17. She danced there for 7 years before moving to Northern Ballet Theatre where she became a principal, dancing and creating many major roles. After retiring from the stage Viki worked as Events Manager for Northern Ballet, then followed her heart into teaching, guesting at many of the top vocational schools in the UK and also in Italy. She now teaches on the graduate programme at Northern Ballet Academy, has her own Pilates Studio at Chatsworth and also writes and reviews for dance magazines.