I say to those who have never ventured in to a theatre to see ballet in all it’s glory, that a production by MATTHEW BOURNE is a very good place to start. And if this is your fist visit, NUTCRACKER! is a treat like no other.
With family-sized helpings of Matthew’s trademark wit, pathos and magical fantasy, Nutcracker! follows Clara’s bittersweet journey from a darkly comic Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross’ Orphanage, through a shimmering, ice-skating winter wonderland to the scrumptious candy kingdom of Sweetieland, influenced by the lavish Hollywood musicals of the 1930s.
Tchaikovsky’s glorious score and Anthony Ward’s delectable sets and costumes combine with Matthew’s dazzling choreography to create a fresh and charmingly irreverent interpretation of the traditional Christmas favourite.
There is a downloadable visual guide to the show, which is worth putting on your device and taking a look at before the show. It’s designed for any audience members who would benefit from familiarising themselves with what to expect from Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! before they get to the theatre. It contains images and information about the characters, story and the production in general. We hope this resource makes your visit more enjoyable.
Multi-award Matthew Bourne’s choreography is outstanding, as you would expect, but with his productions it’s the unexpected that is always the greatest pleasure.
He is undoubtedly a master storyteller and with his New Adventures company have produced some of the most successful dance productions of the last two decades including The Red Shoes, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Edward Scissorhands and most recently his acclaimed reimagining of Romeo and Juliet. Which is probably why he was hailed by The Observer as “the undisputed king of dance theatre”.
Matthew is the only British director to have won Tony Awards for the Best Direction of a Musical and Best Choreography and holds eight Olivier Awards. We were in the audience when he received the 2019 Special Olivier Award and the crowd went wild in appreciation.
He has been said to be the most audience-conscious artist. He never goes into detail about his works because he wants us, the audience to have their own interpretations.
And we can vouch for this. The SOUTH WALES LIFE team were fortunate to do some work on the first revival of Mary Poppins, many years ago, and Matthew was the choreographer. Watching Matthew at work, and speaking with him afterwards, you could sense you were in the presence of greatness.
He started training as a dancer at the relatively late age of 22. Studying Dance Theatre and Choreography at Laban, graduating in 1985 but spending two more years with the college’s performance company Transitions. He danced professionally for 14 years, creating many roles in his own work. In 1999 he gave his final performance, playing The Private Secretary in the Broadway production of Swan Lake.
Matthew is a London boy and what you may not know about him is that he was was an avid autograph hunter, attending most West End opening nights and waiting outside Stage Doors and top London hotels. We’d like to think it was that passion which was transferred to his love of dance.
His choreographic style is best described as a pick’n’mix: a bit of ballet, a bit of folky footwork, mime, quirky social dances and exaggerated shapes of his own making, with all sorts of witty references.
Nutcracker! has enjoyed a festive run (albeit Covid shortened) at London’s Sadlers Wells, and for the first time they had their first ever relaxed performance of a New Adventure’s show.
Working with Mousetrap Theatre Projects and Sadler’s Wells they were able to adapt the production and welcome 264 young people with additional needs and their families to see the magic of a New Adventures show. Workshops took place before the show as well, where people could learn some of the choreography.
It was a wonderful day and if you have a few minutes take a look at this relaxed relaxed performance of Nuctracker! and particularly the reaction from the audience after the show – HERE.
MATTHEW BOURNE’S NUTCRACKER! is at the Wales Millennium Centre runs through to Saturday 26th March. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets start at £18 and we would highly recommend you grab yours now – HERE.
There are also two downloadable pack for schools who visit the show, you can download those below.
