On Friday the 13th December, 2019 at precisely 7:30pm in the Lyric Theatre, QPAC the Queensland Ballet The Nutcracker curtains opened to an eager audience. Queensland Ballet’s The Nutcracker is a beloved Christmas tale that is fun for the whole family. Audiences could enjoy watching and listening to this performance, as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, directed by Nigel Gaynor, played in time with the talented dancers on stage. There was plenty to enjoy on stage, including an array of bright colours, costumes (Noelene Hill) and exquisite lighting design (David Walters).
The Nutcracker is clearly a performance that audiences of all ages can enjoy, and this is due to the way the story is told throughout the two acts. In the opening act we are introduced to a few key characters including ‘Clara’ played by Chiara Gonzalez, ‘Fritz’ played by Luke Dimattina and ‘Dr Drosselmeyer’ played by Alexander Idaszak. As the story goes, when young Clara receives a ‘Nutcracker’ as a present on Christmas day, Fritz proceeds to break the toy - much to Clara’s dismay. In an attempt to make amends, the mysterious Dr Drosselmeyer does his best to repair the broken toy.
The first part of this performance presents the beautiful scene of a large family mingling on Christmas day. Whether it be through dancing or drinking, the small interactions between these characters makes for a festive scene. It was delightful to watch the way ‘Grandfather’, played by Rian Thompson, interacted with a bottle of alcohol and how ‘Grandmother’, played by Sophie Zoricic, reacted in response. There was plenty of cheekiness amongst this Christmas party, and this was definitely the case with the young boys, who would crawl across the floor to ambush the girls who were quietly playing with their dolls.
The stage is set-up in an extravagant fashion, and this can be credited to Thomas Boyd. From the enormous Christmas tree at the dinner party to the flying sleigh in the sky, there is a lot to like about the first act to The Nutcracker. That being said, the story continues as the toy characters come to life and Clara meets the ‘Snow Queen’, played by Yanela Piñera, as well as the ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’, played by Mia Heathcote. There is a lot of wonder with this tale, and even if you’re well above the age of eleven - you’ll surely find yourself lost in the magic.
Whilst the menacing ‘King Rat’, played by Jack Lister, threatens Clara, fortunately the ‘Nutcracker’, who has conveniently transformed into a ‘Nutcracker Prince’ is able to save the day. As Clara drifts into ‘The Land of Snow’, and away from the cunning rats in her bedroom, she sees a mystical world where toy characters have come to life. As the audience dives into the second act, we see a number of different dances that reflect various cultures such as Spanish, Arabian, Chinese and Russian. With each new dance came a new cultural element and aesthetic, and I particularly enjoyed the Arabian dance that featured Neneka Yoshida and Joel Woellner. Another notable performance, that received a large applause, was the Russian Dancer Liam Geck, who would do a series of splits while jumping in the air.
There was plenty to see on this evening, and it was an opportunity to appreciate the performers from the Queensland Ballet. Alongside the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the audience even got a chance to listen to the voices of St Peters Lutheran College Choir and Voices of Birralee Choir and this was a beautiful touch that added another level of sophistication to the musical aspect of the performance. The choreography for the performance was superb and this can be credited to Ben Stevenson OBE. It is safe to say that Queensland Ballet’s The Nutcracker is a magical experience that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.
Before the performance commenced, Artistic Director Li Cunxin AO provided information for the Bushfire Appeal and paid respect to those that have been affected by the recent QLD/NSW bushfires. This was a gentle reminder for audience members to consider donating, so that other people in Australia, despite having lost their homes to the bushfires, can experience Christmas joy this season.
13th - 21st December, 2019
Lyric Theatre, QPAC
Photo Credit: David Kelly
Review: Joanna Letic