Review: The Nutcracker

My young guest critic Harvey, prize-winning boy cheerleader and promising danseur, gave it a nine. I'll go for a seven.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Dec 2010, 15:35 BST
Updated 3rd Dec 2010, 15:42 BST

First staged in December 1892, the ballet is still the Christmas must-see and David Nixon's version is charming and traditional as chocolate money and Tchaikovsky's hum-along score it all captures that feeling of childhood wonder.

We're transported to Regency England on Christmas Eve, elegantly welcomed by Hannah Bateman and Yi Song as our hosts, the Edwards. The company needs more strong men and the new premier dancer, Cuban Javier Torres, is a welcome addition, with Martha Leebolt a leggy, elegant Sugar Plum Fairy.

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The sets, from the giant Christmas tree to snowflake kingdom is a delight for children, while the Mouse King almost had us reaching for our hankies when vanquished by the Nutcracker. With his cabinet of secrets Darren Goldsmith's Drosselmeyer is a wizard uncle, straight from Harry Potter. The Kingdom of Sweets, here an enchanted garden, is a wonderful backdrop for the national dances. Chinese acrobats Sebastian Loe and Ben Mitchell definitely had the wow factor with their body-popping street moves. Classical meets Diversity. No wonder, Harvey, 9, was impressed.

Leeds Grand Theatre