The Nutcracker - Opera House - 31/01/08 by Matthew Berrisford

I recently made a vow that I must soon visit the ballet and, I’m pleased to report, I have: The Nutcracker, currently playing at the Manchester Opera House.

For a festive piece, it’s a belated performance; opening a month after the passing of Christmas. As a result, the snow-drenched sets and enthusiastically chilly performers may seem a little out of place. Nevertheless, it’s an entertaining enough show and a welcome distraction from the apocalyptic winds currently rampaging through the country.

To the uninitiated, The Nutcracker is a fantastical piece about a young girl who goes on a journey to the Land of Dreams with her Prince – a nutcracker doll that magically comes to life. Put crudely, it’s Cinderella meets The Snowman. (Assuming, of course, that the Snowman was handsome, muscular, light on his feet and packing a Linford lunchbox.)

The performers are mesmerizing – especially Kristina Terentieva as Marie. Beautiful, dexterous and elegant, you have to applaud her skill and grace as she floats across the stage on her toes. Such is the cruel irony of life and all things temporary, I wish her the dizzying heights of fame and success before crippling arthritis confines her and her blackened pinkies to a wheelchair.

The sets, also, are otherworldly; Technicolor canvases that enhance the show’s magical theme. As a result, I often found The Nutcracker hard to engage with on an emotional level but, in all honesty, that didn’t stop me from appreciating its child’s-eye view of the world.

This charming and eccentric story is firmly rooted in the tradition of dreams and fairytales and it’s easy to understand why it’s become a timeless classic. Coupled with the consistently impressive physical performances and the cosy environment of the Opera House, it makes for an enjoyable post-Christmas Christmas treat.