Birmingham Royal Ballet Nutcracker Review
December 29, 2025 | Royal Albert Hall – London, England
This year, the Birmingham Royal Ballet has returned to London to perform Sir Peter Wright’s production of The Nutcracker, re-imagined through Sir David Bintley’s production to blend seamlessly into the unique setting of the Royal Albert Hall.
Upon entering for the busy Monday matinee performance, I was surrounded by groups of families herding eager children into the vast and magnificent space that is the Royal Albert Hall. I am immediately struck by how well the atmosphere and decoration lends itself naturally to that of the production; rich red curtains, ornate furnishings and the imposing organ behind the stage becomes a fitting backdrop.
This concept of blending the space is embraced by having the villagers enter the stage in character while the house lights are still lit. Only once the audience is hushed in captivation are the lights dimmed, and the iconic overture begins.
This choice ignited a little magic before the production had even begun, and similar concepts are utilised throughout the production as lighting, projection and props play with the audience, nudging the notion of the fourth wall.
And now the first act begins.
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Birmingham Royal Ballet Nutcracker Review
One of the key adaptations in this staging, which is done to great effect in my opinion, is the use of the panels across the whole back of the stage in place of the wings usually present for a ballet production.
The back panel consists of continuous sets of doors which are opened and closed to reveal and consume props and dancers, and even turned over to reveal different designs. The panels become both the backdrop as well as the doors to back stage.
What could have been an obstacle in fact adds an edge to the mystery of the whole performance.
The party scene is a delight. The artists of Birmingham Royal Ballet offer a consistently engaging stage presence.
The quality of the costumes and props, courtesy of John Macfarlane and Dick Bird, shine. The relatively minimal set is used cleverly together with adapted formations and patterns by the dancers to create a bustling and rich depiction of the Stahlbaum’s festivities.
Clara, danced by Rosanna Ely, immediately draws the eye. Her exquisite foot work and lightness of movement combined with an innocent demeanor is a perfect pairing for her character. The quality of dancing across the company is impressive. Its consistency throughout the production means this performance can really be enjoyed as a beautiful narrative; there were very few jarring moments to bring you out of the story.
A particular mention should be made for the students of Elmhurst Ballet School and The Royal Ballet School who perform as children. The confidence and stage presence here is commendable and a joy to witness. The students are also used in the battle scene as rats; here their role is minimal yet very effective to fill the large expanse of the Royal Albert Hall’s stage.
The transition into Clara’s dream is probably the highlight of this production exclusive to the Royal Albert Hall.
At the moment we expect the iconic growth of the tree, projections appear on either side of the organ depicting the branches of a fir tree and it becomes evident we are one with Clara as she falls into the imaginary world of the toys.
The icing on top of the cake is when huge baubles begin to slowly descend from the cavernous ceiling, stopping above the audience’s heads and stage. This transition is truly magical and a wonderful example of adaptation.
This cinematic scene continues across the battle, making for a dramatic and enjoyable visual. The set and design is definitely the leading element here, but rightfully so. The dancers move in an ordered and well rehearsed chaos covered from head to toe in beautifully detailed soldier/rat costumes.
But after the smoke clears and the stage empties is when the artistry and beauty of the ballet is revealed again.
Clara and her Nutcracker Prince perform their iconic tender pas de deux on a bare stage – just them, the orchestra and us the audience. This simplicity is stunning in contrast with the previous scene.
This more traditional staging carries through as we move into the snow scene. A pleasing choice as we are able to appreciate the well known classical beauty of Sir Peter Wright’s snowflakes.
Yu Kurihara is a light and precise Snow Fairy, accentuating her movement with the perfect frosty energy. The well known score swells in the space thanks to the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.
The ethereal magic of this scene is topped off by a spectacular display of paper snow which falls over both the stage and the audience. The effect of this snow falling in such a large space is majestic, and the perfect ending to the first half of the production.
Now we come back to the enchanting world of Drosselmyer’s toys.This second act is presented much closer to the traditional theatre staging.
Once again the projections are used to influence the scenery, though here I felt the concept was almost over used and presented something too modern for the classic charm of this story. More effectively, creative lighting is used as each of the divertissements perform in lieu of extra set.
The dancers present quality and expertise across the second act as they are well known for. They are performing to a larger space and unique configuration of audience, but they seem to thrive from the challenge. It’s a big space to project to, but they also have a lot to feed back from.
The bareness of the stage does make technique, and particularly foot work for dancers in tights, very exposed but once again the standard of the dancers does not let us down.
I was impressed by the concentration and wrapt energy of the audience throughout this comparatively less dramatic section of the ballet – especially from an audience including so many children. A testament to the quality.
The Waltz of the Flowers, I feel, was the most difficult section to adapt to the space. The dancers do an admirable job of executing this marathon, but the quality of the corps did suffer a little. This mostly comes from the heightened exposure of the space; the dancers have no moment to hide.
I was particularly impressed by the technical quality of the Rose Fairy’s Consorts. A very fine execution. Amelia Thompson as the Rose Fairy herself is a dynamic delight, and shines through all of her entrances.
Now we come to the anticipated Grand Pas de Deux of the Sugarplum and her Prince. Beatrice Parma is utterly breathtaking and provides a flawless performance with exquisite technique and dedication to the pure classical style. Together with Tzu-Chao Chou, they fly through the pas effortlessly, a pure joy to witness from the audience – evident from the awed silence I experienced around me.
Overall, the Royal Birmingham Ballet’s visit to the Royal Albert Hall with Sir Peter Wright’s Nutcracker is a cinematic delight that will capture the imaginations of audience members of all ages. It is a classic festive tale, performed with technical talent and impressive theatrical prowess. Viewing this classic in this new rendition for a unique space is immersive and newly inspiring.
Featured Photo of Artists of Birmingham Royal Ballet in the Snow Scene of Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker at Royal Albert Hall. Photo by Anabel Moeller.
