Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! on DVD [Source: Amazon]
“Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker!” is currently holding court at Sadler’s Wells in London through January 22nd with a whole series of dates to follow in the UK and Ireland deep into 2012.
The “irreverent” production premiered in 1992, on the hundredth anniversary of the first performance of “The Nutcracker”, and is now in the midst of its own 20th Anniversary tour!
Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! Promo Montage [Source: New Adventures]
Bourne’s Nutcracker opens with a Christmas party staged in a “bittersweet” location in order to make later sweets that much more desirable. As Matthew Bourne describes it:
“We came up [with] the notion of an awful Dickensian orphanage, enjoying the annual Christmas Eve visit of the Institute’s Governors. Dr Dross and his wife, who run the orphanage, contrive to create a pleasant Christmas atmosphere for the benefit of the visitors, only to snatch the Governors gifts back from the children as soon as they leave and before Christmas day has even begun.”
“Clara is, of course, one of the Orphans and the Nutcracker boy is a fellow orphan on whom she has a young girls crush. Fritz and Sugar are the Dross’ awful spoilt children who terrorise the other children. So the basis for the whole story developed out of this grim and fearful place. I should say, though, that as well as having this bittersweet quality it is also very funny, and when the Orphans eventually revolt and escape from the clutches of Dr Dross you want to cheer them on.”
Official Site: Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker!
Available at Amazon: Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! on DVD