‘A pleasure to see so many lovely smiling faces as West Berks Ballet School merrily danced their way through Tchaikovsky’s familiar Nutcracker score’

West Berkshire Ballet School: The Nutcracker
at Arlington Arts
on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday 2

Review by ELISABETH HERON-WATSON AISTD

It was a pleasure to see so many lovely smiling faces on Arlington’s stage at the weekend as West Berks Ballet School merrily danced their way through Tchaikovsky’s familiar Nutcracker score.

A new little twist to the choreography using two ‘Claras’ Freda Collins in the party scene with her naughty brother Fritz – Liam Whatson – were a perfect pairing and then…..when the magic begins……Sophie Leeson, the second charming Clara, appears in her sparkly nightdress to find her beloved Nutcracker doll.

Erin Cartwright, as the magician Drosselmeyer, entertained Clara’s party guests with her amazing magic tricks, unveiling a trio of mechanical dolls from a miniature theatre and, of course, the famous ‘growing’ Christmas tree.

Followed by the dramatic battle between the Mouse King, villainously danced by Lauren Bailey, and Nutcracker, a role elegantly and graciously taken by Lily Clark, with Clara slaying the Mouse King by finishing him off with a pointe shoe.

I particularly liked Clara and Nutcracker being transported by boat, powered by seahorses, to the land of snow, complete with cheeky snowmen, with the whole cast bringing Act 1 to a wintery close.

Act 2 takes place in the Kingdom of the Sweets and gives everyone a chance to dance with a series of divertissements – no one could resist the tiny Chinese dance. This act gives Clara and Nutcracker a much-shortened pas de deux which allows Sophie Leeson to show her strong technique and beautiful smile.

Isabella Marchetti ably performed the Sugar Plum fairy solo with the youngest members of the cast as her corps de ballet.

The cast of over 70, with ages ranging from four years to young adult, produced an enchanting production with strong ballet technique, very good stage presence, an array of beautiful costumes with the whole beautifully enhanced by sympathetic lighting effects from Arlington’s technical team.

Well-deserved congratulations are due to artistic team of Lucie Wilson & Gemma Cole for giving us, and all the dancers involved, a Nutcracker full of happy memories.