Ashley Page's tenure as the artistic director of Scottish Ballet has transformed the tried and tested festive ballet into one of the highlights of the season. Whether it's Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty or The Nutcracker, Page's winter ballets are a delicious mix of the reassuringly familiar and the boldly innovative. They are Christmas, but not as we know it.
This revival of The Nutcracker, which was Page's first full-length ballet for the company back in 2003, is a reminder of how quickly and determinedly Scottish Ballet's fortunes were reversed after the uncertain years that came before.
Set during the Weimar Republic in Germany, with designs inspired by the German Expressionist painters of the era, it retains the magical essence of Tchaikovsky's score while exploring the darker reaches of Hoffmann's tale.
"This production of The Nutcracker was the first in a trilogy of Christmas ballets that we have developed since I arrived at Scottish Ballet in 2002," says Page. "It marked the beginning of a process that would be part of giving the company a new and particular identity and, with our repertoire in mixed programmes of more contemporary and neo-classical work, has repositioned us within the wider dance community.
"It was also a real learning curve for me because it was the first time I'd done a full-length ballet, and I was doing it with dancers I'd never choreographed before. But it brought us all together."
Advertisement
The tale of a girl, Marie, transported into a dream world, where she battles the evil Dame Mouserink to discover the secret of true love, the saccharine is offset by the setting's almost sinister glamour.
It can be seen as a very grown-up ballet, but it is equally enchanting for a younger audience. On December 30, the company performs a one-hour introductory version for children aged four and above.
Pick of the week: The Nutcracker, Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sat-Dec 31, then touring