Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Windfall, RI.
December 21, 2024, 1pm.
“Appearing is behaving realistically below imaginary circumstances”: an adage I nonetheless bear in mind from a highschool theater trainer. Ballet RI’s 2024 The Nutcracker had me pondering again to that concept of the lifelike throughout the imaginary. The Nutcracker is all about magic – but inside productions like Ballet RI’s, the really engaging providing at hand might be positioned the place the lifelike meets the magical. From design to staging to theatricality, the manufacturing’s particular person components got here collectively to create one thing enchanted, but additionally comfortably quotidian.
The present opened with Herr Drosselmeyer (David DuBois) working away in his store, trusty assistant by his aspect. Frothing beakers teased a “mad scientist” trope. Their comedic timing and presence set the tone for this system’s naturalistic theatricality. Backlit, we noticed them behind a beautiful winter wonderland tapestry (surroundings by Peter Horne). Ballet RI’s scenic design is all the time a standout, together with right here – and one of many components that constructed the realism at hand.
The manufacturing quickly introduced us to the Silberhaus’ vacation occasion, with a spot-on mix of opulence and extra folksy, rustic allure. Vivid-eyed Clara (Emma Gaines) had a candy innocence proper off the bat. But, there was a maturity to her motion high quality and bearing, signalling that Gaines may really be going locations. Her brother Fritz (Miles Parmenter) had a boyish mischievousness that additionally felt excellent. The youngsters’s dances captured a spirit of spontaneous play and video games, but additionally a refined contact that aligned with all else earlier than us.
That sense of play shone by means of the grownup motion as effectively, comparable to with Drosselmeyer bumping right into a maid (Emma Halter) after which the 2 breaking proper out right into a duet. Additional refinement got here by means of the mother and father’ dance to return, with an understated high quality that constructed sophistication. The Doll (Tara McCally) had a Buonaparte soldier really feel, with a superbly bouncy mechanical high quality by means of quick footwork. Ballerina Doll’s (Nina Yoshida-Webster) pure sweetness got here with clear continuity in motion high quality.
Appearing chops stuffed the stage the entire time; it nearly felt like a play moderately than a ballet, the onstage motion was so intentional and natural. It’s all a part of the magic that immerses us and brings us again to this story – for a lot of, time and again and once more. The magic for Clara quickly led into sleep, nonetheless. An owl clock, with wings flapping up because the hour struck (one other ingenious design contact), alerted us that additional motion might quickly come.
Drosselmeyer continued to drag magical strings, illuminating the tree and bringing the Nutcracker doll to life (Kinds Dykes). In diversified Nutcracker productions, there are totally different characters pulling these magical strings – maybe the Snow Queen or the Sugar Plum Fairy. On this model, it was actually Drosselmeyer. DuBois introduced each gravitas and heat to the function.
He was additionally there to guard and information because the battle between the Nutcracker’s military and that of the Mouse King (Stephen Gunter) performed out. Extra contemporary design selections emerged: the Rat King’s horror film-esque nails, the troopers’ vacation elf hats (costume idea and design by Judanna Lynn and Emerald Metropolis Theatrical). Actuality and magic continued to fulfill and meld – as did humor; the Rat King flopped on Clara’s sofa to perish (with extra stellar comedic timing).
Snow Scene introduced us someplace wholly totally different: a winter wonderland much more ethereal than the streets round Clara’s residence. Younger dancers lit the best way for Clara and the Prince with hand-held fairy lights (simply as magical right here as they had been in the corporate’s Cinderella).
The snow scene pas de deux (with Alexandra Troianos because the Snow Queen and Luis Ocaranza as Snow King) provided extra of that singular Nutcracker magic – a balm in a chaotic world, immersing us as lights dim and the stage snow falls (certainly, later coming proper into the orchestra seats).
The Snow Corps’ motion was as awe-inspiring as ever, the ensemble delivering it at a soothing intersection of the crisp and sinewy. Their spiky ice crowns and costumes of ombre blues mirrored the numerous colours and textures in such a snowy, icy locale.
Act II introduced us into one other wintry fairytale realm, the place we once more met Clara and the Nutcracker. Angular white lanterns hanging on tree branches reminisced icicles. Angels, led by a trusty Lead Angel embodying purity and beauty, greeted them. This variation, current in some Nutcracker variations and never in others, right here added one thing conventional within the midst of many extra trendy touches. Balanced cohesion is the purpose – one achieved right here.
Sugar Plum Fairy (Ashley Griffin) acted as grand, mystical hostess, kicking off the variations to return. She moved with the smooth punch and panache of a sprite. Chocolate (danced by Anjali Hern and Massiel Valderamma) was a feminine energy pas de deux, with all of the élan of the originating tradition and rating. Their layered clothes added entrancing dimensionality to that vitality. Espresso, danced by Clay Murray and Hannah Wooden, oozed sensuality. Accents enhanced culturally-specific motion, which was (seemingly) respectfully offered.
Talking of cultural respect and fluency, a big dancing dragon introduced us into Tea. The soloist (Corinne Mulcahy) additionally infused innumerable layers to her motion by means of a hand-held streamer, and a corps added additional scope to the staging. One other soloist (Emma Guertin) danced the pastoral class of French Marzipan. She danced with the benefit of a frolic in a spring meadow, not a care on this planet. Two sheep quickly joined her (Halter and Cameron Sedlack), which deepened the pastoral environment.
The Polichinelles (with Joshua Tuason as Mom Ginger) loved acrobatics galore, after which invited Clara and the Nutcracker into their enjoyable. The latter then escorted Clara to sit down, and joined Russian Trepak: a trio executing totally gravity-defying feats (additionally with Jackson Calhoun and Aj Maio). Seeing their heavy respiratory as they bowed underscored for me simply how athletic what they only did was, and their plain humanity as dancers.
The Waltz of the Flowers then exuded the playful refinement of a backyard in full bloom. Diverse formations, in all of their multiplicity, had a harmonious order. Dew Drop (Yoshida-Webster) danced with the gorgeous carriage of a rose: with a supple softness, but additionally strong energy. The Sugar Plum Fairy returned to the stage, along with her Cavalier (Garrett McNally). They partnered with a connection that felt exquisitely sincere. In his time to shine, he moved with an ease and continuity grounded in uncooked energy.
It’s all the time a particular second when your entire ensemble fills the stage, dancing in unison to a booming and ebullient rating. For a ultimate ending, Clara awoke to seek out her Nutcracker doll below her arm – Drosselmeyer having lovingly positioned it there. The opening winter wonderland tapestry dropped earlier than them. All of it got here full circle.
Life cycles and strikes on. If we’re fortunate, and open to it, magic graces us within the meantime. Thanks, Ballet RI, for the reminder of how actuality and magic can meet…one thing we are able to all use on this aggravating, but additionally enchanting, time of 12 months.
By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.
