A festive favourite in the form of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is coming to Newbury just in time for the festive season.
Ballet Theatre UK is to perform the show at Arlington Arts Centre.
The company of more than 20 dancers aims to give people an opportunity to perform high quality ballet across the country, in turn giving audiences an opportunity to enjoy the art form.
The two-act ballet is set on Christmas Eve, at the foot of a Christmas tree in the imagination of a child.
It opens with a Christmas party, where children receive presents including four lifelike dolls who dance for the assemble company.
Once they have been put away, the toymaker then produces a wooden nutcracker doll, which the child, Clara, takes a shine to, despite her peers eschewing it.
When the clock strikes midnight, magic fills the air, while mice do battle with toys and gingerbread men.
In the second act, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince head to the Land of the Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy until the prince returns.
A celebration of sweets from around the world builds up to a finale waltz before Clara heads back to her family and her Christmas celebrations.
The sweets include chocolate from Spain, coffee from Arabia, tea from China, candy canes from Russia, and Marzipan shepherdesses.
The Nutcracker ballet is a retelling of the 1844 short story The Nutcracker, which is based on The Nutcracker and The Mouse King, which dates back to 1816.
Tchaikovsky’s ballet was first performed in 1892 and uses music from his Nutcracker Suite that he first performed just nine months before his ballet.
It continues to be popular, especially at Christmas time.
This is an opportunity to experience the enchantment of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, The Nutcracker. Brought to life with lavish costumes and glittering sets by Ballet Theatre UK.
For this version, Clara and her heroic Nutcracker Prince encounter wondrous snowflakes, delightful dancing dolls, waltzing flowers, a magnificent Christmas tree that seemingly touches the heavens and, of course, the magical Sugar Plum Fairy.
Tchaikovsky’s hauntingly beautiful musical score intertwines with stunning choreography, creating a spell binding atmosphere of fantasy and illusion.
Ballet Theatre UK’s opulent new production aims to surpass your expectations and breathe new life into this traditional tale, it’s the perfect festive treat for all the family.
When is The Nutcracker performed and how can I get tickets?
The show is performed on Wednesday, November 27, with curtain up at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost £22, £19 for concessions, £15 for child-aged concessions and £65 for a family of four. There is a £1 booking fee per ticket.
They can be purchased from the Arlington Arts Centre website at any time or from the box office, in person or over the phone, during opening hours (10am-4.30pm weekdays).
The venue box office and bar accept both card and cash payments.
For carer tickets and accessible seating, call the box office on: 01635 244 246 or email boxoffice@arlingtonarts.co.uk.
For more details on the show, or to book online, log on to: https://arlingtonarts.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873646717
More about the Arlington Arts Centre
The Arlington Arts Centre is at Mary Hare, Snelsmore Common, Newbury RG14 3BQ.
There is car parking on site, and the venue helps raise funds for the Mary Hare School, which is the largest school for deaf children in the country, offering day and boarding places.
The centre offers a dynamic array of performances and events, spanning music, theatre, dance, comedy, and visual arts, and the centre is committed to arts education and outreach. Through partnerships with schools and community organisations, it seeks to ignite creativity and cultivate a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
It has a theatre, gallery foyer and versatile meeting spaces.
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