Nutcracker!

I am usually up for a good retelling of any story, but this one is so off the mark I had to force myself to finish it. The Nutcracker is a classic, and one of the few holiday traditions whose story you can count on to remain basically unchanged, save for some choreography differences. Imagine my surprise when watching this.

The setting is an orphanage. You have no idea who half of the characters are. It's hard to enjoy the dancing when you're spending your energy trying to figure out what is happening and who everyone is. You don't even know which of the orphans is Clara until most of the way through the first act. The worst are the sexual innuendos that have no business being associated with such wonderful music.

I believe the choreographer thought it would end up being funny, but instead it's distressing, disturbing, and not enjoyable to one who was raised on the classic version. Then again, this is modern dance, not classical ballet. So what can you expect?

When TRIO! still showed filmed stage shows on their channel, I caught this one Christmas. I would consider myself a Nutcracker purist, but this production was utterly superb. With gorgeous choreography and direction by Matthew Bourne, this Dickensian version of The Nutcracker soars from stage to screen.

Beginning in a Tim Burton-esquire orphanage, we find Clara and her fellow orphans preparing for a Christmas party thrown by their evil, although comical, head master and mistress: Dr. Cross and Matron. The world shifts in power as the classic moment of Nutcracker reality is played out as only Bourne could provide and their Nightmare Before Christmas home becomes a swirling utopia of tulle, glitter and Victoria's Secret pink.

The wonderful thing about this production is that it provides an outlet for those who are not a) comfortable with ballet or b) not accustomed to the story. Bourne's choreography and the wonderful, funny, and warm performances of the cast are very theatrical. A combination of mime and dance, if you will. It is the perfect version to share with friends who are not dance-literate.

Gorgeous and lush from beginning, this is a version not to be passed up.

New Adventures brought their production of Nutcracker! to the screen following a successful tour on stage, and it certainly is a magical version of the classic.

Clara and Fritz are in an orphanage where their presents are locked away and they face a miserable Christmas - that is until the nutcracker comes to life and liberates everyone into a land of sugar and sweets, and a land of fairytale princes and princesses.

Matthew Bourne's witty choreography and the dancing of Scott Ambler (King Sherbert), Etta Murfitt (Clara), Arthur Pita (Knickerbocker Glory), and others, compliments the music of Tschaikovsky perfectly.

If you know the classic ballet of The Nutcracker, don't let this new interpretation put you off. It is very funny, and well put together. And it is different - proving that in dance there is room for all sorts of productions to exist together.

I came across this production during Ovation Channel's Battle of the Nutcrackers. I too was a bit of a "nutcracker snob" and thought that either the Bolshoi or Balanchine version would be my favorites, but I was really charmed and amazed by every aspect of this production. I can't wait for my daughter to see it. She has seen only classical interpretations, but I really think this Wonka-esquire version will become a family tradition. So witty and well done! The dancers were wonderful and it was nice to see that they appeared to have eaten at least once in their lifetimes unlike the ones you often see in these productions - it made their enjoyment of the candy believable! Make sure to have sweets on hand as the temptation to lick the TV screen can be overwhelming.

One must only assume that the low negative votes are from children expecting sugar plum fairies in their beds. Contemporary versions of classic production from Shakespeare to opera are relegated to the depths by some viewer watching, because of their inability to comprehend innovation from tradition.

Romeo and Juliet with its modern setting brings to the screen a new view of the story in its contemporary reality. La Boheme in the Australian production is another example.

If we step back and think, then maybe the box-office success of TITANIC when compared to the actual horror of the events will aid these uninformed viewers. A bit of 21st century education should put THE NUTCRACKER at a higher rating.