The story of The Nutcracker

Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography Christopher Hampson
Concept and design Gerald Scarfe
Lighting John Rayment

Act I - Introduction
Drosselmeyer - a magician, a showman and our storyteller - introduces us to the book of The Nutcracker and begins to bring characters to life from its pages.

Turning the page he reveals a shopping street.   He stands outside his magic toyshop, and in the window is a wonderful nutcracker doll.   Caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping are Clara, her brother Fritz and their parents.   Drosselmeyer, a friend of the family, shows the children the nutcracker doll, which fascinates Clara.   Not wanting to go home with their parents, Clara and Fritz remain with Drosselmeyer who magically transports the children home.

A Party...
is being held at Clara and Fritz's house. They arrive home as the final preparations are being made.   Their parents enter with armfuls of presents and the guests start to arrive.   Drosselmeyer then appears and entertains the guests with magic tricks.

Drosselmeyer tells the children the story of The Nutcracker , and Clara is transfixed.   He then reveals her Christmas present - the nutcracker doll from the shop window.   She is delighted.   However, moments later Fritz grabs the doll and breaks it, but luckily Drosselmeyer is able to mend it.

The guests depart and the family - including Drosselmeyer - goes to bed.

In the Middle of the Night.
Clara cannot sleep, and creeps back downstairs to see her nutcracker doll. Suddenly, the room is plunged into darkness and the clock strikes. Clara puts the doll on the floor and it is snatched away. There are mice around.

Drosselmeyer finds Clara on the chair, terrified.   He calms her and begins to work his magic.   The room is transformed.   Soldiers arrive to help Clara retrieve her nutcracker doll, but the mice are cunning and a battle breaks out.   The mice surround the nutcracker doll, who is suddenly brought to life by Drosselmeyer, he breaks free of the mice and begins a duel with the Mouse King. There are too many mice for the soldiers and the nutcracker to fight.   Clara sees that she has to intervene and injures the Mouse King with his own sword. The battle is over and the mice disperse.

She spies her nutcracker lying on the floor and is fears the worst.   Drosselmeyer tells Clara that only true love will bring her nutcracker back to life. She kisses him and he is transformed into a handsome Prince. Drosselmeyer takes them on a fantastic journey.

The Land of Snow
Clara and the Prince are surrounded by scores of jack frosts and snowflakes, who dance for them.

Once more Drosselmeyer demonstrates his magical powers and Clara and her Prince fly away together, waving goodbye.

Act II
Clara and the Prince are flying through the clouds, when they spot Drosselmeyer.   They come to earth and are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy.   After hearing of their adventures,   the Sugar Plum Fairy declares that a celebration should take place.

Kingdom of the Sweets
Clara asks her Prince to dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy, and then settles down to be entertained by a host of fantastic characters.

The Grand Finale
Clara and Drosselmeyer lead the Waltz of the Flowers and are entertained by the Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy who perform a Grand Pas de Deux.   Everyone returns to join together in a final celebratory dance, including Clara, Drosselmeyer, the Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy.

As the celebrations draw to a close, Clara and the Prince fly away together into the distance, and Drosselmeyer brings their story to an end.