Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker carries a wonderful certainty with it. Since its arrival at The Hippodrome in 1990, it has become one of its signature productions; you know exactly what you’re stepping into yet it manages to feel special. It’s like settling in to rewatch a favourite Christmas film – the one you could practically quote line for line, but you reach for every year. Familiar, deeply woven into the season and somehow still capable of surprising you.
The story begins in the bustle of the Stahlbaum family’s Christmas Eve party. Clara – Reina Fuchigami guiding her with emotional clarity – is gifted a nutcracker by the enigmatic Drosselmeyer (Lachlan Monaghan). When the clocks strike midnight, the stage tilts into a dream; here the transformation of the Christmas tree remains one of those rare stage moments that delights no matter how many times you’ve seen it. The toys wake and the Nutcracker becomes a Prince, Max Maslen bringing confidence to the role, shaping his character with purpose. There’s a battle with King Rat (Mason King) before Clara is swept away in a world where snowflakes dance in perfect unison and candy canes sweets glow with colour and charm. The snow scene, which closes the first act, remains one of BRB’s finest achievements, creating a landscape of icy elegance.
Act II leans fully into fantasy. Clara’s arrives on a giant flying bird and Drosselmeyer introduces a showcase of technique inspired by dances from Spain, Russia and Arabia, each variation distinct without feeling disconnected. And of course, the introduction of the Sugar Plum Fairy is one of the production’s triumphs. There’s no grand rush to announce her – she simply appears, as if the whole kingdom has been waiting for her to step forward. Miki Mizutani balances lightness with a poise, reminding us why this role sits at the heart of so many childhood memories. The Grand Pas De Deux resists the temptation to oversell the emotion and remains one of the most beautiful moments. 
Visually, it’s everything you want The Nutcracker to be. The sets are gorgeous, the costumes deliciously exquisite, and Tchaikovsky’s famous score – played live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia – wraps itself around you like a warm scarf on a cold night. But what makes The Nutcracker endure isn’t simply its nostalgia, though that certainly anchors it. It’s the way BRB tends to it, keeping its traditions intact while allowing it to feel fresh each year. Children latch onto the sparkle while the grown-ups find comfort of a story told well, and the chance to feel that flicker of innocence and wonder without apology. If I was to sum it up in two words? Just magical.
