Nutcracker! facts

Question 1

Choreographer

Answer 1

Matthew Bourne

Question 2

Company

Answer 2

First performed by Adventures in Motion Pictures, now performed by New Adventures

Question 3

First performance

Answer 3

August 1992

Question 4

Dance style

Answer 4

Contemporary and balletic. Exaggerated but realistic use of gestures.

Question 5

Choreographic style

Answer 5

A reworking of a traditional ballet. Narrative and comic. Influenced by film and theatre. Close relationship between dance and music.

Question 6

Theme

Answer 6

The Nutcracker story retold with references to adolescence, escapism, fantasy and satire.

Question 7

Starting point

Answer 7

The classical ballet and the music. Images of Victorian childhood.

Question 8

Structure

Answer 8

Two acts with nine episodes (original version).

Question 9

Number of dancers

Answer 9

24

Question 10

Accompaniment

Answer 10

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Classical, orchestral. Composed in 1892 for the original Ivanov ballet.

Question 11

Costume

Answer 11

Anthony Ward

Colourful and ‘over the top’ to show characters. Cultural influences and literal references to sweets.

Question 12

Lighting

Answer 12

Howard Harrison

Theatrical, helps to create atmosphere.

Question 13

Set

Answer 13

Anthony Ward
Partly realistic but larger than life and almost cartoon-like. Scene 1 is an austere, drab orphanage with iron beds. There is an interval scene on a frozen lake and Scene 2, entered through a large mouth, represents Sweetieland – complete with a massive three-tier wedding cake.

Question 14

Staging

Answer 14

Proscenium

Question 15

Scenario

Answer 15

Matthew Bourne and Martin Duncan