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| BIG Live dancers in the finale of "The Nutcracker". |
Music by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky – Choreographed by Joel
Burke, after Marius Petipa
Set Design by Joel Burke, TVS Arcitect and Christopher
Osborne
Costumes: Sophia Drakos, Anne Tytherleigh, Brisbane Arts Theatre.
Lighting Design by Ben Hambling & Steven May.
Presented by BIG Live, Canberra Theatre, 6th
& 7th November 2025.
Matinee performance on 7th November reviewed by
BILL STEPHENS.
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| BIG Live dancers perform Act 1 of "The Nutcracker". |
Christmas came early this year for Canberra ballet lovers with what now appears to have become an annual event, the BIG Live production of “The Nutcracker”.
Since it was first created in 2021 by Co-Directors, Khalid
Tarabay (Executive Director) and Joel Burke (Artistic Director) with a mission
to broaden the audience for classical ballet, while creating more job
opportunities for dancers, BIG Live has been steadily building its audience and
touring schedules.
Commencing with International Ballet Galas and full-length productions
of popular classics, “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Nutcracker”, the company
broadened its ambitions to include original full-length productions of “Dracula”
which premiered in 2025, and “The Great Gatsby” to premiere in 2026, as well as
a Christmas Spectacular which will play Sydney and Melbourne, all choreographed
by its Artistic Director, Joel Burke.
It has also increased its international touring schedule,
which already includes New Zealand, with performances of “The Nutcracker” in
Singapore with guest artists, Iana Salenko and Marian Walter, both seen in
Canberra this year in the 2025 BIG Live International Gala.
Not content to rest on its laurels, BIG Live has enhanced its
production of “The Nutcracker” with the addition of some sumptuous new costumes
and settings. The company has very noticeably, strengthened the line-up for
the corps, and its attention to detail for the execution of the choreography, so
that the spectacular Snowflakes scene that concludes act 1, and the Waltz of
the Flowers in Act 2, can now truly claim to be of world standard.
Burke’s version of Act 1 was always a highlight of this particular
production because of the clarity of the storytelling and vivacious interaction
of the party guests. But with Alexander Taber opting to create a warm and attentive
Drosselmeyer, rather than the usual scary magician; with Mia Zanardo, quite lovely as Clara, confidently
partnered by Joel Burke as her Nutcracker, through a succession of elegant overhead lifts for their swoon-worthy
pas de deux, with William Cheung just a little too disobedient as Clara’s naughty
brother, Fritz, and Janae Kerr (Doll), Timur Dymchikov (Jester) and Ervin
Zagidullin (Sailor) each offering virtuosic solos, together with the
well-staged battle between the rats and the toy soldiers, this act now becomes a
delight in its own right, rather than something to be endured while waiting for
the spectacle of act 2.
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| BIG Live dancers perform the Act 1 finale of "The Nutcracker" |
With its new setting and costumes, Act 2 is a visual delight, even it the decision to have Clara and the Nutcracker sit on the steps of the great gates to watch the proceedings did create an odd moment when both had to vacate the steps to allow the Nutcracker to open the gates to allow the Sugar Plum Fairy and her prince to make their rather awkward entrance.
Elsewhere, each of the
series of testing divertissement was well danced. Timur Dymchikov captivated
with his energetic Russian Dance; Maria Zagidullina and Bella Collishaw
delighted as the sprightly Merlitons; Brock Tighe, Janae Kerr, Jack Jones and
Summer Duyvestyn offered a dramatic Spanish Dance; and Huw Pritchard and
William Cheung were suitably oriental for the Chinese.
However, it was Charles Herkes and Giselle Osborne who
really raised the temperature with their superbly executed Chinese. This fascinating
pas de deux requires great strength and total trust from each of the dancers to
execute the demanding lifts and manoeuvres, while appearing completely calm and
showing no strain. On this occasion it was given a tour-de-force performance by
both dancers.
Abbey Hansen as the Sugar Plum Fairy partnered by Ervin Zagidullin as her Prince added the proverbial icing to the cake with their execution of the famous Grand pas de deux which climaxes the ballet before the whole cast take the stage for the rousing grand finale.
Images provided by BIG Live
This review also published in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au
