Last modified on Mon 14 Dec 2020 08.48 EST
To the ballet then, while we can. As London waits to find out whether it will be moved into tier 3, theatregoers rush to enjoy traditional Christmas treats, like escaping into the warm fireside glow of the Royal Balletâs Nutcracker. Peter Wrightâs 1984 production, modelled on Lev Ivanovâs 1892 ballet, is a gorgeous spectacle. Julia Trevelyan Omanâs snowy 19th-century designs bring to life pre-Raphaelite angels, vintage toys and a sugarspun palace of delicate sparkle.
This is a necessarily adjusted experience, the audience reduced, and the orchestra, too, down to 44 players from 72, due to social distancing in the pit. Sometimes that doesnât make much difference, sometimes the depth of sound is missed (perhaps they could pick up the tempo a little in the first act to make up for it). The cast is slimmed down, too, primarily in the childrenâs scenes and the toy battle, which normally has a chaotic stageful. Here