Nutcracker a Sweet Escape Into the Imagination

Chicago's Joffrey Ballet continues their holiday tradition this season with their classic production of The Nutcracker.  One of the better interpretations of this well-known winter standard, the Joffrey's performance this year came off on a good note. 

Accompanied by the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Oak Park and River Forest Children's Chorus, the dancers transport the audience back in time to a Victorian Christmas filled with play and laughter.  The casting is done particularly well for this production where theatrics are integral to the plot.  Allison Walsh is rather cute and sweet as Clara, and John Gluckman is downright funny as Clara's brother Fritz.  The mechanical dolls that appear in Act I, courtesy of Dr. Drosselmeyer, are excellent in their rolls, particularly those portrayed by dancers Stacy Joy Keller and Willy Shives.  The role of the Snow Queen, danced by Megan Quiroz, could stand to have a dancer with a bit more tension and conviction in her movement, but whatever was lacking in the Snow Queen's performance was made up for in the performance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Valerie Robin.

While the Joffrey is a revered company and the story of The Nutcracker has surely stood up to the test of time, tonight's show was an example of how those two components don't necessarily mean smooth sailing.  The incorporation of so many young dancers is a nice touch and adds a unique playful and candid aspect to the performance.  But with so many additional bodies on stage, maintaining the choreographic "big picture" becomes an important challenge.  The least impressive scene (which could easily have been the most impressive scene) was The Magical Battleground in Act I.  The Nutcracker Prince and King of Mice were not only joined by a first and second battalion of mice, cavalry mice, officers, and soldiers, but a whole host of dolls in the background that purely added visual clutter.  There was simply too much going on at once.  The eye had nothing to be drawn towards- or rather too many things fighting for its attention!

In spite of a chaotic battle scene, the choreography was not all disappointing by any means.  The choreography of the Waltz of the Snowflakes, by Joffrey's own Gerald Arpino, was one of the more interesting balletic compositions I have seen in a while.  His use of traditional ballet postures, steps, and lines mixed with varied rhythms and angles made for work that remained classic yet seemed to tug in the direction of contemporary composition.

The Nutcracker is an experience where you can let yourself get swept away in the magic of fairy tales and Christmas folklore, and the Joffrey Ballet does an excellent job capturing the audiences attention, relieving the mind of the holiday hustle and bustle, and allowing the viewer to enjoy a few hours of pure imagination.  If you go, don't miss the children's chorus performing holiday carols in the lobby before the show and during intermission.  Catch this production at the Auditorium Theatre December 12-30, 2007.  Tickets are priced from $25 to $140 and can be purchased through the Auditorium Theatre box office, at Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at 312.902.1500, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.  Visit www.joffrey.com for more information on the Joffrey Ballet or season subscriptions.
 

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