The Nutcracker at the Turbine Theatre

With the advent of the festive season, the Turbine Theatre is set to unveil its very own new pantomime. Joshua Coley’s revamped rendition of The Nutcracker premieres this winter, sparking abundant laughter and spirited energy.

Carly (Holly Ashman) has had her life turned upside down this year, from her father’s death in a tragic crash with the Just Stop Oil rally to her ex-lover cheating on and ghosting her. The annual Christmas party, which her drunken mother (Theo Walker) is stubbornly intent on hosting, hardly seems a source of jolly relief. That is until the wooden present from a slimy uncle morphs into a lively bodyguard, providing much-needed companionship during her nights.

The story creatively tackles themes of machismo and fairy-tale settings, brimming with double meanings and clever tongue twisters, resulting in a delightfully intricate and intellectually stimulating experience for a mature audience. Staying true to the panto tradition, the audience, already quite snug in the cosy, tunnel-like theatre space, gets roped in with clear cues, taking sides for the lonely and unfortunate heroine against the obsessed antagonist. Drawing from TikTok sensations and the irresistible Frozen hit for its musical repertoire, the production dazzles with glittering visuals and outlandish movements in its slapstick choreography. While the rhythm is already lively, given the adult audience, it could have been amped up even more, whether in pace or better overall synchronisation.

Walker is going all out in his bawdy support roles, playing among the other parts a saucy mother and a vivacious fairy godmother. Meanwhile, the writer himself bends the rules of time and space with ultrasonic backstage changes, seamlessly morphing into new characters and accents in the blink of an eye. Hinting sporadically at current affairs nonsense, the drama is firmly set in today’s Great Britain, but it carefully avoids becoming overly sullied with unnecessary politics, instead keeping the focus on the disorderly and raucous trifles of both the virtuous and the vile.

A witty panto that playfully explores the more mature undertones of the festive season.

Cristiana Ferrauti
Images: Danny Kaan

The Nutcracker is at the Turbine Theatre from 30^th November until 23^rd December 2023. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.