Nutcracker at London Coliseum

It’s that time of the year again, when one of the most fitting theatre outings is the ballet Nutcracker. The English National Ballet returns to the London Coliseum with its elegantly sugar-coated, brightly coloured production and majestic performances.

Toymaker Drosselmeyer (Junor Souza) has transformed a doll resembling a prince into a Nutcracker, which will be among the gifts he brings to the Stahlbaums’ Christmas Eve party. Clara Stahlbaums (Delilah Wiggins, and then Ivana Bueno) receives the magical toy and, after bedtime, goes back to the main room where she falls asleep beside it. She believes she wakes up shortly after in an outdoor space near a castle, where the Rat King (James Streeter) is battling the Nutcracker (Paulo Rodrigues), now life-size. Clara saves the day, and the toy transforms into a prince. The couple dance their way to the Ice Realm and are then transported to the Land of Sweets and Delights, where delicious encounters await.

The costumes by Dick Bird are dazzling: curated down to the details, they are created almost as works of art and, particularly in the Land of the Sweet sequences, their vibrant hues and tailored style are mesmerising. The set design is handled with the same meticulousness, never overwhelming in its use of props or ornamentation, but instead functioning as a soft childhood memory and a dreamlike backdrop. Lights and fading projections are cleverly integrated, so the effect never feels like a heavy tech merger, but rather the kind of magical touch this show requires.

Aaron S Watkin and Arielle Smith are behind the lyrical choreography. The high point is the Ice Realm: the Ice Queen (Anna Nevzorova) appears after a whirlwind of swirling movement, where distance and gathering alternate, much like frost in the air, and delivers an exquisite solo. It’s a spellbinding act. The white tutus – made of nine different materials, with skirts consisting of 50 strips of fabric and many metres of pearl strings are not identical across the ensemble, gently distinguishing between icicles and snowflakes.

The Land of Sweet and Delights is populated by a variety of segments, one for each candy, characterised by different rhythms and movement hallmarks that keep the audience entertained. For the Middle-Eastern Shalab, Minjy Kang, Jose María Lorca Menchón and Elvis Nudo form a sensual, silky trio. Thiago Silva leads the students of the Adagio School of Dance – a thoroughly endearing display, complete with costumes featuring 3,000 sewn-on balls, bulky geometric skirts and hats – in an expansive scene for the Liquorice Allsorts. The elastic Rentaro Nakaaki is the first soloist for Makivnyk: his turns and stretches are alluring.

This production takes the definition of family-friendly one step further: it’s a ballet for everyone, as in everyone, whether newcomers to this classic or regulars to the tradition, will find something sweet to enjoy.

Cristiana Ferrauti
Photos: Amber Hunt

Nutcracker is at the London Coliseum from 11^th December 2025 until 11^th January 2026. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch the trailer for Nutcracker at the London Coliseum here: