Theatre Review: Nutcracker (The Alternative Cabaret), Wales Millennium Centre

Summary

Rating: ★★★★
Running Dates: Tuesday 3rd December 2024 – Tuesday 31st December 2025
Where to see it: Weston Studio, Wales Millennium Centre
Duration: 2 hours, including an interval
Keywords: cabaret, circus, queerness, 18+

Review

Christmas and theatre usually come together in the form of a pantomime, but can you picture a festive celebration which not only entails audience participation but goes beyond that by actively asking you to scream and shout and unapologetically be yourself?

‘Nutcracker’ is a queer twist on the Christmas classic. The Mouse King is replaced by The Rat King (Len Blanco), the charismatic vermin who spends his days at Le Crack, a deviant underground cabaret, and his insect friends. Stepping into the room, the atmosphere is one of excitement, and as soon as the show starts and we are introduced to Roach (Heledd Watkins), a dominatrix cockroach (yes, you read that right!), the audience is immediately buzzing.

Throughout the show, we are awarded with stunning performances from an extremely talented cast. One of the first things you notice is the diversity on stage, where a variety of bodies and genders are showcased. It was beautiful to see everyone claim their space and exuding confident self-expression, especially as a fellow queer person. ‘Nutcracker’ has everything you can expect from a cabaret show – there’s immaculate singing, dance routines, sexy burlesque, and even aerialists. The circus artistry stunningly intertwines itself with the narrative of the show and it creates truly mesmerising moments. A highlight of this marriage of art and plot is when Moth (Rotten Peach) and Ellie-Dee (Daisy Williams) share a hoop in an intimate performance full of chemistry and affection.

In this adaptation, The Mouse King and The Nutcracker (Diomede) go from enemies to lovers. The Nutcracker, stuck in a box thinking he must perform his masculinity in a manly traditional way (we love a metaphor!), is finally set free and gets to join the cabaret crew. The plot of ‘Nutcracker’ seamlessly celebrates queer joy in a light-hearted way which still allows the audience to connect with the characters. Like all plays, however, we need an antagonist – the stunning Sugar Plum Fairy (Cadbury Parfait) attempts to seduce us into her heteronormative discourse with her burlesque routines, and at a certain point she even dresses up as an infamous politician to really try and convince the audience to join forces with her – I won’t tell you which though, as the shock in the audience’s faces was priceless.

A special shout out must be given to the costume designer and the music composers. The fun unconventional outfits of the characters and the fantastic and emotional original score were two elements which really let the cast truly shine.

All in all, ‘Nutcracker’ is celebration of queerness and evokes a powerful stance in taking up space and living like your true self. It serves as a reminder that your identity is a strength and, when you unleash it, anything is possible. 

See If: You want to experience a queer twist on a Christmas classic!
Last Impression: Stunning performances and queer joy.

Reviewed by Mariana Andrade
Photography by Kirstin McTernan