Unfortunately, the house WiFi crashed yesterday, and isn't back yet. I've logged a fault - jeez, it's one thing after another with them! Anyway, I'm managing on my mobile internet, but the upshot is that I didn't start watching in time to join the group for the chat afterwards. Which is a shame, but can't be helped.
I did manage to watch the production, though. And what a joy it is! :-) Packed with Matthew Bourne's trademark sense of humour, this version - quirky as ever - starts in a Dickensian children's home. More depressing than your standard version of The Nutcracker then, with bleak, dark surroundings and draconian characters in charge - but retaining the glorious score of the original throughout.
Things begin to look up when the home gets a visit from some VIPs, who bring Christmas presents for the children. Clara, of course, grabs the nutcracker doll. But things really start to look up when they all go to bed, and she dreams herself into a fantasy land, where the nutcracker has turned into a dashing hero..
Now, it wouldn't be a Matthew Bourne production if he didn't turn some things on their heads. And - well, in this version, the nutcracker isn't exactly the knight in shining armour that you'd expect. No, he - er - runs off with the sugar plum fairy, leaving a bereft Clara stamping her feet.. Never mind, tomorrow is another day!
Loved it - highly recommended, as always with Matthew Bourne.
Tomorrow - probably film; Meetup isn't exactly hopping with events. I Vitelloni is no longer showing on Mubi - but the next-highest rated is The Past, which is still showing, and which I'm actually much more interested in, having seen a couple of the Iranian director's previous offerings.
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