A cynic’s interpretation of a Christmas classic

The Nutcracker is beautiful, evocative and kinda creepy.

Look too close at the classic Christmas tale, The Nutcracker, and you’ll start to feel mildly inappropriate. The holiday story revolves around a golden-locked pre-teen obsessed with a wood replica of a bearded soldier, one man enough to crack nuts, no less. A rival brother breaks the toy, she mends it and falls asleep beside her would-be prince. Then, like Alice, she slips down the rabbit hole until, Lolita-like, she ends up in the very arms of her play-thing and object of desire.
At the Centre for the Performing Arts, where the Goh Ballet presents Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet through until Sunday, there’s even a miniature nutcracker for sale under the label, “Red Chub.” But maybe it’s just me and my wise-cracking feminist girlfriend. “The patriarchy,” we cried. “Why does it all revolve around worshiping a manly man in double-breasted military regalia!” We scoffed the play, and then we applauded the production.

This is a play for families and, for the most part, daughters and moms and girls in frocks, flowered headbands and cute buckled flats who hold the hand of their aunties when led to the little ladies’ room in the middle of the second act. If anything, the unsettling messaging of the stage production will only sink into their subconscious. Oh, well.

But back to the beauty of the ballet....To fill the stage for Tchaikovsky’s festive and immortal Nutcracker, the Goh Ballet amassed an enormous ensemble of nearly 220 dancers. With ballerinas and danseurs as young as six and drawn from amateur companies around B.C., the production is a celebration of impressive youth talent. Principle dancers from the National Ballet of Canada and the Pacific Northwest Ballet dress for the most challenging roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier Prince, depending on the schedule of performances. The drawn-out duet from Mara Vinson and Karel Cruz on opening night was beautiful and full of expression.

Under the guidance of conductor Leslie Dala and a live orchestra with musicians from the Vancouver Opera Orchestra , plus the added notes from pages of turning sheet music (genuinely one of my favourite sounds), the music was splendid. All Fantasia tip-toe hippos, Home Alone theme music and the breath-taking composition of a Tsarist master.

Mission-born choreographer Anna-Marie Holmes is acclaimed for her interpretations of the Russian repertoire and has staged the likes of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker in more than 30 countries. Here, she brings us a genuine illusionist as the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer, who gifts Clara her prized cracker of nuts. Holmes casts a drag queen, Ukrainian dancers and 10 child gymnasts (some who do four consecutive back handsprings) and all who walk three meters on their hands, keeping in form and formation. Pint-sized adolescents wear tails and round ears and squeal adorably as frightened mice—to the great delight of the crowd. In this version of Tchaikovsky’s 19th century Toy Story, wind-up playthings come alive, giant bears dance in silk pajamas and an Arabian princess gets jiggy with her would-be sultan. (For their serenity and restraint amid the frenzy of the busy stage, the strongest pas de deux of the night belonged to Minami Arita and Vlademir Pereira as the Arabian entertainers in the Kingdome of Sweets.)