Sunday Afternoon Nutcracker at The Koch

A rule of Christmas in polite society is that you're careful not to ruin Christmas magic for the kids.  Another rule of Christmas in polite society is that you don't ruin it for adults, either.  During the season, there are places one goes where one expects to see everyone – everyone – in the happy and joyous spirit of Christmas.  Full of it - the joy, that is. One such place is shopping in the basement at Macy's.  Another such place is at any performance of The Nutcracker.

So, imagine Haglund's dismay when he encountered a Sugar Plum Fairy on Sunday afternoon who had no sugar.  No sweetness.  No plum-pudding joy.  This SPF was clearly out of her element – which is usually choreography which makes over-use of her long, flowing hair and solemn expression, and minimal use of her limited dancing abilities.  Yeah, we know she was injured for a long time, but if she's going to allow herself to be presented front and center as the dessert of Act II, then she'd better be up to it.  Next time, she should put a bag over her head and paint a genuine smile on it with some opened eyes. 

Thank goodness for little Joshua Shutkind who was the little nutcracker and little prince.   The kid stole the show and upstaged everyone who was on stage simultanously at The Koch, The Met, and The Fish that afternoon.  During many of his sparkling appearances Haglund thought that Prince Joshua just might burst into song - possibly something from Billy Elliott.  The kid's a gem.

Little Fritz was not a shy one either.  Jeremy Wong will grow an inch or two over the next year and then come roaring back in the fall ready to take over the all important role of little prince.   

Another highlight of this performance was Abi Stafford as Dewdrop.  What a beautiful smile, genuinely sweet, eager to please everyone in the audience, more musicality than you usually find in that role, and just all around likable.  You liked her.  She was immediately likable.  That counts for a lot when you're a performer.  Her technique was unshowy and just melted into her joyous dancing.  She almost looked like she belonged in that other company.

The corps had its good moments – the shepherdesses, for one, with the lovely Erica Pereira – but the arms and heads of many of the flakes and flowers still looked like they were in the early stages of Parkinson's.  Haglund doesn't mean to be cruel, but he is fed up with the so-called style of port de bras that illustrates such disrespect for the fundamentals of the art's discipline.  It's not neo-classical or anything-classical.  It's just plain bad dancing.  Haglund will now reach for one of his little pills lest he will get too upset.

The big prince was Benjamin Millepied.  He had nothing to do in this famous production; so we will wait to write about him after this weekend's performance at The Joyce.

Haglund awards this performance and production a pair of old, worn out shoes.

Comments

[Sascha Shutkind]

Thank you Haglund's Heel. As Joshua Shutkind's Mom I totally agree!!! Josh thanks you for his wonderful review.

[Haglund]

You're very welcome. Prince Joshua, Little Fritz, and of course the very brave Bunny, are what bring people back to the Nutcracker year after year after year.