Drew McOnie is the first out of the seasonal blocks this year with his miniature Nutcracker at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club on the Southbank. What drew me to this version is McOnie, musical theatre choreographer par excellence, with many popular shows under his belt. I even recognise two company performers, Tim Hodges and Rachel Muldoon, from his Jekyll and Hyde at the Old Vic.
But he has clipped his wings, if not his exuberance, a little with the restricted, and constricting, area, a low-ceilinged cabaret club space with little room to fly. And very exposing for the six dancers, who brush against you as they enter and exit. Eye contact is difficult to avoid.
If you’re in the front row with your drink, look out for those high kicks. A challenge for the dancers, too, who must have to watch where they put their feet. Their energy is not contained by the cramped quarters.
Costume (imaginative design Ryan Dawson Laight) changes are slick and speedy, as the cast rattles through the tale of a boy, Clive, with his single parent dad in a tiny bedsit, who dreams of being the fairy on the tree, not the Action Man his stressed father gives him.
Joshie Hariette’s blinding (for the dream sequences) lighting compensates for Soutra Gilmour’s sparse (of necessity) set and venue design: an artificial tiny Christmas tree and a two-seater sofa. Snowflakes and glitter come out of Quality Street tins. Wind blowers, wielded by Snowflakes, clear them away. Fruit and berry drinks (everyone’s a fruit and nut case…) bring on the variations.
There are thirty-one tracks listed, including overture and jazz standard to end it on a high. The six-strong cast gives it their all as individual dancers and ensemble. Patricia Zhou is the Sugar Plum Fairy and with the rest of the cast, Muldoon, Hodges and Chanelle Anthony, covers many roles.
Mark Samaras is a sweet, shy Clive until he becomes the fairy in full tulle outfit and dances with Action Man Amonik Melaco, whom he releases from his macho disguise. Their duet, both in frou frou tulle, is a charming delight. Melaco is a knockout. His daring side split jeté feels a joyful release.
The ending is sentimental… do we need dad’s letter speech to Santa explaining himself? Dad gets it at last, and gives his son a pink sequin Barbie car for Christmas. Let the party begin. On a rainy Sunday evening, the audience feels a bit low key. One hour is not enough—I want more from the fine musicians.
Tchaikovsky’s music is discernable in Cassie Kinoshi’s (with additional music by double bass player and musical director Rio Kai) jazzed-up version, and the jazz quartet is tremendous. I am especially captivated by saxophone and flute player Parthenope Wald-Harding.
Advised as 6+, this is more for jazz club fans, if they are happy to go with the tongue-in-cheek scenario. “The Tuff Nutt Jazz Club is a temporary pop-up jazz club and one-off transformation of a space under the Royal Festival Hall, created for Nutcracker.” A mixed delight, a Quality Street tin with the purple ones included...