Carlos Acosta’s Nutcracker in Havana review: A warm and sunny rendition of a Christmas classic

Putting a twist on a Christmas classic, Carlos Acosta’s new Nutcracker in Havana is fresh, fun, and inventive. Wrapping the story up in a new setting and different dance traditions, it creates an exuberant mix of tutus and Cuban rhythms.

The show is inspired by memories of Acosta’s own Cuban childhood, when Christmas was still officially banned. The family party is full of nostalgic detail, from beer can decorations to the grandmother arriving at the party in a wheelbarrow. The heroine Clara’s home shows a mix of Catholic and Yoruba symbols, while the magician Drosselmeyer becomes a rich uncle from Miami, complete with sparkly waistcoat.

It’s all driven by Pepe Gavilondo Peon’s new arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s imperishable score, prerecorded by the Cuban Nutcracker Ensemble. Peon and co-arranger Yasel Muñoz have a wonderful time playing with this music, winding Latin rhythms and orchestration around the familiar melodies. The result is fleet-footed and witty. The attacking mice become delightfully funky, while the Mirlitons gain a startling mix of bossa nova and Hammond organ.

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Designed for touring, the staging is fluent and tightly-focused. Nina Dunn’s set combines video design with some practical scenery. When Drosselmeyer transforms Clara’s palm-thatched home into a grand Victorian house, a swoop of wrought-iron staircase draws the virtual villa together. The Land of Sweets becomes a mid-century modern nightclub.

Acosta’s choreography weaves in different dance styles and references. The dancing dolls of the party scene include a soldier, familiar from European Nutcrackers, but also dolls representing Yoruba gods, with Zeleidy Creso as a commanding Oshún. The family party includes a maypole and a clog dance with traditional Cuban chancletas – which Laura Rodriguez’s friendly Clara then teaches to the dancers of the Land of Sweets.

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The hardworking core company is Acosta Danza, the classical-contemporary troupe Acosta founded in 2015. There’s a sprinkling of guest artists; styles don’t always gel, but shared energy carries everyone through. Alexander Varona is a dashing Drosselmeyer, charming and cool. Laurretta Summerscales is a poised Sugar Plum Fairy, with Yasiel Hodelin Bellow courtly as her Prince. Melisa Merda and Frank Junior bring a sharp edge to the Spanish dance, while Amisaday Naara and Chay Deivis slink serenely through the Arabian.

Acosta and Peon have less time for the music’s grandeur, its piercing evocations of change or darkness. Where Nutcracker in Havana scores is in energy, pace, and sheer sunniness. There’s a friendly sense of community on stage, always good-humoured and warm-hearted.

Touring. www.nutcrackerinhavana.com