I used to do ballet when I was younger like most girls but I totally forgot that there is no speaking whatsoever during the performance so if you don't know the story it can be a little hard to follow. I gathered most of the first half and bought the program during the interval so I could properly grasp what was going on. It is a rather fascinating story which was written in 1950 according to my program. It has some fantastic classical music integrated into the story which you will recognise.
There's some great facts about the English National Ballet's efforts that go into the whole show:
Before any fabric is used, it is washed so it does not shrink after the costumes have been made. The Wardrobe Department do over 1,440 washed each year.
Each Sugar Plum Fairy costume requires over £2,000 worth of Swarovski crystals but they are kindly donated by Swarovski and they conveniently have their name over my entire program. They donated £10,000 worth for this season. Oh and there are over 400 on each of the Sugar Plum Fairy costumes.
The fabrics are imported from Germany, France, India and America to make all 400 costumes.
There are three wig makers, one head dress maker, one milliner and two dyers and distress makers (they make the rats look dirty and distress the fabrics.)
All in all it was really quite beautiful. I preferred the second half as there were more adult dancers who were on their points most of the time. I think the children who perform are brave and all that rubbish, but I much prefer the adult dancers. They have a real stage presence and are much more grand. They have very emotional performances and do some fantastic movements.
I took some pictures which are below, naturally not of the performance as I would have been thrown out.
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