The Nutcracker at MAMT is a play about a moment when childhood is still nearby, and a large and unknown world is already opening up ahead. The Christmas tale here becomes a conversation about courage, dreams and joyful anticipation of the future.
In Yuri Posokhov’s production, a familiar story sounds in a new way. Turning to the fairy tale by Ernst T. A. Hoffmann, the choreographer sees in it not only a Christmas adventure but also a coming‑of‑age story — about facing fear, courage, and taking the first step into the unknown.
On Christmas Eve, Mr. Stahlbaum’s house is full of guests. Among them is the skilled inventor and somewhat magical Drosselmeyer. He gives Marie an unusual mechanical toy — the Nutcracker. The girl immediately becomes attached to him, even though the other children just laugh at his ridiculous appearance.
At night, everything around her changes. Huge mice appear in the room, led by the Mouse King; the toy soldiers prepare for battle, and the Nutcracker comes to Marie’s defense. After winning the battle, the heroes set off for a magical land. For Marie, this journey becomes not only a fairy‑tale adventure but also an important inner test.
In Yuri Possokhov’s choreography, movement emerges from Tchaikovsky’s music itself, conveying all its nuances: festive excitement and nocturnal anxiety, mischief and mystery, childlike carefree spirit and a premonition of change. Marie’s story unfolds between sleep and reality, and the transformation of the Nutcracker resonates with what is happening to her.
Set designer Polina Bakhtina conceived the performance space as a huge pop‑up book. Her pages follow one another, familiar objects suddenly grow to incredible sizes, and the details come to life. The living room becomes a battlefield in a fantastic battle, and then gives way to a journey to the stars. The costumes, lighting, and animation complement this world, where reality almost imperceptibly blends into dream.
