Project Overview

YeastCulture were commissioned to direct and produce this 50 minute unique response to the Nutcracker. The work is performed on stage by 1 solo pianist and 1 ballerina (Alexandra Dariescu and Desiree Ballantyne). All the other characters in the Nutcracker story were hand drawn, animated and then projected onto a gauze screen set at the front of the stage which the performers interact with throughout. The basis for the animated characters were real live dancers filmed against a green screen.  The data of which was used to create the animated characters.

The show first premiered at the Barbican in 2017 and has since been performed more than 80 times in 30 countries around the world. It was nominated for an Opus Klassik award in 2019.