- Title: Carlos Acosta's 'Nutcracker in Havana' plays in central London
- Date: 11th December 2024
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (DECEMBER 11, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER AND DANCER, CARLOS ACOSTA AT THE SOUTHBANK CENTRE AHEAD OF PERFORMANCE OF 'CARLOS ACOSTA'S NUTCRACKER IN HAVANA' (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER AND BALLET DANCER, CARLOS ACOSTA, SAYING: ''Yes, it's been fantastic. The reaction everywhere has been really, really phenomenal. And it's just great how also the more people are discovering the show. You can see the demographic, the configuration of the audience. They're bringing in a lot of new, new audience to the theatre as well. A lot of younger people as well. And that's what we want really and so on. And this show, by using the Cuban influence, the ballet, the Afro-Cuban movement and also the contemporary is way out there reaching out for new audiences. And that's exactly what we set out ourselves, you know, when we created in the first place.'' VARIOUS OF CURTAIN CALL / CAST BOWING / AUDIENCE STANDING AUDIENCE APPLAUDING CAST BOWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER AND BALLET DANCER, CARLOS ACOSTA, SAYING: ''And so, yeah, they're all Cuban, 100%. Cuban, the staff is Cuban. We even travel with the masseuse and the whole visual department and everyone - producers, they're all from Cuba and bilingual, some of them. So yeah, I think they like London very much. Obviously the cold is a problem because, you know, we live in the Caribbean. We always had this constant dialogue with the sun. But here is a bit cold for us. But I think they are young, and they are adapting very nicely. And obviously, you know, London has so much to offer us and the in the UK in general.''
- Embargoed: 25th December 2024 22:07
- Keywords: Carlos Acosta Carlos Acosta's Nutcracker in Havana The Nutcracker
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: UK
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Theatre
- Reuters ID: LVA002494505122024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Director and dancer Carlos Acosta admits he once hated ballet as his new Cuban inspired version of Tchaikovsky's festive ballet ''The Nutcracker’’ plays in central London.
Rather than the usual setting of a small town in Germany in the 1820s, "Carlos Acosta's Nutcracker in Havana" still takes place on Christmas Eve but the backdrop is Cuba in the early twentieth century.
With ballet at its heart, the style of dance is varied too and Acosta said it's going down well with audiences and attracting a younger crowd.
''This show, by using the Cuban influence, the ballet, the Afro-Cuban movement and the contemporary is ... reaching out to new audiences,'' he said during an interview at the Southbank Centre where the show is currently on.
After pitching the idea a few years ago, Acosta choreographed and directed the show which stars Cuban dancers from his company Acosta Danza.
''I think it is so personal to Carlos in a way that some of his previous work perhaps doesn't have that connection because it represents Cuba in that way and tells the story of a country that's having a really tough time.'' Stephen Crocker the show's creative producer said.
Acosta said the show, which includes visual touches linked to his childhood home in Havana, offers audiences a sense ''of how wonderful and beautiful was Cuba in the 1920s and thirties.''
''Whereas ''The Nutcracker'' normally is a period play where you have ... the well to do family for us ....it is basically... the opposite. This piece plays in a very humble house.''
Reflecting on his own journey into dance, Acosta who was born in Havana in 1973 said he first ''hated ballet'' as in the 1980s he was more into breakdancing. But once he saw professional ballet his opinion changed.
''I never considered myself a ballet dancer as such. Because before even ballet arrived to my life .... I could dance salsa.... and breakdancing as well. And then ballet was something that I did later on,'' he said.
His new version of ''The Nutcracker'', which opened in Norwich last month, is on in London until December 15, before touring other cities.
"The Nutcracker'' is just a great show, it's wonderful for kids, it's very inclusive and you have magic on the stage,'' Acosta said.
''In terms of accessibility it's one of the most successful shows ever created.''
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