1. Characters PowerPoint
Nutcracker!
Characters PowerPoint

2. The characters in Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker
The characters in Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! are all much larger than life in both worlds and every character is unique, even the orphans in their grey smocks and shorts.
Bourne says; ‘one of the pleasures of creating these characters was to link them with their orphanage counterparts. In Clara’s imagination her friends become the fluffy Marshmallow girls, the yobby Gobstopper boys, the vain Liquorice Allsort trio and the lewd and sticky Knickerbocker Glory. Her best friends, the twins, become her heavenly helpers, The Cupids. Dr and Mrs Dross transform into the gluttonous rulers of Sweetieland, King Sherbet and Queen Candy, and their bratish children, Sugar and Fritz, grow up into the glamorous Princess Sugar and saucy Prince Bon Bon. Everything is edible in Sweetieland and its inhabitants are judged not by how they look but by how they taste.’

3. We are going to look at each character through there costume, dance movements, music and lighting. Copy up the table below on a whole side of A4 paper
Character
Costume
Dance Movements
Music
Lighting

4. CONTIBUTIONS OF COSTUME
Costumes
DESCRIBE COSTUMES using these words … allowing and restricting movement, cost, formal, flow, line, size, weight, colour, texture, decoration.
CONTIBUTIONS OF COSTUME
Mood and Atmosphere
Era
Social setting
Historical setting
Sense of Place
Sense of Time
Event
Location
Character/Role
Season
Gender
Groups of Dancers
Status
Theme of Dance

5. Physical Setting Points
Describe Set, Lighting & Props
Colour
Shape
Size & Location
Style
Texture
Mood
Other Considerations
Cost
Durability
Ease of dancing
Health and Safety
Size of Space
It’s really important to DESCRIBE the set, lighting and props in each example that you discuss

6. Physical Setting Points – Magic List
Physical Setting Contributions
Support the dance style
Provide a context
Provide a sense of reality
Create interest
Can replace dancer - support
Time of day / Season
Establishes mood
Props help identify character
Can provide a climax
Setting the dance in an era
Can provide exits and entrances
Geographical location
Creates social context
Light/set can structure dance
Props can inspire movement
Lighting can highlight
Set creates shape and levels
Add texture
Compliments other components
Can clarify narrative
Can show changes in time
Add to the theme of the dance
Add humor
Add variety through set and lighting changes
Always Remember to Include Examples

7. Clara

8. The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker full-size puppet is an interesting and challenging character to portray because of his strong physicality. His movements are stilted, his gaze fixed and his joints are stiff.

9. The Frozen Lake

10. Cupids

11. Dr Dross who becomes King Sherbet Matron who becomes Queen Candy

12. Fritz who becomes Prince Bon Bon

13. Sugar who becomes Princess Sherbet

14. The Head Banging Gobstoppers
This trio of boys come on stage wearing doc martens and crash helmets. Their outfits enhance their actions and movements.

15. Knickerbocker Glory

16. Liquorice Allsorts

17. The Marshmallow Girls

18. Humbug Bouncer

19. Nutcracker! Example answers
Set/lighting helps create contrast Lighting establishes mood Set creates varied levels/platforms The set creates exits and entrances
The contrast between the dark colours in set and lighting of the workhouse and colour of Sweetieland
The brightness and soft colours used create a magical and fun feel to Act 2
The wedding cake creates different levels for the dancers
Dancers enter through doors in side flats, upstage window and mouth into Sweetieland