The dancers all look good in Wayne Eagling’s reworked version, from the back row to the front of the corps de ballet.
And if last Wednesday’s show was anything to go by, the soloists and principals are world class. First there’s Clara, the lead girl played by Shiori Kase, the child who creeps downstairs after the party and falls in love with her best Christmas present, The Nutcracker (Guilherme Menezes).
Kase looked a shade nervous as her toy-boy turned into a strapping male, still sporting that hideous mask, but the more she danced, the better she became.
Then lo and behold Drosselmeyer, the family magician (whom we all seem to acquire at Christmas, don’t we?) finished the job and Joseph Caley joined the fun, not only handsome but a superb dancer and a born matinée idol.
They danced the ageless Sugar Plum Fairy duet in the Land of Sweets with a reliable technical excellence and a sincerity that took my breath away.
Another feature of the show which, over the past few years James Streeter has made his own, is Mouse King.
Talk about overacting; Streeter takes outrageous liberties with the role, wearing a huge mouse head.
And although he is plotting an ugly end for our sweethearts he receives the loudest cheers at the final curtain calls. It just shows you the rewards for a bit of cheek.
But the dancing was first class right from the opening children’s Festive Party. The youngsters all had beautifully straight legs and were dead on the beat.
Then there are the two set pieces, The Snowflakes and The Waltz, both set to two of the most famous pieces of music that Tchaikovsky wrote.
The Second Act features national dances from around the world as a wedding gift from Drosselmeyer to the loving couple: Spanish, Arabian and Chinese are just a few, all aided by high quality playing from the ENB Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Gavin Sutherland.
Peter Farmer’s sets are easy on the eye and if a seasonal theatre trip is on the cards, this is the one to see.
(Tickets: 020 7845 9300/londoncoliseum.org; £14-£79)