I recently saw the latest iteration of The Birmingham Royal Ballet's Nutcracker, and it was up to its usual exquisite quality.

There were some minor changes to the set and costumes- this year, the backdrop in the first act matched the dress of Clara's mother- but overall, the performance was similar to previous years. Given that the ballet is such high quality, that is an endearing quality.

Carlos Acosta has made changes to several of the performances since becoming director, but seems content to leave this one unchanged- likely a wise decision.