Reading Rep Theatre Announces World Premiere Of Helen Eastman's THE NUTCRACKER

Reading Rep Theatre today announces the world première of Helen Eastman's The Nutcracker, a brand-new musical adaption of the classic tale for all the family. The production opens at Reading Studio from 20 December, with previews from 17 December, and runs until 23 December 2019.

It's Christmas, and Marie is delighted with a new toy nutcracker from her Uncle. But this is no ordinary nutcracker...

In Drosselmeyer's workshop, the magical Nutcracker brings all the toys to life to fight off the evil Mouse King and his army - and takes the audience on a magical journey to the Kingdom of Sweets!

With original songs, live music, magical puppets and plenty of Christmas tinsel, this adaptation of A. E. Hoffman's classic story is a festive family spectacular.

Paul Stacey, Artistic Director of Reading Rep, today said "We are thrilled to be presenting another world première this Christmas and reuniting the creative team from the hugely successful Alby the Penguin. This year's show is more ambitious than ever with live music and songs. This will be the final show before we move to our new theatre and is sure to be a fitting festive celebration for the whole family."

Helen Eastman's credits as both writer and director include Foreclosure Follies (Symphony Space, international tour), Bicycle Boy (Greenwich + Docklands International Festival), Alby the Penguin Saves Christmas (Reading Rep) Dear Father Christmas, Where's Father Christmas, Father Christmas and the Icicyle Bicycle, Hurry Up Father Christmas (Oxford Playhouse), Splat (Greenwich and Lewisham Festival). Her directing credits include Fair (Trafalgar Studios), Prometheus, Agamemnon, Frogs, Lysistrata (Cambridge Arts Theatre), Circus Etc (The De La Warr Pavilion), Wild Raspberries (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow), Bug Off (OTC Dublin and tour), Cure at Troy (Delphi International Festival, UK tour), Bridgetower (Hackney Empire, UK tour), Dido and Aeneas (English Touring Opera), Hansel and Gretel (Cork Opera House), and Cloudcuckooland (international tour), Alcestis (RADA). As a writer her credits include She Sells Sea Shells (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Hercules (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre), The Price - a Suffragette Opera (W11 Opera), 147 and Chefs (Sheffield Theatres), Don't Tell Not To Fly (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Everyoung (W11 Opera), Casket Girl (Aldeburgh Theatre), In The Night Garden Live (UK tour), Bing (UK tour). Helen has recently made a series of films in Ancient Greek which were installed at the V&A, provided a literal translation of Sophocles' Philoctetes to The National Theatre for Kate Tempest's Paradise and been Classics consultant on shows including Electra (Old Vic), Translations (National Theatre) and The Goat or Who is Sylvia (Theatre Royal Haymarket). She founded the Live Canon ensemble and has created over 100 shows, pop-ups and interventions with the company at venues from Abbey Road to Broadway.

Patrick Stockbridge is a Musical Director, Composer and Pianist. His credits as Musical Director include Blood Brothers (UK tour), Closer to Heaven (Union Theatre), Die Fledermaus (King's Head Theatre), News Revue (Canal Cafe Theatre) and Ed Fringe: The Musical Revue (Edinburgh Festival Fringe). He is currently Musical Supervisor/Arranger on the forthcoming new musical, Normality at The Other Palace. Stockbridge has composed and arranged music for a range of venues including Oxford Playhouse, Symphony Hall, Birmingham and the Royal Albert Hall.