Joffrey Ballet - The Nutcracker Reviews

Julie N. from Chicago, Illinois

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. IT IS AWFUL!

My father was visiting from out of town and loves the ballet, especially Swan Lake. I thought it would be special for us to see the Nutcracker also by Tchaikovsky. I never would have gone if I realized the artistic director changed the whole traditional story line. The only reason I gave it two stars and not one was that some of the dancing was beautiful. The costumes were down right horrible and gaudy. The new story was ridiculous and stretched in a poor attempt to go with the beautiful music. There was Buffalo Bill and his cancan dancers, an unknown character sitting on the top of a house and dancing walnuts among others? I spent $200 a ticket and wanted my money back after the first 15 minutes. Why change a classic? HORRIBLE.

TK from Chicago, Illinois

NEW "CHICAGO" VERSION A BIG LET DOWN

We were looking forward to the Nutcracker as we have seen for many years. This new version is a joke! Think of it this way - if you were going to watch the "Wizard of OZ" but instead you got the "Wiz". It just is not the same - the dancers were awesome but the storyline created in Chicago was a bummer!

Chen from Chicago, Illinois

VERY DISAPPOINTED. WON’T MAKE IT A YEARLY TRADITION.

Just watched this afternoon as the first performance of the season 2019. Not a traditional nutcracker. Too much drastic changes since 2016. Won’t see this production again. Googled and found a 2016 New York Time review on this production. 100% agree with the review. If you find reviews by Chicago local newspapers, such as tribune and sun time, you will be fooled by these local reviews, it apparently looks like too much nepotism in play.

Drew from Grand Rapids, MI

WHO DECIDED TO KILL CHRISTMAS?

In short, bad! Been going to this show for 10 years, but no more after the change. This isn’t about being averse to change either, as I was very much looking forward to new sets and costumes possibly...but instead someone got the genius idea to kill the entire Christmas theme essentially. The traditional story of family and Christmas and princesses and princes and fairy lands is replaced with single mother, dark drab costumes, industrial sets and alike. My guess is the new director is more a fan of modern wokeness than the traditional Christmas and family values this ballet used to exemplify. Given the size of Chicago, I’m sure my attendance and that of my families won’t be missed though.

from Chicago, Illinois

DISSAPOINTING

ditto to what everyone else said. Was it fine stand alone, well done all around? Certainly. Is it nutcracker level, worth going back year after year? Absolutely not. It's a Chicago-centered novelty, not a beautiful christmas tradition. I did not come to see the Chicago skyline in Candyland. I hope they go back to the tried and true!

Eddie from Chicago, Illinois

AWFUL

I came to see every year this Jofferrey ballet "the Nutcracker" this production may not good for the someone like traditional Nutcracker. I thought it is challenging to create new story. but this year, quality of Ballet was not good. especially Corp de ballet. only few principals are very good.

Alex W. from Oak Park, Illinois

WHAT DID I JUST SEE?

I don’t understand why the Joffrey Ballet is telling people that this is The Nutcracker. There isn’t even a sugar plum fairy. It’s just sad. We spent SO MUCH MONEY on this tickets expecting to see a Christmas tradition and were so disappointed. I am not adverse to change - if the Joffrey wanted to tell a different story, that’s amazing - just call it by another name. In the coming years, we will find another venue to see the Nutcracker.

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