It is 25 years since The Nutcracker first dazzled audiences with its fabulous set, costumes and dancing.
Birmingham Royal Ballet had barely begun back in 1990, having just settled into its new home at Birmingham Hippodrome.
Sir Peter Wright’s production has been a perennial favourite ever since, announcing the countdown to Christmas in the city.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker by numbers
Using Tchaikovsky’s music, it’s the tale of a little girl called Clara who receives a present of a nutcracker on Christmas Eve.
She sneaks downstairs at midnight, when the tree grows huge, the nutcracker turns into a handsome man and giant mice and soldiers fill the room.
Clara is then transported by a flying goose to the Land of the Sweets to see the Sugar Plum Fairy.
The Nutcracker plays Birmingham Hippodrome from November 27 to December 13. For tickets, click here.
Here is BRB’s production by numbers.
296,400
The number of hairpins used since 1990, as the wigs department uses around 500 per show.
720
The number of cans of silver sparkle body paint used by the dancers playing the snowflakes since 1990.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker by numbers
494
The number of times the ballet will have been performed by the end of this season, 429 times at the Hippodrome.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker by numbers
200
The number of costumes in the show.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker by numbers
75
The weight in kilograms of flame retardant artificial snow used in the production, imported from a specialist company in New York.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker by numbers
15
The number of metres high to which the Christmas tree grows.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker by numbers
5.3
The number of miles the goose has travelled in 25 years, as it flies 20 metres across the stage, carrying Clara, at each performance.
5
Source: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/