November 2024 – unicornpostbox

On Saturday 16th November, me and my lovely Auntie Cath went to Cast in Doncaster to see the incredible Crown Ballet production of The Nutcracker..

I have always wanted to see a ballet. During a conversation about Billy Elliot being one of my auntie’s favourite films, and her having seen Swan Lake in Bradford, which she said was outstanding 👏 , we decided to book up at Cast for what would be a fantastic Christmas ballet show 🥰

Marius Petipa (1818-1910) was a very talented ballet master, influencing, developing and pioneering a high mastery of ballet classical dance – The Nutcracker is considered a model of classical choreography; Petipa the founder of Russian ballet. In all of his ballets there is a specific subject.

In collaboration with Petipa, and working closely together, The Nutcracker was formed by Tchaikovsky, an extremely famous Russian composer. It was first performed 18th December 1892 in St Petersburg, at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Over 120 years past it’s infancy, the ballet remains an integral part of Christmas celebration. Petipa introduced the scenario, based on the Hoffman French adapted tale ‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’.

Although outwardly the pair, Petipa and Tchaikovsky worked together in perfect harmony, Petipa’s music was deemed too complicated for stage. Petipa actually drew out of production with ill health, and for several years his assistant Lev Ivanov took over the choreography, although Petipa continued to give strict guidelines!

Tchaikovsky was not actually initially impressed, however the story grew on him, and surpassed previous expectations, eventually loving it beyond all other projects. He had a ‘secret instrument’ from Paris, a tinkling celesta, forever associated with the sugar plum fairy 🧚‍♂️

The ballet was not an instant success, however it gained popularity, arriving in the West 1934, and now a universal Christmas favourite 🎄🎄

The synopsis of The Nutcracker is as follows (spoiler alert):

Act one, scene one: Christmas eve, and presents are gathered around a beautiful enormous Christmas tree; ballerinas, mouse dolls and a nutcracker, placed there by Marie’s father. A Christmas eve gathering commences, guests arrive and start dancing. A magician 🎩 suddenly appears, and moving toys start dancing too. This awes and fascinates all the children. A house keeper comes with a gigantic cake 🎂 It is revealed the magician is Marie’s dad, he offers out the delicious cake. Marie is too preoccupied however with her favourite nutcracker doll. As the night darkens, the guests say their farewells and the children go to sleep. Marie falls asleep with the nutcracker cosy in her arms.

Act one, scene two: Marie has such an awful dream! The king of mice, horrible and ruthless, tries to capture her beloved nutcracker. Huge ugly grey mice lurk around the room and bombard. Marie is very afraid. Thankfully the nutcracker bravely triumphs and imprisons the king of mice in a mousetrap. The nutcracker has injuries, but miraculously transforms into a handsome prince. Dancing under star-filled skies, the nutcracker invited Marie to a fairy tale realm

Act two: Everyone is joyous of the king of mice’s demise and are full of victorious celebration. The hosts of the magical world ball, the prince of pertussis and the renowned sugar plum fairy, welcome the transformed dolls. The dolls perform various dances from a wide array of countries; Chinese, Arabic, French, Russian, Spanish, etc – culminating together in an epic final dance… Unfortunately, it was all but a dream! Marie awakens on Christmas day morning, gently holding her toy nutcracker. What a shame!

The ballet was completely breathtaking, I was so impressed! So elegant, so classy, it swept you away into another world entirely. Poise, skillful mastery and sophistication. Iconic arabesques, powerful Jetes, graceful pirouettes, grand plies, the dolls dancing pas de deux duets. I was most impressed by the Arabian dolls 😍 They were simply superb, with their eastern exotic moves, all kinds of unbelievable poses, so talented!

Overall, I am delighted we decided to go see my first ballet, the Nutcracker. A perfect beginning to the festive period 🥰🥰

(All information obtained by the Crown Ballet souvenir programme)

I have a few things lined up for my next blog posts.. I am on with a small turtle 🐢 diamond art, and another one of two colourful zebras which will take me weeks! 8000 crystals! I also have a ‘winter fox’ Christmas themed pub painting in December, and I shall also do a theatre review in the new year of three festive pantomines: Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland! 💕💕 So watch this space!

As always, thank you so much for supporting me and reading my blog posts. All the best, Lauren xx

Hi everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to write this review, I realise Halloween 🎃 was a good few weeks back, hope you enjoy the review in any case!

On Thursday 24th October 2024, me and my good friends Lou and Aaron went to the highly popular, multi-award winning, and greatly anticipated ‘Fear Factory’ for Halloween celebrations at Thornhurst Manor, Doncaster. 5 year running! It was incredible!

As soon as we arrived, even in the queue, there was a petrifying clown 🤡 chasing people with a chainsaw! And also a creepy woman who looked like the scary woman from ‘The Ring’, with dark hair falling eerily in front of her face.

We had our photo taken with props before entering the manor. In total, there were 5 different scary mazes to experience;

Diabolus: Witches of Salem
The Pogo Club
Crackle Hill: The Summoning
The Chasm
Friargate Foundry (the brand new maze for 2024)

Diabolus: Witches of Salem – The theme of this maze was salem witchcraft. The story; Thomas Parker, the town’s new priest (1962) investigates black magic, his daughter Martha suspected to have the mark of the devil! 😈 The torturous church awaits those brave enough to enter, and come face to face with the malevolent witches 🧙‍♂️ of Salem! Ready to pounce and terrify!

The Pogo Club – The Pogo Club is an epic nightclub, refurbished last year and under ‘new management’. It’s mint! All around the walls, everywhere, there is fluorescent colourful bright and bold glow paint, it really is immense. Such fun, loads of twists, turns, wrong ways and surprises!

Crackle Hill: The Summoning – The theme of this maze is paranormal investigation. Scientists hold a seance in hopes of summoning Agatha Stone, leader of an occult, and involved with worshipping the devil! 😈 She even sacrifices her own children, their young bodies buried under floorboards! Can you hear their screaming souls? 😱 Is Agatha’s spirit still lurking, waiting for new sacrifices? Beware!

The Chasm – The Chasm is a mine. Workers were sent underground but unfortunately the Chasm started collapsing. All escaped, except one miner. Rescuers were feared trapped and buried, as they did not return. Has something more sinister happened? It is our mission to explore the darkest, deepest crevices, avoid falling debris, beware sharp turns, and apprehensively crawl through confined spaces, in the dreaded darkness, to rescue the missing miner!

Friargate Foundry – Apparently, the scare park, with all it’s rooms, every year for Halloween 🎃 at fear factory, were all meticulously designed by the twisted and sick mind of ‘The Operator’. Thinking of ways to unlock new fears, manufacturing and amplifying your worst nightmarish visions, so hellish, so deranged, so petrifying! He has always been there, in the background, unseen, unheard, conjuring new methods of terror to unleash this Halloween. Past, present, future, there is no escape! Mwah-ha-ha!

I have always wanted to go to a proper official Halloween scarefest. And I was not disappointed!

In every maze there were elements of flashing strobe lights, pools of smoke, pitch black darkness, very disorientating! The actors were fantastic 👏 dressed up in Halloween costumes; jumping out, screaming in your face, pulling your hair, taunting, etc. The whole experience was both terrifying and terrific!

At the venue, there were burger vans and also sweet treats, such as chocolate marshmallows and Belgium waffles. They also had entertainment in the form of contemporary sci-fi inspired dance, and Waltzers. Classic. I observed while Lou and Aaron went on the Waltzers, I was feeling a little queasy by that point, ha! 😆

Overall, a fantastic event. I would definitely go again next year, except I have heard rumours it may close 😢 What would be brilliant next year is to go Halloween at Alton Towers, that’d be amazing!

Here are a few photos from the night: