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The Slutcracker at Somerville Theatre
Ballet-parody masterpiece The Slutcracker has been delivering raunchy, ribald revelry and erotic good vibrations to Somerville Theatre audiences since 2008. Based on Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's famed 1890s ballet The Nutcracker, it combines high culture with burlesque tradition and gathers together local ballet dancers, strippers, belly dancers, pole performers, hula-hoopers, acrobats, plus other eccentric and exotic dancers.
In The Slutcracker, sequins and glitter meet fleshy natural beauty with an emphasis on diversity, individuality and an adults-only approach to sexual freedom. "Classic" female-gendered performers share the stage with male and trans performers. Risqué costumes and blush-inducing props assure that this is not a Nutcracker for kids — so 18 and over only, please.
About The Slutcracker
The Slutcracker was created by choreographer-director Vanessa White, a former Nutcracker dancer who still performs as the Sugar Dish Fairy in this saucy adaptation featuring her Lipstick Criminals troupe. "Like all art, people will take away what it means to them," she once explained to The Tufts Daily. "All I ever wanted to do was make a beautiful show — and funny, and sexy." Her work is set to Tchaikovsky's score as recorded by the Czech Republic's Brno Philharmonic Orchestra.
White's major modification of the E. T. A. Hoffmann short story that inspired the original was to transform the ballet's youthful sibling protagonists, Clara and Fritz, into a dissatisfied engaged couple.
Clara and Fritz explore a garden of previously forbidden sexual delights in the work's dreamlike second act, when The Slutcracker cuts loose with a wide variety of titillating capers featuring Russian dominatrixes, the erotic Dance of the Reed Pole, and a troupe of sexually indeterminate clowns. Other set pieces include "Waltz of the Flowers and Wet-Spot Fairy," a Busby Berkeley take-off, and a Bacchanalia involving both the onstage performers and a team of "Fluffers" working among the audience. Suffice to say that The Slutcracker contains everything audiences love about the original holiday perennial – and a whole lot more.
This is my 4th year coming to the Slutcracket and it’s a great time. You are missing out if you never been to this amazing show. Love the cast and the creator, you all are amazing.
Show was super fun. It’s great to see a sexy show filled with so much representation from different body and gender identities.
Was funny , wish the seats weren’t GA as I bought tickets so far in advance as I heard the show was that GREAT . So didn’t get the full experience I would’ve liked
This is my 8th show! Never dissapointed! I like how they have a different variation of the show every time I have gone. Plus their mixed drinks are out of this world (get The Grinch).
First, I was very happy with what the theater was able to do for me a wheelchair user. They brought out a folding chair for my husband and stuck us right up front. It was so nice to have the choice to stay in my chair it sit in the theater chairs. I ended up transferring to the theater chairs which are quite comfy and placed my feet on my chair. I was so comfortable which unfortunately never happens for full time manual wheelchair users. I will say, the slope in the theater is not ADA. I had to go down the ramp inside the theater in a wheelie or you could go down backwards. The other thing I would recommend is to go on a Thursday. It is much less busy and that could be why they were so available to help me out. The performance itself was a good value. I would not say it is a super perfect performance in terms of dancing, sometimes they fall out of turns or drop an item on stage. I think this is made up for the fact that the cast has such great energy and this performance is so outside the norm. The two main leads of our performance were definitely the best performers. I think the cast’s ability to communicate without words was very good. There were only a few parts of the show that I did not understand what was happening in the interactions. It was such a joy to see all the different body types represented. It makes you realize that we have been taught there is only one version of beauty and that is simply not true. The highlights for the show (spoilers so stop reading here) are the pole dancer, the s&m whip cracking dancers and the dance ending when you think the show is over. This is not the show for a judgemental type or more proper type person-the name of this is a dead giveaway. This is for the open minded individual that have a great sense of humor or can get a great sense of humor with some alcohol. Overall, it was a great show and I would certainly return with friends to see it again. The price of the ticket I think is just right. One last note, bring a jacket or a blanket since it is not warm in the theater.
Seriously. It's a burlesque version of The Nutcracker. What's not to love? It's almost like a Boston holiday institution at this point. Go at least once. I promise, you'll come back another year. That this exists gives me hope and renews my faith in humanity.
It was the worst show I’ve ever seen! Big waste of time. And the theater was filthy. My shoes literally stuck to the floor. Will never go back!
I have been attending this show since 2012 and it has yet to let me down. There's always something new/different every year to look forward to but, really, my favorite part is the directors participation. Her back story is so important to share and proves that The Slutcracker is for everyone and anyone to enjoy. Already planning my 2nd show this season!
Bought tickets on a whim and this was a great choice! It's lighthearted and funny and was a great show. I highly recommend, will return if they show it again in my area next year!
We go to this show every year and it and it never disappoints.
What a fun night. Amazing dancing and a lot of fun.
This is a very funny, very creative show. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible for us to see most of it from our seats in the middle of the balcony. Other people's heads totally blocked our view of the front of the stage, and we're not short. I don't know what the rest of the balcony views are like, or the floor seats, but our seats made for a frustrating experience.
Performers were most definitely exuberant, as was the audience. Sat in front row balcony: with my friend and, I believe, a mother and daughter -- which was sweet and cozy. While the idea is inspired, the narrative thread, for me, frayed. Difficult to get a sense of what was going on and why. That is, while the introduction said that familiarity with the Nutcracker didn't matter, I felt a little lost. Toward the end I was consulting my virtual program, impatient for things to wrap up. There's a positive therapeutic aspect to the experience. It's healing to see skillful bodies of diverse sizes, ethnicities, playing and mugging and being their full selves. Yay! Visibility. Open sexuality charms as well. Ultimately, I may just not be a burlesque person. Yet I appreciate an escape from what can feel like the strangulating norms of the season.
I've been coming to the show every year for about 5 years. The dancers are exceptional, the story is witty and entertaining. There's something new every year!
Love love love this show!!!! It’s a Christmas time must see!
Funny experience and I recommend for a few friends
It's hilarious, fun, amateuresque, ridiculously fun props, brave performers, nudity with little to no boundaries. Go see it if you want to bring a conversation topic to the Xmas table
The theater was nice but it felt so cold like the ac was blowing right on us.
With the pandemic closing the show down, it's nice to see it upand running again. It seems to improve every time I have seen it.
It was funny and witty. A much needed adult night with the usual tradition but with a twist - loved it!
