Nutcracker London — London Coliseum Nutcracker

West End Ballet

Nutcracker Tickets

English National Ballet's most magical Christmas treat.

Book Tickets From £30

The Show

Nutcracker — English National Ballet

100+
Dancers and musicians on stage
Live
Tchaikovsky performed by ENB Philharmonic
4.6
Star rating from 578 audience reviews

It's Christmas Eve in Edwardian London. Clara and her mother are shopping at Drosselmeyer's Sweets & Delights Emporium when Clara meets an enchanted Nutcracker doll. As music and laughter fill the house that evening, a magical sugar plum vision takes hold — and Clara is swept away on the adventure of a lifetime, bravely defending her home from the Rat King before discovering a dazzling ice realm and the Land of Sweets & Delights, where the Sugar Plum Fairy has arranged a grand celebration in her honour.

"A vibrant new Nutcracker — a real Christmas gift."
Financial Times & The Stage

English National Ballet's acclaimed production — premiered in 2024 and now returning for its third Christmas season — is a boldly reimagined take on the beloved classic. Choreographed by ENB Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award-winner Arielle Smith, the production is set entirely in Edwardian London: a prologue shows Clara and her mother crossing gas-lit streets alive with chimney sweeps, suffragette campaigners, and pickpocket children — before the magic begins.

Designer Dick Bird's sets are described by critics as "wondrous" and "astoundingly pretty" — from a filigree of icicles in the ice realm to a seahorse-drawn sleigh gliding through moonlit skies. Act II transforms the traditional national dances into celebrations of world sweets: Spanish turrón, Egyptian sahlab, Chinese tanghulu, Ukrainian makivnyk, German marzipan, and of course, a full company of Liquorice Allsorts. Throughout, Tchaikovsky's immortal score is performed live by the English National Ballet Philharmonic, bringing the full grandeur of the music to the Coliseum's magnificent acoustic.

Press Reviews

"A vibrant new Nutcracker. Dick Bird's designs are wondrous, and the whole production hits the sweet spot."
Financial Times & The London Standard
"A real Christmas gift. A cleverly imagined visual feast — fresh, colourful and very original."
The Stage & Arts Hub ★★★★
"A solid success. Dick Bird's sets are wondrous — the ice seahorse sleigh could be out of a futuristic movie."
The Guardian & British Theatre Guide
"Ivana Bueno is enchanting as Clara; alert and powerful, with tender partnering from Francesco Gabriele Frola as the Prince. Dick Bird's colourful designs will linger long in the memory."
Broadway World ★★★★

What to Expect

Tchaikovsky's score performed live
Over 100 dancers & musicians
Spectacular Dick Bird set & costumes
Edwardian London setting
Rat King battle & ice realm magic
The Land of Sweets & Delights
The Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux
Perfect for all the family, ages 5+

Tickets

Book Your Seats

Choose your date and seats via our live booking platform. eTickets sent instantly by email.

🎁 Family Friendly Matinee — Sat 3 Jan, 2.30pm. Children under 5 are welcome at this performance only. For each full-paying adult, up to two children's tickets are available at just the cost of the booking fee. Children under 16 receive a 25% discount at all other performances.
Theatre
London Coliseum
St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4ES
Running Time
2 hours
Including a 20-minute interval
Age Recommendation
Ages 5+
Under 5s not admitted (except Family Matinee)
Dates
17 Dec 2026 — 10 Jan 2027
The perfect festive tradition
Cancellation Policy
Full refunds
For event cancellations
Good to Know
Sound & flashing lights
Small explosion effect & large-scale motion projection in Act 1
On Arrival
Display eTickets on your phone
Or present a printed ticket at the box office
Latecomers
You can still watch on a monitor
Staff will seat you at the earliest appropriate break

Gallery

Nutcracker Photos

The Edwardian London street scene outside Drosselmeyer's Sweets and Delights Emporium in English National Ballet's Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
Edwardian London — Drosselmeyer's Sweets & Delights
Anna Nevzorova as the Ice Queen with English National Ballet artists as Snowflakes in the Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
The Ice Queen & the Snowflakes
Drosselmeyer reveals the Nutcracker doll at the Christmas Eve party in English National Ballet's Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
Drosselmeyer at the Christmas Eve party
Ivana Bueno as Clara and Francesco Gabriele Frola as the Nutcracker Prince dancing in the ice realm in English National Ballet's Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
Clara & the Nutcracker Prince in the ice realm
Emma Hawes as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Aitor Arrieta as the Sugar Plum Cavalier in English National Ballet's Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
The Sugar Plum Fairy & the Sugar Plum Cavalier
The full company of English National Ballet in the Land of Sweets and Delights finale of the Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
The Land of Sweets & Delights — finale
Production photos by Johan Persson & ASH

Production

Nutcracker Cast & Creatives

Clara
TBA
Previously: Ivana Bueno
The Prince / Nutcracker
TBA
Previously: Francesco Gabriele Frola
Sugar Plum Fairy
TBA
Cast announced closer to opening
Drosselmeyer
TBA
Previously: Junor Souza
Ice Queen
TBA
Previously: Anna Nevzorova
Rat King
TBA
Previously: James Streeter
Young Clara
TBA
Previously: Delilah Wiggins
Company
English National Ballet
100+ dancers & musicians

Please note: principal casting for the 2026/27 season is published a few months in advance of opening. Full daily cast sheets are available on the day of each performance. Cast is subject to change without notice.

Venue

Getting to the London Coliseum

London Coliseum · St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4ES

LS
Leicester Square
Northern & Piccadilly lines. Walk south down St Martin's Lane — the Coliseum is straight ahead at the bottom.
3 min
CC
Charing Cross
Bakerloo & Northern lines. Walk north up St Martin's Lane — the Coliseum is on your right.
5 min
EM
Embankment
Circle, District, Bakerloo & Northern lines. Walk north across Trafalgar Square then up St Martin's Lane.
8 min
CC
Charing Cross
Southeastern services. Exit onto the Strand, walk west to Trafalgar Square, then north up St Martin's Lane.
5 min
EL
Tottenham Court Road
Elizabeth line. Walk south down Charing Cross Road to Leicester Square, then right onto St Martin's Lane.
10 min
VX
London Victoria
Take the tube to Charing Cross (Bakerloo line one stop from Waterloo) or Leicester Square (Victoria to Green Park, Piccadilly line).
20 min
Bus
St Martin's Lane (direct)
Route 176 stops directly outside. Routes 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 23, 24, 29, 87, 91, 139 stop nearby on the Strand or Trafalgar Square.
Door
N
Night buses
N3, N9, N11, N15, N21, N29 serve Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross through the night.
24hr
Congestion Charge Zone
The Coliseum is within the CCZ. Charge applies Mon–Fri 7am–6pm, Sat–Sun 12pm–6pm. Most evening and weekend performances fall outside CCZ hours — check tfl.gov.uk.
Drop-off point
St Martin's Lane is closed to traffic 11am–11pm daily. Best drop-off point is William IV Street at the bottom of St Martin's Lane.
Q-Park Chinatown / Leicester Square · 5 min walk
Newport Place, WC2H 7PR. Open 24hrs. Walk north on Charing Cross Road and right onto St Martin's Lane.