A Little Post-"Nutcracker" Nuttiness

November 28, 2001

We all know how things get toward the end of long runs of The Nutcracker. Come late December, as the performance tally gets higher and higher, many of us begin to feel a little crazy. (Some companies even channel that cabin fever into spoof performances, like Ballet West’s Nutty Nutcracker.)

In this video, posted yesterday, a Moscow Ballet “Arabian” background dancer (the one on the left whose costume vaguely approximates the Cheetos mascot) decided to have a little extra fun during a performance. The result is, we’re sorry to say, very funny.

You do feel for the soloists in front, who are doing a beautiful job, apparently unaware of the clown behind them. But after a while, it’s hard not to root for the scene-stealer, especially once he starts to go full-on Elvis. Take a look:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qmjrFzD61dw