Picturedrome is marvellous

On New Year’s Day it broadcast on its big screen direct from the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow a magical production of Nutcracker.

We came in out of the torrential rain to our familiar cinema to see views of the snow-swept Red Square and then the sumptuous interior of the auditorium as it started to fill.

It was thrilling to hear the orchestra of the Bolshoi State Theatre live from Russia playing the overture of Tchaikovsky’s last ballet and then being mesmerised by the grace and athleticism of Nina Kaptsova as Marie and Artem Ovcharenko as Nutcracker/The Prince.

It was the second of the ‘live’ events at the Picturedrome my wife and I had attended. The first was Alfie Boe’s Bring Him Home concert streamed direct from the Royal Festival Hall before Christmas.

That was a tenor for a fiver. This time it cost £10 a ticket but it was worth every penny and a great start to 2012. I made a New Year’s resolution to attend more of these.

And during the lengthy 25-minute interval in the Moscow theatre, Picturedrome’s staff wheeled out their usherette-type trolley loaded with ice-creams and I was again first in the queue for our favourite bargain £1 ginger tubs.

Stephen Barr

London Road, Bognor Regis