The Nutcracker, Manchester Opera House. Runs until Saturday

THE Nutcracker returned to Manchester on Thursday night with the squeaky clean ballet once again enthralling a festive audience.

This time, the English National Ballet made a few tweaks in a bid to make the experience of this great show even more compelling.

Much of it was to be applauded. The audience was in awe as snowflakes spilled from a giant fridge, for instance, adding a touch of genius.

And the choreography was at times breathtaking.

Some parts of the show, however, threatened to overshadow the dancers such was the sheer exhausting razzmatazz of the show.

But the Nutcracker is hardly the most in-depth, taxing drama on earth and it is not without need for a change here or there.

The set designs were outrageously fun and seeing The Nutcracker is always preferable to not seeing The Nutcracker so it was a more than worthwhile evening's entertainment.

Ideal for those who have seen the show in its purist form and want to see something a bit more imaginative.