One of the most famous ballets. One of the most famous songs. One of the most famous stories. Let me describe The Nutcracker in an oh so nontraditional way. I warn you, my take is not so magical and pleasant... It's the night before Christmas and lots of very wealthy family and friends are giddy. The children giddy through excitement and the adults...

I've heard rumours of this place. A place where the past is permeated into the floors, the walls, the doors. It has seeped into the very fabrics of the room, flooding it with over whelming nostalgia. A world of smells circulates with no distinction from one another, as they mix into something I just about remember. An alchemy like no other as my...