A triumphant return for The Imperial Ice Stars as the bring a restaged version of their acclaimed production of Swan Lake On Ice back to Glasgow.

After being astounded by this company and this show the last time it appeared, I was excited enough to be back watching a beautiful interpretation of the story combined with thrilling and daring ice dancing. However to discover that the show had even more elements added was indeed a bonus - and a sign that this is a production company never to rest on its laurels.

Olga Sharutenko (a previous professional on TV's Dancing on Ice) was again breathtaking in the leading role of Odette showing a grace and elegance in her performance, inlcluding a short piece of ballet pointe work (on ice!!). Taking the decision to split the White Swan/Black Swan role to two performers works extremely well in this context giving a whole new dynamic to the story. Olena Pyatash gave Odile a great dignity and showed off her award winning skills both on the ice and in the amazing lifts. A particular highlight of the production is the touching pas des trois between both leading ladies above and The Prince, danced by Andrei Penkin. The moment where both ladies are lifted from the ice (see picture above from previous production) is the combination of skill and storytelling at its best.

Vadim Yarkov provides the sinister presence of Count Von Rothbart with speed and agility that gives the fight sequence between himself and The Prince a real sense of danger. Ruslan Novoseltsev provides a lot of the humour as the Prince’s aide, Benno. His rapport with the audience and his spectacular tricks made him a stand out – something which must be difficult in a cast of this calibre.

The ensemble also provide many of the heartstopping moments too. The spectacular lifts, leaps and throws on a performance space nearly a quarter of the size of the Olympic ice rinks these stars trained on, are genuinely breathtaking. The two stumbles (well it is very slippy out there!) that occurred during this performance only prove that these daring effects are indeed challenging, even for professionals of these standards.

Tony Mercer as Artistic Director and Choreographer has another success on his hands, and I will definitely get my skates on to buy tickets next time The Imperial Ice Stars roll into town.

Performances:

Tue 19 Apr:     7.30pm

Wed 20 Apr:    2.30pm, 7.30pm

Thu 21 Apr:     2.30pm, 7.30pm

Fri 22 Apr:       7.30pm

Sat 23 Apr:      2.30pm, 7.30pm

Box Office: 08448 717 647(bkg fee)   web: www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow

SWAN LAKE ON ICE

Spectacular, sensational, amazing, fantastic...there are not enough superlatives in the English language to convey how wonderful this show is!  See it at all costs!

The world’s premiere theatrical ice skating company, The Imperial Ice Stars, enthralled the audience with a dynamic new interpretation of their award-winning masterpiece Swan Lake on Ice, as part of a two year, 22-country world tour.

The Imperial Ice Stars have received standing ovations from UK audiences on each of their previous three tours (Sleeping Beauty on Ice 2004, Swan Lake on Ice 2006, Cinderella on Ice 2008/09) and earned outstanding reviews with their adrenaline-infused performances.

This production of Swan Lake on Ice features exhilarating new choreography and some of the world’s most stylish dancing on ice from Artistic Director Tony Mercer, widely regarded as the world’s leading creator of theatre on ice, as well as new effects and costumes.

The 26 World, European and National Championship skaters, who between them hold more than 250 competition medals, take contemporary ice dance to a new level with their daring and graceful feats – some of which are so complex they haven’t yet been named – in the intimate setting of a frozen theatre stage.

“Inspired by my research into Tchaikovsky’s original score and intentions for the story, I wanted to create a more realistic interpretation of this much-loved tale and transpose it onto ice, creating a new art form in the process – ice dance in a full theatrical setting,” explains Tony Mercer. “I always felt it was a natural fit, to have swans gliding on ice.”

“I created our original Swan Lake on Ice four years ago in a classical style with elements of contemporary ice dance. With this production I’ve significantly re-worked the choreography to incorporate even more contemporary skating manoeuvres, and challenged our skaters to reach for new heights again!”

The beautifully dazzling and colourful costumes were made by the famous Bolshoi Ballet’s costume cutters from sophisticated designs by renowned costumier Albina Gabueva of Moscow’s Stanislavsky Theatre..

Swan Lake on Ice is performed against lavish backdrops and scenery created by one of Australasia’s leading scenic designers, Eamon D’Arcy. Together with Tchaikovsky’s uplifting music, this innovative portrayal of the classic love story will take your breath away.

The Imperial Ice Stars have performed to almost three million people across five continents, at some of the world’s most prestigious venues – London’s Royal Albert Hall and Sadler’s Wells, Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre, Montreal’s Place des Arts and Cape Town’s Artscape, winning five-star praise from audiences and critics alike.

Their world tours have earned them an unrivalled reputation for pushing the boundaries in the genre of ice dance with their skill and athleticism on the ice, their creative and powerful story-telling, their sumptuous sets, spectacular special effects and opulent costumes.

Whether you’ve seen The Imperial Ice Stars’ Swan Lake on Ice before or have yet to experience the thrill of world-class ice skating in the intimacy of the theatre, this dramatic new ice interpretation of one of the most popular ballets will have you on the very edge of your seat.

I marvelled at the acrobatic stunts they were able to perform in what is a relatively small space. Some of the spins and turns required absolute precision to ensure they stopped short of the edge, as the space is much smaller than an ice rink.  It’s an incredible feat of engineering to be able to effectively create a portable ice rink that has to be constructed within a day and maintained at a constant temperature of -15C!

 I loved the fact that they kept to the original fairy story and there was a lot of warmth and humour in the characters of Prince Siegfried (Andrei Penkin) and Baron Von Rothbart (Vadim Yarkov).  The Benno was played with devilish glee by Rusian Novoseltsev, reminding us of Count Dracula in his red and black cloak. 

Odette was beautifully played by Olga Sharutenko and the audience gasped when she walked and danced on points on the ice.  Oddie was also superbly performed by Olena Pyatash, who conveyed the balance between good and bad with subtle precision.

Swan Lake on Ice is the perfect antidote to a cold winter’s evening and will leave you feeling uplifted and enthralled at the skills of everyone involved in this spectacular, sensational, gorgeous production!

Get your tickets today at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, book +by calling 0844 871 7607 (bkg fee) or visit www.ambassadortickets.com/aylesbury  (bkg fee)

Performances:   25 - 29 Jan 2011 – Evenings 7.30pm – Wed, Thu & Sat Matinees 2.30pm
Tickets:   £13 - £34  
Box Office:  0844 871 7607 (bkg fee)
Groups Hotline:  0844 871 7614
Access Booking: 0844 871 7677 (bkg fee)
Online Booking: www.ambassadortickets.com/aylesbury   (bkg fee)