Terry Wills is impressed, and more, by this New Alexandra Theatre reworking of an old classic.
This truly is a period when the Alex has hit the jackpot-playing host to a selection of shows that can rarely, if ever been bettered. The current production – the Imperial Ice Stars’ Sleeping Beauty on Ice, can be summed up in a single word. Amazing.
The problem is where to start in a vain attempt to transfer the happenings succinctly into print, for those not granted the privilege of seeing it at first hand.
But here goes. For a truly unique show that’s as far removed from a ‘traditional’ ice show as can be imagined, note these Ice facts. To transform a small theatre stage to an ice rink, 14 tonnes of ice are created in the production – the same weight as nearly three elephants. In a theatre, the ice rink takes over 140 man hours to build but only 30 man hours to dismantle, and the rink reaches temperatures of minus 15 degrees, three times colder than your household freezer. A strict timetable needs to be followed in order that the ice rink to be ready in time for rehearsal skating at 5.00 pm on opening night.
Fascinating, but these plus many others are simply forgotten when this grandiose well-loved fairy tale springs, or should I say leaps, into action.
The storyline is a familiar one. The whole kingdom arrives to celebrate the birth of Princess Aurora. The king and queen have invited the fairies to be godmothers at the christening, but the black fairy, Calaboose, who has been omitted from the guest list in error , is furious at the insult and announces that she also has a gift for baby Aurora – a curse that one day she will prick a finger on a needle and die.
Twenty years on and due to a combination of circumstances orchestrated by the evil Calaboose, Aurora does prick her finger on a needle disguised in a rose and falls into a deep sleep. Enter the Lilac Fairy to fulfil her promise that
Aurora will not die, but sleep until the day a prince comes along to awaken her with a kiss that ensures a happy ending.
But the story is forgotten when set against the fantastic gymnastic ice dancing skills that fill the rink to an unbelievable degree, and leaves the audience cheering for more.
Naturally I tend to associate ice skating with the legends of Torville and Dean, and Robin Cousins, winning Olympics and world titles. This production is very different. We also see acrobatic skills in the air as skaters defy logic by performing dangerous routines. Perfectly synchronised skating – from duets to the full 26 strong cast- skating to music composed by the legendary Tchaikovsky. And then there are the costumes, and what costumes! A fusion of 110 deep rich colours leaving everyone marvelling at their creation.
The Imperial Ice Stars are acknowledged to be the world’s leading theatrical ice dancing company, not surprising as the skaters have amassed over 200 competition medals between them from national, European and world
championships. Mainly composed by the cream of Russian skating talent, most starting from a very early age, they thrill the audience from the opening minute, climaxed by an encore that sees the rink transformed by a cast that swirls, twirls, and gyrates at speeds one would think impossible on ice.
The principal role of Princess Aurora is taken by Olga Shareutenko, who incidentally partnered Keith Chegwin in the ITV series Dancing on Ice. She is captivating in the extreme but such is the depth of talent within the company it’s difficult, unless one is an expert on the complexities and skills required to be top professional skater, to judge one skater from another. But in saying that special mention has to be made of Volodymyr Khodakivvskyy and Fiona Kirk. They perform the aerial flying Sequences that enthralled the first night audience when never they appeared.
Yes, the word to describe this performance has to be ‘amazing’.
Sleeping Beauty on Ice continues at the new Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham until Saturday.
