SWAN
LAKE ON ICE
The
Imperial Ice Stars
Music:
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Producers: Tony Mercer and James Cundall
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Tuesday November 28th
 |
Review of Swan Lake
On Ice -
The Imperial Ice Stars
Swan Lake On Ice providing ballet for the masses? What would Tchaikovsky have made of it all? Well, judging by this performance – and the reaction it received from the audience – the great composer would have no doubt been delighted. Swan Lake On Ice offers sumptuous sets, delightful costumes, delicate lighting, timeless music and faultless – and at times literally breathtaking – performances to draw regular gasps of delight and wonder from the audience at every twist, turn and somersault.
Those
lucky enough to be here to witness a show that took Australia by storm
earlier in the year, were treated to feats of poise and skill from a
cast that include no less than eight former Olympic Ice Dance champions,
that frequently defied logic and gravity.
It was almost as though the show’s Producers had sat down and
thought that simply interpreting the ballet on skates small fry and
deliberately made it yet more difficult and spectacular by insisting
on setting the stage alight before making some dancers skate on stilts.
What
made the show all the more memorable, however, was the fact that at
no time did anything on offer appear tacky or overstated, so well planned
was the whole production. The costumes did not outshine the sets and
the cast did not outshine the music. Instead, the whole production became
a beautifully balanced package and provided the most memorable evening
to be staged at The Liverpool Empire this year.
The only fault? That at just ten minutes
per half, the show was far too short.
This,
of course, is a trick of the mind. The show runs at a little over two
hours, including a stunning demonstration of acrobatics by the ensemble
that sees each performer attempt to outdo his or her predecessor. That
the time passed so quickly is yet further testament to the production’s
ability to mesmerise.
Whether and aficionado of classical
dance or not, Swan Lake On Ice as performed
by The Imperial Ice Stars is quite simply unmissable and should be roundly
applauded for being the superb visual theatre that it is.
10/10
http://www.imperialicestars.com/productions/sloi/movies.shtm
UK Tour
Ticket Hotline
08701 283556
Sunderland ,Sunderland Empire
21-25 November 2006
Liverpool, Liverpool Empire
28 November -
2 December 2006
Cardiff, Wales Millennium Centre
21 December 2006 -
7 January 2007
Glasgow, Theatre Royal
23-27 January 2007
High Wycombe, Swan Theatre
30 January - 3 February
Woking, New Victoria Theatre
6 - 11 February
Southampton, Mayflower Theatre
20 - 24 February
Truro, Hall for Cornwall
27 February - 3 March
Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre
6 - 10 March
Stoke on Trent, Regent Theatre
13 - 17 March
Bromley, Churchill Theatre
20 - 31 March
Edinburgh, Edinburgh Playhouse
10 - 14 April
Belfast, Grand Opera House
24 - 28 April
Eastbourne, Congress Theatre
1 - 5 May
Birmingham, Birmingham Hippodrome
8 - 12 May
Bournemouth, Pavilion Theatre
15 - 19 May
Northampton, The Derngate
22 - 26 May
Llandudno, Venue Cymru
29 May - 2 June
If so - please feel free to leave your FEEDBACK
break the rules as I see fit.” - Chris High 2003.