English-born James Cundall has enjoyed a unique career spanning three decades, three continents and three rather different occupations.
Originally qualifying as a chartered surveyor and working for the family firm of estate agents and auctioneers, Cundalls, in North Yorkshire, James then moved to London to pursue a career in finance. He worked in the finance industry for 12 years as Director and Acting Managing Director of the Private Client Business of Global Asset Management (GAM) in London and Hong Kong, and later as Chief Executive of the Asian/Japanese business of Rothschild Asset Management, running offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.
Concurrent with his career in finance, in 1992 James founded Lunchbox Theatrical Productions in Hong Kong, with a group of like-minded businessmen who met during their lunch hour. Over the next six years Lunchbox Theatrical Productions created a reputation for presenting quality international productions in Hong Kong, with shows such as Les Miserables, South Pacific, Barnum, The New Rocky Horror Show, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, as well as the acclaimed Alegria from Cirque du Soleil.
From 1998 the company expanded its reach to Singapore, bringing David Helfgott in recital and the boutique show Stomp to a new audience.
In 1999, James temporarily put Lunchbox Theatrical Productions on the shelf and moved to Sydney to take up the role of Director of Arts and Entertainment for Australasia, with IMG. He was responsible for over 30 productions in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia during his four years with IMG, including major musicals Chicago, Singin’ In The Rain, Cabaret, Oliver, Miss Saigon, Fame and Cats; shows such as Riverdance, Slava’s Snowshow, Tap Dogs and Jamie Oliver the Naked Chef; and concerts by Andrea Bocelli, Shirley Bassey, The Hollies, Kiri te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel, Renee Fleming, and the Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
In 2003 James joined International Concert Attractions (ICA), the only publicly listed live entertainment company in Australia, as Joint Managing Director. ICA productions included The Blue Room, Hi-5, The Hollow Crown starring Sir Derek Jacobi and Sir Donald Sinden, Scaramouche Jones starring Pete Postlethwaite, Clive James, Pam Ayres, The Soweto Gospel Choir and Umoja. During James’ tenure, ICA expanded its portfolio to include ice shows, major exhibitions and musicals, such as The Nutcracker On Ice, The Sydney and Melbourne Affordable Art Shows, The Full Monty and Saturday Night Fever.
James Cundall returned to the UK in 2004 to re-establish Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, which now has subsidiaries in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore.
He also established The Imperial Ice Stars with fellow producer Tony Mercer, widely regarded as the world’s leading creator of theatre on ice shows. This internationally renowned skating troupe has toured The Sleeping Beauty on Ice (2004-6) and Swan Lake on Ice (2006-8) to such countries as Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Finland, Monaco, Hong Kong, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, South Africa, Canada and the UK. 2008 saw a return UK tour of The Sleeping Beauty on Ice, including performances at some of England’s finest stately homes in the specially created Tented Ice Palace. The Imperial Ice Stars’ latest production Cinderella on Ice premiered in New Zealand and Australia in 2008 and continues to garner outstanding reviews on its two year world tour.
Since 2004 Lunchbox Theatrical Productions has also produced The Phantom of the Opera, We Will Rock You, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Ennio Marchetto, Stomp, Jamie Oliver, Lesley Garrett, Anthony Warlow, Elaine Paige, Raise the Red Lantern by the Chinese National Ballet, Hale and Pace, Roy Chubby Brown, Clive James, The Woman in Black, Circus Oz, Grumpy Old Women, Stuff Happens by David Hare, Barney Let’s Imagine Live!, Thomas & Friends Live on Stage!, Abba Mania, The 39 Steps and The Ice Factor – an open-air Christmas ice rink in York (UK).
In addition to the ongoing Cinderella on Ice world tour, 2009 sees Lunchbox presenting Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS in Singapore, Hong Kong, Brisbane and Adelaide, an Australia/New Zealand/Singapore tour of Stomp, a medley of popular children’s show characters in Little Big Club in Hong Kong, Abba Mania in Hong Kong, and The Ice Factor’s 5th season in York, UK.
Tony Mercer – Producer & Artistic Director
Award-winning Tony Mercer is recognised as one of the world’s leading directors of theatre-on-ice shows. His productions over the past 14 years have toured extensively throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Russia, South Africa and Canada.
Tony developed his hobby of working in theatre into a full time career following a serious leg injury, which curtailed his dream of becoming a professional footballer.
Starting out as a production rigger, he rapidly progressed to becoming a lighting designer and began travelling the world, lighting shows and working as a tour manager and production manager for such international artists as The Three Degrees, Dionne Warwick, The Supremes, Elkie Brooks, Kool & The Gang, The Commodores, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Jack Jones, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes to name just a few, before going on to manage The Dooleys.
In 1993 Tony was invited to join Wild Rose Ice Theatre as Production Executive for the company’s first tour of The Sleeping Beauty on Ice and was later appointed Artistic Director. In 1994 Tony directed his first ice show, Summer Ice Spectacular, before going on to direct Phantom of the Opera on Ice, Barnum on Ice, Carmen on Ice, Cinderella on Ice, a second tour of Sleeping Beauty on Ice, Peter Pan on Ice, and lastly the 2003 Australasian touring production of The Nutcracker on Ice.
In 2004 Tony Mercer, Vladislav Olenin and James Cundall set up The Imperial Ice Stars and toured The Sleeping Beauty on Ice in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, UK, Germany, Holland, and South Africa (2005) as part of a world tour.
From 2006-2008 Swan Lake on Ice toured five continents, playing to more than 1.5 million people and earning universal praise from critics and audiences alike. 2008–2010 sees The Imperial Ice Stars’ world tour of its latest production Cinderella on Ice.
David Atkins OAM - Artistic Director, Producer
Honoured in 2003’s Queen’s birthday list with an OAM for services to the entertainment industry, David Atkins is one of Australia’s most awarded and highly recognised Producers and Director/Choreographers.
David Atkins has starred in, produced, directed, choreographed and created over twenty Musicals in Australia, Asia, Great Britain, America and Canada. David has also performed in, produced, directed and choreographed for Film, Television and Arena. He is the recipient of 9 ‘Mo’ Awards (Australian Tony Award equivalent), four for outstanding achievement in Musical Theatre and two as Australian Show business Ambassador of the year.
He is the first and only Australian to win an MTV award for choreography (for an Elton John music video) and his production of ‘Hot Shoe Shuffle’ won the prestigious Olivier Award and was the first Australian Musical on London’s West End. David has won Green Room Awards, two Aria awards, Variety Heart Awards and an Advance Australia Award for his contribution to the performing arts.
Currently, David is proud to be the Executive Producer of the Opening, Closing & Victory Ceremonies for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. David was also the Producer and Artistic Director of the Opening & Closing Ceremonies of the 15th Asian Games which was staged in Doha, Qatar, in December 2006. Juan Antonio Samaranch, the president of the International Olympic Committee, presented David with a Gold Olympic pin for his work as Artistic Director and Producer of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Opening & Closing Ceremonies.
Tim A. Duncan - Composer and Arranger
This is Tim's twelfth consecutive year working on music for Tony Mercer, and probably the most demanding to date. Re-arranging Tchaikovsky's music to suit ice dance yet remain faithful to the master's original score was challenging to say the least. The Manchester Light Symphony Orchestra was created to perform the music and Tim, together with Peter Whitfield and Edward Barnwell, set about re-scoring and reorchestrating Swan Lake.
Experience gained on Tim's original scores for Barnum on Ice and Phantom of the Opera on Ice proved crucial to the way in which the music was put together both from a recording point of view and from the practical difficulties brought about when recording in the UK whilst the show director, choreographers and dancers are rehearsing in Moscow.
Tim studied music at the Royal College of Music, London, as did Peter Whitfield. Edward Barnwell won a scholarship to the Yehudi Menuhin School of Music and completed his music training at the Royal Northern College of Music. This background in classical training together with over 15 years studio recording experience, encompassing a vast range of musical styles, rock to classical to choral to theatre, and numerous credits on many recordings both here and abroad gives Tony Mercer and the Imperial Ice Stars the music they need to complete the wonderful experience that is ice dance.
Edward Barnwell - Composer and Arranger
Born in Yorkshire, England, Edward started playing the piano at the
age of three. Aged nine, he was awarded a scholarship to the Yehudi
Menuhin school where he studied for four years under Barbara
Kerslake and Louis Kentner. Following a period studying the sciences,
he completed his musical studies at the Royal Northern College of
Music in Manchester.
Amongst his many public appearances as a soloist have been
performances at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London and at De Doelen,
Rotterdam.
His recent work has included a Suite for Double Quartet commissioned
by the Manchester Jazz Festival and subsequently performed at the
Lowry and at the 2007 Rotherham festival, and solo and ensemble
performances at the 2005 Edinburgh International Festival and 2007
Manchester Jazz Festival. As both composer and performer, he is
currently involved in a number of projects encompassing classical
music and jazz.
Vladislav Olenin - Producer
A graduate of the Moscow Physical Culture Academy in Sports Management and a former speed skater, Vladic initially turned his attention away from the world of ice to pursue his business interests. He is now the owner and CEO of trans-Siberian transport/railroad companies and also sits on the board of a property development company.
Over the last four years, he has worked alongside Tony Mercer in producing The Phantom of the Opera on Ice, Barnum on Ice and Nutcracker on Ice in the United Kingdom and Europe. Vladislav is excited to be joining Tony and James Cundall as a producer of the Imperial Ice Stars.
Eamon D’Arcy – Set Design
Eamon has designed for theatre, dance and musical theatre companies Australia wide. Recent projects include Sydney Music Theatre’s Night & Dreams and with Lyndon Terracini, The Mercenary and Mr BBQ, Windmill’s Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, and The Snow Queen (Windmill/STC). Eamon was a Production Designer for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. He was also the Production Designer for both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.
In 2002 Eamon was designer of the Manchester Commonwealth Games Handover Ceremony, The Man from Snowy River Arena Spectacular, the national tour of Black Chicks Talkin’ (La Boite/QPAC) and most recently Saturday Night Fever in Australia and London’s West End.
Gavan Swift – Lighting Designer
Gavan Swift graduated from Australia’s National Institute for Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1994. Since then he has been in constant demand as a lighting designer for plays, musicals and corporate events.
His musical lighting designs include The Pirates of Penzance, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Little Shop of Horrors, Sweet Charity, Fiddler on the Roof, Jolson, Buddy and Oh! What a Night. Gavan’s most recent work includes OzOpera’s production of La Boh éme, The Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Stones in His Pockets; the Ensemble Theatre’s productions of All My Sons, Noises Off, and Lush; and the Australian tour of Burn The Floor together with Saturday Night Fever in Australia and London’s West End.
Vladimir Uliyanov - Rehearsal Director
Vladimir Uliyanov was born in Moscow and graduated from the Ballet Academy in 1963. He went on to join the Moiseiev Dance Company where performed as a soloist until 1987. As a soloist Vladimir performed all over the world in over sixty countries. He completed his studies at the Institutes of Ballet and graduated as a Ballet Master, going on to become a qualified ballet teacher.
From 1970 Vladimir changed direction and began working alongside some of Russia’s top ice skaters including Olympic ice dance champions Bestemianova/Bukin, Klimova/Ponomarenko and more recently Olympic Champions Ilia Kulik and Alexei Yagudin. In 1999 Vladimir became the Rehearsal Director for the Russian Ice Stars and worked on Peter Pan on Ice, The Phantom of the Opera on Ice, Barnum on Ice, Nutcracker on Ice and Ice Spectacular.
He is delighted to be transferring his skills and experience to work with the prestigious “Imperial Ice Stars” company. In his own words ‘The most amazing collection of ice performers I have yet to see’.
Albina Georgievna Gabueva - Costume Designer
Albina Georgievna Gabueva has been an artist-designer for 30 years. She started as a director of workshops, producing theatrical costumes for the Drama theatre. At the same time she designed and made costumes for the theatre’s productions.
During her creative work she decorated more than one hundred productions for Moscow Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko. She received an invitation from the chief artist of the theatre A.F. Lushin and worked there for 20 years. She not only supervised the production of theatrical costumes for Opera and Ballet Theatre but was the author of many productions.
Together with the main work A.G. Gabueva designed costumes for a variety of theatres around this country. For over 10 years she has cooperated with Wella-Dolores (Russian national team of cosmetologists and hairdressers). She designed and sewed evening dresses for the national team of stylists for the tournaments that took place in the USA, the UK, France, Japan, South Korea and other countries.
Currently, A.G. Gabueva is a free-lance artist and producer, working for a number of Russia’s producing theatres.
Maria Orlova – Assistant Rehearsal Director
Maria was born in Moscow and has been involved in the world of ice skating since the age of five years old. In her sports career, Maria won numerous national and international skating competitions at different levels. Amongst her varied collection is a bronze medal from the Junior World Championships held in Australia in 1988 and also a Gold Medal from the Russian National Cup.
After turning professional, Maria performed in shows around the world performing in the Bobrin Ice Theatre and also as a member of the Russian Ice stars, where she performed a number of lead roles in Carmen on Ice, The Phantom of the Opera on Ice, Cinderella on Ice, Peter Pan on Ice and also performing the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty on Ice. Maria hopes to be able to pass on her experience as one of the ice theatres most coveted performers.
As well as having helped create a number of programmes featured inside the Russian Ice Stars shows, Maria also spends some of her spare time coaching.
This is Maria’s first full show, as an assistant rehearsal director, and she has relished the opportunity to work alongside the Worlds greatest ice choreographer, Tatiana Tarasova and also the worlds leading Ice Show director, Tony Mercer.
Evgeny Platov - Coach & Choreographer
Evgeny Platov is the only man ever to win two Olympic gold medals in competitive ice dance – the 1994 season and the 1998 season – with his partner Oxsana Grishuk. Evgeny’s achievements, medal list and experience go far beyond the Olympic, World and European gold medals he has garnered during his career. Evgeny is currently coaching and choreographing for a number of the world’s leading competitive skaters, and was recently part of the creative team that won a gold medal for Russia’s Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostamarov at the Winter Olympics in Turin 2006.
Alexei Nemov - Coach & Choreographer
Alexei Nemov is a four-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast, his last gold medal achieved at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Alexei’s talents as a gymnast are legendary and his medal credits are endless. The Imperial Ice Stars production of Swan Lake on Ice is Alexei’s first venture into the creative world of theatre-on-ice, where he has coached the gymnastic feats seen in the production.
James Cundall – Producer