The Stage
By Jon Holliday
What a truly memorable spectacle. Twenty-three Olympic, world and national champions ice-dancing to well-chosen experts from Tchaikovsky’s much-loved ballet The Sleeping Beauty.
Triple flips, double axels, somersaults, back flips, triple toe loops, aerial acrobatics, skating on stilts, even dancing on points, plus a full repertoire of lifts, spins and throws, all with precise technique and at a dazzling speed. The Moscow-based Imperial Ice Stars, with 210 competition medals between then, on their first UK tour are simply stunning.
But that is only part of it. The costumes by Natella Abdulaeva, while allowing for athleticism and quick change, are gorgeous. The scenery of Emon D’Arcy is elegantly stylish. The storyline is clear, with Bill Kerr doing the narration that introduces each scene. The choreography of Tatiana Tarasova is rarely less than exciting whether it be solos, duos, ensembles or the full company whizzing around the stage of the Donald Gordon Theatre at breathcatching speed. In this she is well served by the assured glitzy style of director Tony Mercer.
As Aurora, the Princess cursed to sleep for 100 years, Mandy Woetzel is enchanting, while the physical and technical demands upon her Prince Desire partner Vadim Yarkov have to be witnessed to be appreciated. Inevitably the baddie of the fairytale has the most dramatic role and Maria Borovikova exploits the evil machinations of Carabosse to the fill skatewise.
Olga Sharoutenko as the Lilac Fairy is a joy to behold, while the standout bravura performance of Anton Klykov as Catalabutte well deserves the many rounds of applause his daring routines receive.