Reviews & Press Clippings

This production by the Imperial Ice Stars marks a debut for Sadler’s Wells Theatre in this it is the first time the stage has been iced over and used for a skating show.  The response from the audience seems such that it’s obviously not going to be the last time either. Sadler’s Wells has become London premier dance theatre, but there is no reason why ice ballet should not be staged here.  It’s a popular attraction and in some respects a liberating experience for the performers.  They can do so much more on the ice than they can on terra firma. That said, however, the subtleties of the choreographic art are not necessarily seen at their most original, but the spectacle is there and the energy and athleticism are certainly a knock-out.

The story of Sleeping Beauty is simplified somewhat with a short narration at times in the story just to clarify events, but otherwise it’s a case of pulling all the stops out and giving the audience something to remember. I imagine that champion skaters such as Mandy Woetzel, who dances Aurora, have to have even more physical strength than classically trained dancers to keep on their toes or skate points, so that time for acting flies out the window.  As good as she is at moving about the ice, she is eclipsed somewhat by the antics of the wicked fairy Carabosse (Maria Borovikova) and her almost vampirish hissing and snarling which is so good you can practically hear her coming even though she is only miming.  Vadim Yarkov as the Prince is an exceptionally fine skater and makes a good partner for Aurora, although most of the audience applause goes to Anton Kyklov’s court jester Catalabutte as he leaps and tumbles his way across the ice with such abandon, you almost fear for his safety.  The corps also put in some amazing performances and, all in all, with the aid of those two old hands at the staging of ice shows, Messrs Kitsch and Schmaltz, this is one production that should run and run.  The young audience at the matinee I attended even jumped up and were copying the performers on stage.  Yes, I can honestly say that they literally had them rolling in the aisles!

▪ ‘The Sleeping Beauty on Ice’ is at the New Wimbledon Theatre from March 15 to 19 (0870 060 6646); at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley, March 29-April 2 (020 8460 6677; at Milton Keynes Theatre April 12-16 (01908 606090) and the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, April 26-30 (01483 545900)