Adelaide Theatre Guide, Australia
by Hayley Horton
Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” would have to be one of the most well-known ballets perhaps along with the “Nutcracker Suite”. The story of a beautiful princess cursed by an evil warlock to forever live as a swan has been told for generations and conjures visions of white tutus, a lengthy death scene and men in tights.
So ballet isn’t your thing? Well the Imperial Ice Stars have added a sense of the extreme and exciting to the classic, which appeals to even the most discerning audience member.
The first excitement greeting the audience is the chilly atmosphere in the Festival Theatre with the amazing conversion of the stage to an ice rink suitable for this ice spectacular. The story behind this process is fascinating and worth the program price alone.
The cast of skaters have won over 200 medals among them in competitions and many have competed in the Winter Olympics so their skill on the ice is undoubted.
The great thing about this production is the characters that still come through among the twists, flips and turns. Both Olga Sharutenko as Odette and Olena Pyatash as Odile are both beautiful – both with a tragic essence in their performances.
Vadim Yarkov as Prince Siegfried has strength and power fitting of a prince.
The stars of this production are definitely Andrei Penkine as the prince’s friend, Benno and Anton Klykov as the evil warlock, Rothbart. Penkine has a boyish charm that is infectious, while Klykov seems to revel in his evil plans.
The ensemble cast are equally talented, although audiences might expect their choreography to be tighter and slicker for an international cast such as this.
The set and costumes are perfect for the fairy-tale setting and Tchaikovsky’s score is beautiful, reminding us that the great classic masters are really here to stay. A live orchestra would do more justice to the score, however it is understandable why they have chosen a recorded version.
If you prefer your dance spectaculars with more edge, “Swan Lake on Ice” has more frosting for any discerning palette. Even if you find some elements more for the little girls, just watch the first row get a face full of ice and your spirits will once again be enthused by this fast-paced production.
Here’s hoping the Imperial Ice Stars return to Adelaide with another icy fairy tale.