Lancashire Evening Post, Preston
by David Upton
It's not just the icy chill blowing off the Steppes of the stage that takes your breath away in this Russian ice spectacular. Instead it's the amazing blend of ballet and ice dance - with a dash of circus artistry - which captivates its audience.
That it's all achieved with such grace and elegance is testament to the Imperial Ice Stars' audacious talent. As if en pointe on ice were not enough to dazzle, this production includes skaters on stilts, in flight, and even sword fighting . . . in real snow.
What's even more remarkable is that this Swan Lake stays remarkably true to the original, with Tchaikovsky's occasionally abbreviated, occasionally adapted, but always soaring score, perfectly in pace with the high-speed ice skills.
The famed pas de quatre of the Snow Maidens is danced with a frosty refinement, while the mazurka and tarantella ballroom scenes are given an added passion. It also helps that in Anton Klykov, as evil magician Rothbart, they have a villain that actually looks like Jose Mourinho!
One or two glitches, at last night's UK premiere, went virtually un-noticed amidst such a sensational production. And by the stunning finale, with its own twists and turns to the original story, there's not a dry ice left in the house! It's not Christmas yet, but go on, give yourself a treat before Saturday.