The Citizen, South Africa
By ANNETTE BAYNE
THIS fairytale, now told on ice, will have audiences old and young gasping in surprise. And judging by the many little bodies dancing and twirling in the foyer during interval, it will also inspire the appreciation of Swan Lake and Tchaikovsky by a whole new generation of audiences.
If you are familiar with Swan Lake, you will notice that the music is arranged differently and the entire performance is in two acts, with some seamless set changes in between. But the changes enhance the story and the performance..
It is a spectacular performance to watch, with some remarkable ice-skating moves including triple flips, double axles, backward somersaults and high-speed lifts, all made even more spectacular when one considers the space the ice skaters have to perform in.
The wicked and cruel Rothbart (Anton Klykov) was one of the most exciting performers to watch. Quick, agile and rather charismatic, he was a bit like electricity, skitting across the ice. Another standout was Prince Siegfried's friend Benno (Andrei Penkine) who seemed to be enjoying himself on the ice as much as performing a part of his character.
The dance between Odette, Odile and Prince Siegfried is beautiful to watch as the three performers interact. The poignancy of this scene justifies Mercer's choice to using two different dancers to perform the roles of Odette and Odile.
It is a spellbounding performance the whole family will be able to enjoy.