Liverpool Empire: until 7th March
Cinderella on Ice at the Liverpool Empire is a show that's breathtakingly brilliant. It's one of the most expensive and artistically outstanding ice shows ever created with 25 talented championship skaters.
Performed by the Imperial Ice Stars from Russia, with artistes at the top of their game, there are many 'oh my word' moments when you wonder just how they manage to expedite such daring moves on a theatre stage.
The story is not the classic one we know, with buttons, mice and ugly sisters. It is much better than that. The whole show has class, with sassy costumes in the vein of the
Edwardian period, all in warm muted colours, and skating to enthral.
The story briefly sees Cinderella (Olga Shgaruntenko) as the understudy of a ballet performance of Swan Lake who takes over from one of her nasty stepsisters who falls during a live performance. She shines, and takes the heart of the mayor's son (Andrei Penkine) in the audience.
Time is a constant reminder in this show, with Cinders father, a watchmaker, and the arms of the clock - lycra-clad skaters in black and gold - menacingly weaving a dark undercurrent in their dramatic interludes.
The clocks on the town square also go haywire, their hands sometimes swinging round, foretelling the danger that Cinders will face, once the gypsy 'godmother' appears
At the end of the first act village folk skate round with what seems to be strange iron shapes on sticks, but they are placed together and the outline of brilliantly lit fairy coach comes to life before the curtain descends, a pure piece of magic to amaze and tantalise.
There are many moments when Cinders and the Lord Mayor's son try to connect, but the vindictive stepmother, Olena Pyatash, in bright red, with her two nasty daughters, Svetlana Fadeeva, and Alina Kharetdinova, cleverly weave their way in and out to keep them apart. Inventive and exciting skating, combined with expressive acting make you feel for the lovers, kept apart though their desire is clear.
As we all know they meet, eventually, in the ball scene, and the famous slipper - or ice skate - is lost. This leads to an interesting scene when the Mayor's son is looking for its owner, with skaters dancing on one skate with the other foot naked. It's intriguing to see just how they do it, and one wonders at their skill.
The ending, is pure magic, when the scenery lifts, and the two stars dance together with a backdrop of clouds, to the beautiful original score by Tim A. Duncan and
Edward Barnwell. As well as exquisite skating there are also aerial moments on a wire, giving the whole scene a surreal and dreamlike quality.
The show's two founders, James Cundall and Tony Mercer have created a performance that will astonish you with its magnificent choreography and breakneck skating moves you did not think possible.
This is a show that is out of this world and will transport you to another sphere.
Rating: 10/10
Post a comment