Sleeping Beauty On Ice

Published on Thursday 3 March 2005 01:21

Sleeping Beauty On Ice *****

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE

WE’VE all been there - teetering on the side of an ice rink, trying to emulate Torvill and Dean but looking more like Bambi. Which is why a collective sense of awe filled the Festival Theatre as the Imperial Ice Stars - in town until 5 March - showed us just how skilful, exciting and utterly beautiful ice skating can be. All the performers in this Russian company have competed at international level and are capable of manoeuvres on ice that most people would find impossible on dry land.

During the course of two hours, they explored every conceivable way to lift, turn, throw and carry one another, each more thrilling than the last. At one point, a skater emerged wearing stilts - and still managed to lift her foot up to her ear.

But technique is only half the story here. Despite little or no dance training, the skaters moved with an assured grace, taking Tchaikovsky’s legendary score into their bones. And in many cases, championships have been replaced by strong characterisation. The evil fairy, Carabosse, would put any panto baddy in the shade, while the palace jester, Catalabutte, won the crowd over with his cheeky charm. Sadly, opening night glitches with the ice caused a couple of falls, but with the rink restored during the interval it was plain sailing for the rest of the night.

This is theatre at its most spectacular, with high production values throughout. Dazzling costumes and opulent sets take us from the dark cobwebs of Carabosse’s forest to the colourful splendour of Princess Aurora’s palatial home.

Ice dance shows have garnered an unfortunate reputation over the years, often synonymous with large arenas and pasted-on smiles. Sleeping Beauty is a cut above the rest in almost every way.