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Athletic telling of classic tale Sleeping Beauty on Ice New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham **** You've got your pick of Sleeping Beauties
in Birmingham this week and the Imperial All Stars' version certainly
brings lots of skating drama to the stage. In fact the Alex stage is currently carrying 14
tonnes of ice, turning it into a ready-made rink. And the ice is central to the show. While the
story of Sleeping Beauty is the narrative behind this production in many
ways the story becomes less important than the technical skill of the
skaters as they jump from one move to the next. It's the age old story with all the traditional
characters - the evil fairy Carabosse, the good Lilac Fairy, the
princess who pricks her finger and sleeps for 100 years and the handsome
prince who wakes her with a kiss. And it is easy to follow as the tale
moves along at a reasonable pace set to music from Tchaikovsky's ballet
music for Sleeping Beauty. But there are also a good many additional
ingredients which are specific to this show – with high flying aerial
artists, daredevil lifts and spins and some nerve-racking acrobatic
jumps. The Imperial Ice Stars are capable not only of
showing their dexterity as skaters but also in creating some vivid
characterisation – from the humorous Catalabutte and his assistant to
the spiteful Carabosse who dominates the stage with her speed and
athleticism. Directed, choreographed and co-produced by Tony
Mercer, the production also includes lots of special effects – not least
in the scenes in which Carabosse is defeated by the Lilac Fairy and is
forced to relinquish her powers. Packed full of international medal winners, the
company create a form of theatre on ice which successfully blends their
talents with the need to entertain and to tell a story. To 12-10-13. Diane Parkes
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