Sony Centre – Imperial Ice Stars’ Swan Lake on Ice

by Paula Citron.
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Swan Lake on Ice
Imperial Ice Stars
Music by Tchaikovsky
Directed by Tony Mercer
Starring Olga Sharutenko, Olena Pyatash, Vadim Yarkov, Anton Klykov and Andrei Penkine
At the Sony Centre until Sunday
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Imperial Ice Stars' production of Swan Lake on Ice may play fast and loose with Tchaikovsky's music and story, but it is a class act nonetheless. The company has clearly perfected the art of intimate ice shows for the theatre.

Imperial Ice Stars trumpets the fact that the artistic staff and skaters between them have amassed over 200 competition medals and include 25 world, European and national champions. Early in the show, it is very clear that there is depth of talent in the ranks. The skating is filled with showy tricks and thrilling lifts, while the production values are top-of-the-line.

All is not perfect. The emotional barometer of the storyline registers at zero. Character and acting skills have been sacrificed for dazzling technique, while the grand ball divertissements are more technical routines than national dances.

That being said, Imperial Ice Stars delivers the goods to skating aficionados.

Swan Lake on Ice continues at the Sony Centre until Sunday.