Just when one might think Swan Lake has reached its expiry date, along comes a complex reset and refresh. SWAN LAKE ON ICE is an unexpectedly grand and satisfying work. With a cast of twenty two it is performed to a competitive even Olympic standard, and adds unexpected grace, agility and entertainment to ballet versions, as Tchaikovsky’s iconic music resonates again amidst spins and spirals on a stage of ice.
This is a generous and theatrically resourced work, from the UK based Imperial Ice Stars. The ensemble is not new to the form, having previously staged Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker, as well as Swan Lake. They tour extensively, including previously to Australia, and have built a solid reputation for their specialised contribution to classical arts. The title of Swan Lake on Ice might sound lightweight, in the aftermath of a show by Disney, but this show is genuinely refined, artistic and engaging – it drew repeated and numerous applause for set routines.
The show was akin to watching Olympic figure skating – involving an ensemble of performers rather than one or two. Tony Mercer, producer and director, says that some of the skating moves are innovative and unknown in competition, and not even named. The Prince, the Queen, Odile, Rothbart, Prince Siegfried and Benno are all on stage, in a disciplined display of spins, spirals, throws, jumps, lifts, and aerial spins, all integrated into the classical ballet narrative.
Australians are a good audience for this format – we have limited exposure to the sport of skating, and are truly impressed by turns and spins where figures turn like a fluttering leaf. While exhibition and dramatic skating shows, performed by competition skaters in off season, are not uncommon in Northern Europe, they are in this country, and this production is one of a kind and well worth a visit.
The set was a delightful animated collage of multi-projection, that extended to featured flats and backcloths, screened, all impeccably lit. The artwork, of the court and lake, was classical and impressionist, and the lighting impeccable. The white surface of the stage became a field of changing colours. The costumes shone, designed by prominent Russian designer Albina Gabvec. It was satisfying to see performers glide into position, in low lights sometimes with smoke, so that their feet were not visible.
The show was staged at the recently completed Sydney Coliseum Theatre. This magnificent arts beacon stands out in the modest surrounding suburbs. It is an architectural wonder – without doubt its foyer and grand staircase is without equal in Sydney (with the exception of course of the Sydney Opera House). The interior is a 2000 lyric theatre with dimensions to rival the main city concert halls, and a stage rig and sound system that fully enhance the music of Tchaikovsky and the complexity of this show. Commendations to management of this grand cultural asset, and for now staging such a rich production. It is a venue I will gladly visit again.
