Cinderella on Ice

Tell any self-respecting theatregoer that you are going to see a show on ice, and you’ll elicit an immediate smirk, one that your snobby, artsy friend won’t make much of an attempt to hide. But you know the kids will enjoy it, and sometimes you have to make sacrifices, right?

Parents may be in luck with Cinderella on Ice, presented by The Imperial Ice Stars, a group that aims to give ice shows a makeover in the same way that Cirque du Soleil transformed circus acts. Returning to the Esplanade for the third time, it reinstates its winning formula of adding intricate sets, elegant costumes and fantastic special effects (including flying, fire and rain) to a classic story told through top-notch skating.

Danger is also a central element of the performance. Choreographer Evgeny Platov, a double Olympic ice-dancing gold medallist and fourtime world champion, leads a host of fellow award winners – the cast members boast a total of more than 250 medals between them. The skaters perform a plethora of nailbiting skating moves, some never before attempted in professional competition.

While there’s still an evil stepmother and a missing slipper, the story has been creatively adapted, and the variations should help to keep things interesting. In this performance-focused production, Cinderella is a chorus dancer who through a twist of fate gets a chance to become the prima ballerina and, as a result, catches the eye of the Lord Mayor’s charming son.

This may not be highbrow entertainment, but the Imperial Ice Star’s spectacular, big-budget re-imagining of this crowd-pleasing fairy tale is sure to attract adults and kids alike; and on ice or not, as any parent who has been begged to hit replay on a Barney DVD will agree, this is a cool accomplishment indeed.

Cinderella on Ice performs at the Esplanade Theatre (28 Aug-6 Sep)