9:00am Friday 16th May 2008
By Jayne Bennett
Beauty and the Beast on Ice at the Bristol Hippodrome.
THE flashing blades of the Russian Ice Stars had the audience in awe as Beauty and the Beast on Ice graced the Hippodrome stage.
This spectacular show was about as far removed from television's dancing on ice' as you could get - more like a ballet on ice than anything - but no-one left disappointed, even if a few were expecting dancing cutlery.
Some of the best skaters in the world performed breathtaking acrobatics and beautifully choreographed, complex moves on a stage that's just a fraction of the size of a real ice rink, leaving the audience spellbound.
The gothic nightmare of the Beast's castle was a particular highlight. Although props on stage were kept to a minimum to allow for maximum manoeuvrability, fabulous costumes, atmospheric lighting and special effects which included fire on ice kept everyone captivated.
Audience members young and old couldn't fail to have appreciated the talent, skill and grace of these skaters - as they performed the most difficult movements possible in such a small space.
Enchanting.
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