Cinderella on Ice at Theatre Royal

Cinderella on Ice, currently playing at Theatre Royal, is full of twists and turns in several dimensions.

First of all, the glass slipper is replaced by a glittery ice skate, and the act is a whimsical performance with the women skating on single blades, coyly pointing their hosed toes out for the Prince to size up. Instead of a royal ball, the plot climaxes with a skating production of Swan Lake, where the evil stepsister slips up in her role as Odette. Cinderella is picked from the ensemble of swans to dazzle the audience.

The storyline is actually an enjoyable alternative retelling of the classic, though the show stretches on for three hours, including intermission.

Another surprising aspect is the number of acrobatic maneuvers and surprising high-wire theatrics, which adds to the magic of the ice dance show. Skating in such a small rink is no easy feat for the primarily Russian troupe. The choreography is based on a complicated sequence of counter-clockwise maneuvers, sometimes with as many as ten skaters synchronized tightly. Yes, there were a couple of scary slip-ups, even from the principal male skater, the Prince (a dead ringer for Prince Harry with a mullet.) But the gracefulness of Cinderella, played by Olga Sharutenko, and the ardent passion of the evil stepmother, Olena Pyatash, more than make up for any pitfalls.

Perhaps in a nod to its Gaelic audience, the skaters performed Irish step dancing on ice skates, immensely pleasing the crowd.

Altogether, the show is exciting to watch, entertaining old and young alike.

Theatre Royal,
Tue 9th - Sat 13th June
Tue - Sat eves 7.30pm
Wed, Thu and Sat Mats 2.30pm
Tickets: £13.50 - £30
www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow
Box Office: 0870 060 6647