Robin Cousin's ICE

4
Touring ice dance show
By Robert Iles - 1st May 2014

Robin Cousin's ICE is reaching the end of its tour but it was good to get a chance to see it - who knows, it may well tour again. Robin has brought together an international troupe of professional skaters and produced a show that combines their skills, dance, music and staging to thrill and enthrall. So how does it work?

Well, technically it is a challenge to get the ice onto stages like the Hippodrome and I'm glad that they put some notes on how its done in the programme ... ok, that's a bit geeky of me I admit. Artistically it is also a challenge because in proscenium theatre's like the Hippodrome we are seeing end-on a show that would probably work best in the round - in fact, that's sort of how we're used to seeing skaters.

The show, which is in two 40minute halves, is split into "numbers" with names such as "Winterscape" and "Swingtime". Each number is distinct and, whilst the programme often splits a number into sections such as "Breathe", "Captivate" etc there is no real discernable thread. In fact, for me, that is the issue with this show. We are treated to some really great and exciting skating and at any point you are likely to be enjoying yourself, but the show itself has no coherent structure, story or plan and so it feels broken. Thinking back to some recent dance shows such Midnight Tango and you'll see that it deoesn't have to be this way. I was disappointed enough in this to want to give it a 3* but the 4* comes because of some really good content and because I think the next show, if it combined such a skilled cast with a coherent story would be brilliant!

A few highlights for me; Vaughn Chipeur for his tricks and for having such a good rapport with the audience, Michael Solonoski for combining sjating with a lovely singing voice (without sounding out of breathe!) and Brandee Malto for pretty well everything she did (not forgetting her partner who helps her look so good, Neill Shelton) ... as I say, some really good content, plus a couple of slips and falls to remind us that ice needs to be tamed and this stuff is not as easy as they can make it look!

Now here's a bit of irony; an ice dance show in Bristol with Robin Cousin's walking (not skating) on stage to sway how lovely it is to be back at the Hippodrome and yet just behind the theatre, next to the car park, Bristol's ice rink is being trashed to make way for student accommodation. Ahh well, perhaps this is why the audience had trouble deciding when to applaud, they just don't have the experience to decide what is difficult and what is just flashy. Ho Hum .... I am glad that skating seems to be on the rise again but we allowed ourselves to slip massively in an area we were always so good ... and I say that as someone who danced the Cuckoo Waltz on ice on TV at the age of eight ;-)


Latest News & Reviews

28th Mar 24 :: Review: The Wizard of Oz
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
4
27th Mar 24 :: Critics Circle Awards
The winners of this year's Critics' Circle Theatre Awards have been announced.
22nd Mar 24 :: Review: The Motive and the Cue
Live broadcast seen at the Regal Cinema, Wadebridge.
5
12th Mar 24 :: Review: Macbeth
English Touring Theatre (ETT) production seen in Worthing,
3
7th Mar 24 :: Review: The Life of Pi
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
5
6th Mar 24 :: Review: And Then There Were None
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
2
5th Mar 24 :: Review: Musclebound
Seen at The Front Room, Weston-super-Mare
3
2nd Mar 24 :: Review: Marry Me A Little
Seen at The Stage Door Theatre, Drury Lane
2
28th Feb 24 :: Review: Cable Street
Seen at the Southwark Playhouse, Borough.
3
28th Feb 24 :: Review: Carlos Acosta - On Before
Seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
4
26th Feb 24 :: Offies Winners 2024
WInners of the Offies 2024 awards have been announced.
15th Feb 24 :: Review: The Drifters Girl
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
4
12th Feb 24 :: Review: Whatsonstage Awards Winners
The winners of the Whatsonstage Awards announced.
0
6th Feb 24 :: Review: Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell
Selected dates until 26 February at the Coach and Horses, 29 Greek Street, London W1D 5DH
4
5th Feb 24 :: Review: Macbeth
David Tennant and Cush Jumbo at the Donmar Warehouse
4
20th Jan 24 :: Review: Disney's Aladdin
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
4
19th Jan 24 :: Review: Alegria - Cirque du Soleil
The latest production seen at the Royal Albert Hall
3
20th Dec 23 :: Review: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Pantomime seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
4
18th Dec 23 :: Review: Sleeping Beauty
Panto at the Pavilion Theatre, Worthing.
4
13th Dec 23 :: Review: A Christmas Carol
Guy Masterson's one-man production seen in Boscastle
5

Most Popular Stories

Viewings over the last 10 days
 
Birmingham Royal Ballet - Black Sabbath
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Posted 13th Oct 23 :: 146 views
The Life of Pi
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
Posted 7th Mar 24 :: 107 views
And Then There Were None
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Posted 6th Mar 24 :: 103 views
Cable Street
Seen at the Southwark Playhouse, Borough.
Posted 28th Feb 24 :: 101 views
The Motive and the Cue
Live broadcast seen at the Regal Cinema, Wadebridge.
Posted 22nd Mar 24 :: 101 views
Musclebound
Seen at The Front Room, Weston-super-Mare
Posted 5th Mar 24 :: 95 views
The Drifters Girl
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Posted 15th Feb 24 :: 92 views
Macbeth
English Touring Theatre (ETT) production seen in Worthing,
Posted 12th Mar 24 :: 87 views
Carlos Acosta - On Before
Seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
Posted 28th Feb 24 :: 73 views
Marry Me A Little
Seen at The Stage Door Theatre, Drury Lane
Posted 2nd Mar 24 :: 64 views


Listings powered by Dynamic Listing Ltd
Mastodon X - Twitter Multidomain certificate installed
© Dynamic Listing Ltd, UK. 1995-2024