Date: Fri 18-Jul-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Gateway's-rev-Swan-Lake-skater

Full Text:

(rev "Swan Lake On Ice" @Gateway's Playhouse, 7/18/97)

A Cold Duck On Ice At Gateway's Latest

(with cut)

BY SHANNON HICKS

NEW FAIRFIELD - It's your typical boy-meets-swan (who is really a beautiful

queen who has been cursed), boy-tricked-by-evil-twin-of-swan-personified,

swan-and-boy-still-spend-eternity-together.

The story is Swan Lake , one of the lesser-known of the ballets for which

Tchaikovsky created music. Because of this, the current offering at Gateway's

Candlewood Playhouse is accompanied by a voiceover narrative that explains

each of the four scenes of the story to the audience as the story unfolds.

While helpful in one aspect, the voiceover also is tenacious at times to sit

through, especially when the voice and the taped music, a recorded performance

of The Kirov Orchestra, compete for attention, with each drowning out the

other.

Swan Lake On Ice continues through July 26 at the New Fairfield playhouse. It

is the second such production with skaters from the St. Petersburg State Ice

Ballet performing on the stage-turned-temporary-ice-rink, thanks to the magic

and technology of The Yontzmat Corporation and its portable ice rink.

This latest offering is up to the standards Americans would imagine anyone

being instructed in the former Soviet Union would produce. The ensemble is

amazingly tight in its performance, and any flaws in the skating were so

minimal they were missed during the opening night performance. But then, the

performance should be this tight, considering this is a fully professional

company. No local performers are added to fill out the cast when the St

Petersburg State Ice Ballet travels.

Of the 35 skaters in the company this year, 25 are World Cup champions, which

makes the St Petersburg touring company something of a comparable version of

the former Ice Capades troupes that used to traverse the country with skating

extravaganzas. Or like the Champions On Ice shows that feature our Olympics

skaters.

By performing in smaller venues, however, the St Petersburg group keeps the

shows much more intimate. Costumes are less flashy, the emphasis is on telling

a story rather than simple flash and pizazz. Akin to traditional ballet, a

story is told through facial gestures and body language.

The St Petersburg costumes are stunning, as is the scenery. The painting that

went into the details of every backdrop is magnificent. The details in the

stage's side curtains and back drop during the ballroom scenes gives the

impression of a much deeper stage than performers have to work with.

As a whole, the skaters tell this interpretation of a classic love story very

well.

In short, Swan Lake is the story of Siegfried, a 21-year old prince who must

choose his wife-to-be at an impending ball. His mother, the Sovereign

Princess, makes this announcement during a party; the ball is the following

night. After the announcement, Siegfried and some friends decide to go

hunting.

While hunting, Siegfried comes across a beautiful swan in a lake (hence, swan

lake) he cannot bring himself to shoot. Before his eyes, she turns into a

stunning woman. The woman, Odetta, has been cursed by the evil sorcerer

Rothbart. For reasons unexplained, Odetta can take the form of a woman only

during the hours between sunset and sunrise. The prince and the swan/woman

fall immediately in love.

At the ball, Rothbart shows up in disguise, with his daughter magically

transformed into the image of Odetta. The daughter tricks Siegfried into

asking her to marry him, thereby ruining any chance the swan queen has of ever

having her spell broken...

Pavel Ivanov's portrayal of Prince Siegfried is done well, and although a

comparably small role, the performance by Irina Shilova as the Sovereign

Princess is magnificent. Shilova infuses a regal look to her role, making any

of her short appearances on stage that much more memorable.

Where the performance falls sadly flat is in the portrayal of the female love

interest. Olga Kuvashova's initial entrance, when Siegfried is hunting, is

good. Her face conveys loneliness and sadness, which a cursed queen should be

feeling.

Unfortunately, her face never changes during the run of her performance, even

when she meets her prince. She remains distant and aloof. For a production

that uses only motion and facial expressions to tell a story, Odetta's

expressions never once say she is falling in love, nor feeling any emotion.

The swan's curse is indeed a harrowing one, but Kuvashova's face should light

up like the proverbial lightbulb when she sees Siegfried.

In fact, Kuvashova and Ivanov's eyes do not appear to meet even once during

the ice ballet. They skate through the performance, but are not acting

together. The two characters show about as much affection for each other as

Mike Tyson and the Nevada Boxing Council do these days.

Konstantin Rassadin has choreographed an interesting interpretation of a

classic love story for the St Petersburg Ice Ballet. It is unfortunate a lead

performance remains as cool as the surface the production runs on.

The St. Petersburg State Ice Ballet presentation of Swan Lake On Ice continues

at Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse until July 26. Performances are Tuesday

through Sunday, and tickets $21 to $42.35 depending on the day and time of the

performance. Call 790-6865 for tickets, details.