BREATHTAKING acrobatics, stunning costumes and magical special effects make The Nutcracker On Ice a real festive treat.

As soon as the curtain went up to beautiful snow tumbling down in the Russian city of St Petersburg, The Imperial Ice Stars stunned the audience as they effortlessly spun and swirled across the stage.

The ensemble, made up of top class, award-winning ice skaters, just got better and better as the moves got more daring.

And at one point two of the dancers were twirling around together suspended from the ceiling.

There were fantastic performances from Anastasia Ignatyeva as Marie, Volodymyr Khodakivskyy as her father Dr Pavlov, and Yulia Ashcheulova, who took on two roles, as Maria’s sister and the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The set was brilliant, smoothly changing between scenes and keeping the pace of the story, and the bright costumes added to it, especially the mice and toy soldiers.

Tchaikovsky’s music is magnificent and I particularly enjoyed the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Waltz of the Flowers.

The nutcracker doll, Alena Zmeu, put in a fantastic performance, and as the only one not on ice skates, she was picked up and carried around by various characters.

The comic interludes from guest star Keith Chegwin, who played Herr Drosselmeyer, were brilliant and cleverly done, but the professional skaters are the real stars of this show.

Hannah White

* The Imperial Ice Stars – the Nutcracker on Ice. At the Mayflower until Saturday. Call 02380 711811