PANTOMIME ON ICE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27211, 1 December 1953, Page 9

PANTOMIME ON ICE

“CINDERELLA” OPENS SEASON If anyone vies with Father Christmas for popularity in Christchurch over the next week or so it is likely to be “Buttons,” compere, humourist and general handyman of the “Cinderella on Ice” pantomime, which opened at the Theatre Royal last evening before a large audience, a majority being children. “Buttons,” otherwise David Wheeler, is adept at getting audience participation, and so vociferous and highpitched is that participation that parents and adults in the audience frequently glued fingers to their ears. Everyone knows the story of Cinderella, and many have seen the pantomime, but few in Christchurch will have seen it acted on an ice rink The pantomime itself was not noted for its acting or for its singing, but all who took part were talented skaters and could impart more grace to dancing and ballet than could be accomplished on an ordinary stage. What enlivened the show for adults were the individual acts not connected with the story. They would do justice to any visiting vaudeville company. Billed as the Kolkos Troupe, Dina Arwascher and Nicolai Platzelc, accomplished on skates many balancing and acrobatic feats which would tax the ability of most acrobats on sounder foundations. Not recommended for home experimenting i s balancing by one hand on the head of a golf club, but that is only one of the amazing things Platzelc does. Pete Dene is a conjuror, Chaplin mimic and natural humourist rollea into one. His was an act well received by the older members of the audience, and not merely because it brought back memories of Charlie Chaplin. Golf clubs, tennis rackets and balls fly through the air with seemingly no effort when Will Gracey, a juggler, takes the stage, and with a sense of balance which is shared by most members of the company he even balances a lawnmower on his chin while juggling. It is Gracey. too, who with Lester Brown, delights the children with the antics of the two ugly sisters. The Arnedis. a couple who are capable of weird contortions and delicate balancing, complete the individual acts. To leave mention of the leading skaters may seem slightly unfair, but they are in the pantomime itself. It is not the children who will read about the shqw. If last night’s audience is an indication, children at school today will learn enough of the details to make them pester their parents to go to the entertainment, and primarily it is for children. Those parents who accompany their children will, however, not be disappointed with the acts. Both the leading skaters, Marika Saary (Cinderella) and Tony Daveron (Prince Charming), have little to learn about entertainment on ice, and made a delightful pair. Nina Brown (Dandinil, Wally Ruffe (the Baron), and Marie Parmentier (the Good Fairy) compensated by their skating for any lack of acting ability.