For some reason, professional reviewers always seem to overlook “Disney On Ice.” The monkey braved a disgustingly discriminatory Front Of House staff member at the O2 (complaint lodged) and settled down for a rather wonderful afternoon’s entertainment.
The lights dimmed and young gasps of delight resounded as Tinkerbell waved her wand to create a world where wishes could come true if you dared to think big enough.
Our hosts Minnie and Mickey proceeded to give us inspiration by sharing tales of Disney heroines and heroes who did just that.
We meet first Aladdin, Abu and friends in a busy market scene, one jump ahead of the others. Some Genie fun, then an absolute highlight with Aladdin and Jasmine dancing together with lifts to a standard that would have Olympic judges taking note.
The tales follow thick and fast. Ariel the Mermaid encounters her love and braves the Sea Witch.
Rapunzel has a solo moment that charms. Moana sets sail across the vast expanse and meets her tattooed god. A nod to the classics of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty with a lovely coach too.
Of course we visit Anna and Elsa in Arendelle, a thousand small voices joining in that chorus and the snow falling to their delight.
There’s swashbuckling rope-work from a high platform, a proper fire-breathing dragon (yes, fire and ice do mix), intentional clowning hitting the ice from Goofy and just one slip from an un-named member of the cast elsewhere (OK, she’s a ditz, you can guess who)...
The costumes are as detailed as any you will see in a Disney West End stage show, the effects as elaborate as the space allows and as inventive as can be toured.
Danced to a recorded soundtrack that is crystal clear, the lighting allows too a whole new world to be painted on the ice as required.
Tighter than the 2019 Wembley Arena show which the monkey enjoyed so much, the choreography is consistently inventive and challenges the skaters. If it is a little sexist that it is always the princesses who are lifted and whirled, the monkey guesses there has to be a physical reason.
The individual sequences integrate into a show which never lingers too long to bore the young ones and always offers adults plenty of interest as well.
As an alternative to panto, particularly for the difficult 5 to 8 age group, this is well worth considering. At just an hour and three-quarters including an interval, it’s very bright and colourful, packed with terrific songs everybody knows and is staged in a relaxed and informal way so that nobody minds if a sudden exit must be made during the show.
Proper family entertainment and suitable for anyone who loves the world Walt created and believes that dreaming big will make wishes come true.
4 stars, and the monkey will report on the new show at Wembley Arena coming in March 2023.
Promotional shots by "From The Box Office" used by affiliation permission.