Thursday, October 21, 1999
'Disney on Ice' spins through 75 years of hits
BY CHRIS KLEIN
Enquirer contributor
If you're headed to the Disney on Ice show today through Sunday, be sure to warm up those vocal chords. You'll be singing throughout the two-hour performance and all the way home, too.
The show, 75 Years of Disney Magic, opened at the Firstar Center Tuesday evening. As its name suggests, the show highlights the most popular numbers from Disney's most popular movies. That means you'll see (and hear) everything from as far back as The Mickey Mouse Club to the most recent A Bug's Life and Mulan.
Several mishaps on the ice Tuesday evening, and a bit of confusion among skaters during large-scale numbers, perhaps can be attributed to the show's relative newness. It opened in early September, then was interrupted for a week by Hurricane Floyd, leaving some kinks yet to be worked out.
But the young crowd didn't seem to mind. They were mesmerized by Russian husband and wife team, Marina Akbarova and Marat Akbarov. The couple skated flawlessly as Belle and her Prince from Beauty and the Beast. They returned to the ice as Lion King's Simba and Nala for a second graceful performance to “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”
Scott Irvine, as Aladdin's Genie was a crowd favorite with his amazing on-ice back flips. He was joined by 20 look-alike blue genies for a rousing performance of “Never Had a Friend Like Me.” Tuesday night's entire audience serenaded Pumbaa and Timon as they skated to “Hakuna Matata.”
The Toy Story soldiers, in their clever all-green costumes, made marching on ice look easy. And Isao Matsura was so adept as Pinocchio, you'll forget he's on skates.
Continuity between acts is difficult for a show that goes from serious to silly to serious again. In the second act, Mulan brings honor to her Imperial China by battling the Huns. Then it's on to a bunch of colorful, crazy insect antics from A Bug's Life.
Jiminy Cricket may not have been the best choice for emcee. His creaky little voice was difficult to understand, and many of the children didn't know who he was. As one 6-year-old put it “that green guy is getting annoying.”
You'd be wise to eat and shop before you go. The food and souvenirs are pricey — a small bag of cotton candy is $5, and snow cone in a Mickey Mouse cup is $8.
And, I'm wondering, where were Dumbo and Winnie the Pooh? Their names were included in preshow publicity.
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