THE Russian Ice Stars came to the New Theatre, Oxford last week and put on a magical performance of the classic fairy tale, Snow White, on ice.

If anyone knows how to put on an all-singing, all-dancing performance on ice, it’s the Russians. They continue to tour the UK year after year, dazzling audiences up and down the country with their spectacular ice shows.

Snow White is one of the best-loved and well known fairy tales of all time. It starts with the evil Drina, who uses magical powers to transform herself from a hideous witch to a sinisterly attractive woman. Attending the palace ball she tries and fails to place King Mirabile under her wicked spell. Instead the king falls deeply in love with the fair maiden Aurora and chooses her to become his queen. In due course they have a daughter, Snow White. Soon after Snow White is born, Queen Aurora falls ill and sadly King Mirabile loses his beloved wife.

Fast forward a few years and Snow White has grown up. Evil Drina is still plotting and while consulting her magic mirror she beholds the face of Snow White. Enraged she transforms herself again and at a court gathering her magic finally places the King under her spell and he asks her to marry him. He introduces Drina to Snow White, who is accepting although uncertain of her soon-to-be step-mother.

Drina consults the magic mirror and decides to get rid of Snow White. She demands that her huntsman take Snow White deep into the forest and slay her. The huntsman instead tells Snow White to run far, far away. This she does and finds herself at the shores of the great lake Harmony.

This story was told beautifully through the imaginative balletic ice dancing, gymnastics and aerial acrobatics of the Russian Ice Stars. The company is made up of ex-competitive ice skaters and trained acrobatic circus performers. The lifts, throws and aerial acrobatics were breathtaking. Sam Riley