By Anna Scott
There are some Christmas traditions that just can’t be missed. Whether it’s a satsuma at the bottom of your stocking (although a chocolate orange would be far more preferable in my opinion), or a trip to Harrods for a spot of window shopping, these are the things that make the festive season. Included in this list for many is a trip to the theatre, I’m sure. But why not combine it with that other traditional yuletide pastime, ice skating? However, in this instance, you can breathe a huge sigh of relief because you won’t be the one donning the skates. Yes, I’m talking about the skating extravaganza that is Disney on Ice. It’s coming to London this Christmas and if you haven’t yet been, here’s what you can look forward to this year.
In 2014, the Disney on Ice tagline is ‘100 Years of Magic’, and this show is very much about celebrating old family favourites as well as some more modern classic-characters-in-the making. Joining Mickey and Minnie Mouse will be familiar faces from Mulan, The Lion King, Toy Story and Finding Nemo, all performing routines devised by the skating choreographer behind the opening ceremony at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Classic songs to accompany the routines include ‘A Whole New World’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?’ giving young and old plenty to look forward to.
To help you get your head around the sheer scale of such an event and the work that goes into bringing it to the capital, here are a few figures: there are 160 costumes used in the production, and to create these outfits, an astonishing 1,300 yards of fabric was required. It takes 10 to 14 hours to assemble a set that weighs eight tons, and in order to make Disney on Ice such a feast for your eyes, props have been painted with 102 different colours—amazing statistics that can be put into context once you’re in the audience.
Disney on Ice is a great way to generate even more excitement on the day before Christmas, or alternatively, an ideal solution to ward off those post-Christmas and New Year blues. The show arrives at the O2 on Christmas Eve and runs from 26th December to 29th December and then again on the 3rd and 4th January 2015. For more information and ticket prices, please visit the Disney on Ice site.
About the author:
Anna Scott is a freelance writer, parent, procrastinator and Hammersmith resident. When she’s not attempting to write her first young adult fiction novel, in between reading and reviewing the odd book or two, she can be found chasing after her two little girls. In a previous life she was a politics graduate and wine trade lackey. Head over to Anna Scott Jots to find out more…
