RAPTURE
Hot Ice Show 2022
The Arena, Blackpool Pleasure Beach
7th July to 10th Sep 2022
“Hot Ice, the world’s most spectacular ice show, returns to the Arena at Blackpool Pleasure Beach with a new show – Rapture. Hot Ice is a captivating spectacle starring a cast of world championship performers complete with stunning costumes and mesmerising special FX. The show, which is the world’s longest running ice show, opens for the summer season on 7th July and runs until 10th September 2022.
Hot Ice has always been the place to see the world’s best skaters. National, World and Olympic champions have performed in the show since its inception.
Amanda Thompson OBE, has been both Producer and Director of the Hot Ice Show for over 20 years. The show is choreographed by Oula Jaaskelainen, a former Olympic athlete and Hot Ice cast member, who creates excitement by encouraging the performers to skate at high speeds with intricate footwork and spine-tingling jumps. Working together with former dancer and assistant choreographer, Lynsey Brown, they both inspire the skaters with their unique styles and ideas.
This years’ new production, Rapture, is a spectacular fast-moving live performance, which promises to keep you at the edge of your seat. Hot Ice is a dream brought to life by the stunning lighting that reflects the mood and magnificence of each scene. The young and dynamic skaters gracefully slide into a world of creative paradise with intricate choreography performed to beautifully written music.
Created by the talented Stageworks Worldwide Productions wardrobe team, the show’s breath-taking costumes are undoubtedly the best you will see anywhere in the theatre world.
Rapture features everything hot in ice skating, with the very best performers from around the world taking to the ice in hundreds of stunning costumes to a whole collection of mesmerising music, a state-of-the-art lighting system and explosive pyrotechnic fire effects.”
Review by Richard Lambert, 4 Stars
RAPTURE, the latest Hot Ice show from Stageworks, is the exhilirating, captivating, stunning ice show presented for this season at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, produced and directed by Amanda Thompson, OBE.
This show has EVERYTHING in it – Pyro, Snow, Bubbles, Jet Flames, Jet Sparks, flying, video, stunning lighting effects, costumes to die for, more feather sets than you could imagine, more skaters than any other ice show in the World! It is incredible! If you think you like the athleticism, risk, speed and thrill of Figure Skating – this show is for you. If you like theatre, this show is for you! It is an adrenaline rush like no other!
It’s an extension of the roller coasters surrounding the arena. Somehow they go together. You can buy a Pleasure Beach pass and scream on the coasters during the daytime and then scream in delight as the skaters jump, spin, lift and tackle risk in a way you wouldn’t dare! What few realise is that ice skating is the only Olympic sport that recognises and rewards theatrical elements such as choreography and dramatical projection.
But there is a huge difference between what you might think of as competitive figure skating and what you’ll see at Hot Ice. The world of amateur competitive figure skating that you’ll see at the Olympics is no match for the emotional journey you’ll see in this professional ice skating show. The smoke and mirrors of pretend skating on Dancing on Ice has no quality in comparison to Hot Ice. This is the real deal! This is fabulous!
A competitive ice skater cannot be compared to a professional ice skater – it takes a lot of experience to transition from amateur into a professional ice show skater. The emotion, the alignment and posture, the attitude, are all so enhanced in a pro show. You take the foundations of a competitive ice skater and have to add layer upon layer on top of this to perform at a professional level.
RAPTURE has some new skaters this year. And Amanda Thompson, unlike any other producer in the country, invites the Press to the opening show, instead of a performance a week or so later. And this is where the problem starts. There were multiple falls this year, there are “newbies” not in line or able to maintain the block formations, sitting in the dark on the barrier cos they missed their light, and costumes not zipped up at the back. I also sat at the side instead of the front – and the lighting does not work so well from the side. Colours that make the fabulous costumes zing land on faces instead. The wooden dolly for the bath set needs painting or laminating to make it look quality. You can’t see into the stage and enjoy the video elements and additional choreography if you sit at the side. Book a seat that’s in the front to really get full benefit of this exciting show!
With a cast that includes Denis Cheprasov and Olga Ikonnikova alongside British skaters of the calibre of Nadia Craggs and Mathew Fogg, this is an absolute treat!
Once this show has settled it will be so fantastic and un-missable. But the Opening Press night had a few problems. It would benefit everyone if Amanda Thompson OBE let the show open for a week and then held the Press Night. Even the newbies would have chance to transition from amateur to professional.
But you must go see this show! By the time you’ve booked your holiday and bought your tickets it will be absolutely superb!!!!
Skaters
Girls
Nadia Craggs
Kelsey Russell
Anastasiia Kolomiets
Maiya Jirova
Daria Perminova
Olga Ikonnikova
Anastasiia Yalova
Amanda Daniel
Celina Sudnik
Renata Ohanensian
Natalia Ogoreltseva
Olivia Bell
Erynn Komes
Anete Lace
Kona Tsuuchi
Boys
Lukasz Kedzierski
Denis Cheprasov
Pavel Nesterenko
Noah Scherer
Anton Karpuk
Matt Fogg
Simon Proulx Senecal
Milosz Witkowski
Volodymyr Beilikov
Laurent Guay
Benjamin Guthrie
PJ Hallam
Pavel Shvetsov
Wiktor Witkowski
Aaron Chapplain
Alexey Kofanov
Further Information:
Hot Ice Rapture Amanda Thompson OBE Bio
Bookings Information:
Hot Ice runs from 7th July until 10th September every Monday to Saturday.
Evening shows commence at 7pm with a matinee performance on selected dates at 2.30pm.
Tickets can be booked online at www.hoticeshow.com or at the Pleasure Beach Arena Box Office.
Show and Dine packages are available.
To find out more, or to book, please call the Box Office on 0871 222 9090*
*Calls will cost 13 pence per minute plus your telephone company’s access charge