Russians thrilling, chilling

By Jerry Fink (contact)

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 | 7:34 a.m.

Who: "Ice: Direct From Russia"

When: 8 p.m., Sundays and Mondays, 8 and 10 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays. Dark Fridays

Where: The Riviera's Versailles Theatre

Tickets: $59.95 and $69.95; 794-9433

Rating: * * * * 1/2

They say "Ice: Direct From Russia" isn't a Cirque du Soliel show, but they should wink when they say it.

It has all the earmarks of the production company that dominates the Las Vegas entertainment market.

Acrobats.

Clowns.

Fabulous costumes.

Exciting choreography.

Breath taking stunts.

And more acrobats.

But the dominating element of this 80-minute show at the Riviera is skating. A cast of 42 skaters direct from Russia squeezes onto a 3,000-square-foot stage covered with 4 inches of ice, although rarely all at the same time.

Just as in all Cirque productions, "Ice" has a preshow show. Three Russians dressed for a Siberian winter mingle with the crowd while onstage. Behind a transparent plastic curtain, a stately female wearing elevator skates that add a foot or more to her height glides effortlessly across the ice-covered stage.

It may not be a Cirque show, but it has the feel of one, perhaps because its director, Debra Brown, choreographed "Mystere" and "O" before striking out on her own.

Those two productions were created by Franco Dragone, who also struck out on his own and created "A New Day..." starring Celine Dion at Caesars Palace and "Le Reve" at Wynn Las Vegas.

Dragone's shows also have the feel of Cirque.

Or perhaps Cirque has the feel of Dragone and Brown.

There isn't anything Cirque about the Riviera's theater. It didn't cost $70 million and the production didn't cost another $70 million.

Call it "Cirque Lite," not that there's anything wrong with that.

You get much of the excitement and the artistry of the other brand but at about 50 percent of the ticket price, which makes you appreciate the entertainment more.

Cirque may have the corner on acrobats, but "Ice" has a few of its own and those acrobats do it on ice.

A skater supports a pole on which an acrobat does a handstand. There are silk-rope artists, a balancing act, clowns playing violins, a skater who clasps a pair of skates in his hands and alternates between skating with feet and hands.

There is a dramatic opening with the cast skating around the arena in formation clad in Russian overcoats.

One of the most beautiful scenes is that of a skating couple, dressed in white, with wings that become kites, which they manipulate into an artistic dance in the air.

There is an elegance about the music and the costumes and the routines that is on par with Cirque.

The only problem is the venue. The showroom was adequate for "Splash," which ran at the Riviera for more than 20 years.

But this show would do well in a theater the size of the MGM Grand Garden Arena or the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

It could be produced on a much grander scale and easily compete with its big brothers down the Strip. But for now the cast is skating on a relative postage stamp, which actually adds another dimension to the excitement as the skaters rein in their movements to fit the stage lest they sail into the audience.

Brown, producer Sergey Ryshkoff, choreographer Alain Gauthier and costume designer Mireille Vachon have created a fun-filled show that may not be on an epic scale, but overall "Ice" is nice.