Schmaltzy music and outlandish costumes are the most striking characteristics of the Moscow Circus on Ice which is currently performing at St Petersburg's Avtovo big top.
Russian circus is renowned for its hair-raising acrobatic feats and exploitation of every kind of animal. This show does not live up to that tradition. The nine skaters have a variety of elaborate sequined costumes in which they dance to Russian folk music sung in English.
Birds and beasts were represented by two doves, two bears and a large retinue
of dogs. The dogs appeared in place of what the program called "Penguins on
Ice," so it can only be concluded that they were in fact penguins in disguise.
If they were really dogs, they were completely talentless. Their task was to
sit on stools and jump through hoops which were only a few inches above the
rink. One of the dogs pathetically struggled to get its back legs off the ice
and onto a stool.
Fortunately, a few of the dog-penguins' tiny comrades saved the day by arriving on unicycles which they furiously pedalled across a tightrope which spanned the rink. This unexpected moment was hilariously surreal and was the highlight of the whole evening.
In the midst of all the twirls and false smiles two human tightrope walkers gave an impressive demonstration of their art, performing mid-air somersaults and other breath-taking stunts with the aid of a safety wire.
Clowns Andrei and Mikhail Shuydin won the hearts of the many children in the
audience by inviting them down to the front for free balloons and amusing them
and their parents with a gun that apparently fired red bow ties and a slippery
rubber snake.
Outside the circus there are a wide range of refreshments, from expensive imported ice creams to greasy chebureki (meat in pastry). Another attraction for kids is a bouncy dragon which can be bounced on for five minutes at a cost of 4000 roubles ($1).