The Sleeping Beauty on Ice - The Imperial Ice Stars, The Mayflower, Southampton.

THE Mayflower's spring and summer season has only just got under way, but few productions this year will match the ovation received by The Imperial Ice Stars after their breathtaking performance of The Sleeping Beauty on Ice.

The show has captivated audiences around the world, and at The Mayflower this week a sell-out crowd was left just as spellbound.

With beautiful sequinned costumes, fairy tale backdrops and a hugely gifted cast, The Sleeping Beauty on Ice tells the classic story of a princess condemned to an eternal sleep by the evil fairy Carabosse.

Most adults will remember this fairy tale from their childhood, yet with its boundless fusion of ballet and ice dancing The Sleeping Beauty on Ice is just as moving and heart-warming today.

The majestic Prince Desire, played by Vadim Yarkov, and the sneering Carabosse, played by Maria Borovikova, both wowed the audience.

But it was the joyful, jester-like antics of Catalbutte, played by Anton Klykov, that really stole the show.

The Sleeping Beauty on Ice is a magical slice of theatre that will leave you feeling warm and enchanted. Where else could you see some of the world's most gifted skaters performing to the spine-tingling music of Tchaikovsky?

Runs until Sunday. Tickets from £12.50. Box office: 023 8071 1811.