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I THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1969 J7 Holiday on Ice Is Phenomenally New and Funny, Too By PAUL JONES With the largest advance ticket sale in its 24-year history, and one of the most spectacular shows it has presented here since it first came in the year after World War II, Holiday On Ice appears to have it made in 1969. I have attended many ice shows?╟÷<all but two, as a matter of fact?╟÷since Holiday first came here in 1946 and I've heard many people say all ice shows are alike. That's a lot of baloney. The show I saw Tuesday night at the old Municipal Auditorium is one of the funniest, prettiest, most lyrical and entertaining I've ever seen. And, judging from the explosive applause of the overflow audience, it was the best ever. The comedy numbers are unbelievable. The costuming is fabulous. The imagination that went into the production numbers is far and away the best the veteran ice show has offered here, or in Madison Square Garden, its home base. If Atlanta had an ice arena or a sports arena capable of housing a show of the magnitude of Holiday On Ice, one that would enable the top skating stars from all over the world to perform, uninhibited, Atlanta would see a spectacle unexcelled. The ice show is able to play here only six days because of the restricted seating and the limited floor space. I think people here take the ice show for granted. If such a show were staged on a wooden floor with dancers and singers performing the same routines, there would be "bravos" at the conclusion of every number. The bravos did come, in fact, at the end of almost every number in the new version of Holiday On Ice. You should have been on hand to hear the reception that greeted "Hello, New York," or "Harrigan's Hooligans," or the comedy number, "Pooch Parade," or "Calling All Cars." "Astaire Time," which recalled all the nostalgia of the 1930s and the dancing of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, was one of the most spectacular numbers the ice show has presented. It starred Ronnie Robertson and Marei Langenbein in a -ribute to Astaire and his music. The show was filled with pretty numbers that took their theme from the 1930s?╟÷"Hit the Deck," "Star Time," which utilized the music of the great motion picture oldies with skaters playing such stars as Shirley Temple, the Marx Brothers, Tarzan and Cheeta, Ruby Keeler, Jean Harlow, Dick Powell, Al Jolson, Gloria Swanson and others. The finale was broken up into five scenes, all based on Hollywood flickers with the stars of yesterday taking another bow. And it was great nostalgic fun. The children liked the comedy of the new show, particularly the antics of the Chummy Chimps in a number entitled "Banana Brigade." The chimps almost made chumps out of some of the human skaters. I liked the Holiday on Ice show. I think those who try to be so blase about such things ought to try to obtain a ticket to the new edition. One thing is certain. There'll be no public subscription to keep the Holiday On Ice troupe on the road. Audience acceptance of the show this year is phenomenal. St. Petersburg Independent Wednesday, February 19, 1969 1T-B On Ice, Perfection, Form And Color... FRED WRIGHT Independent Reviewer If someone tries to tell you the 24th edition of Holiday on Ice ,is not very different from the 23rd or 22nd edition, send 'em down to the Bayfront Center this week. Because if you use your eyes with any kind of objectivity, you'll find that while many of the faces are the same, the composite face of Holiday on Ice has undergone extensive plastic surgery. The costumes are far more imaginative and . provocative, the settings more colorful and' impressive, the choreography far more challenging. In fact, the only thing that's the same with the Holiday on Ice troupe is the degree of professionalism in the performers: they're always first class. The agenda emphasizes the nostalgic ?╟÷ just right for the majority of St. Petersburg ice Bayfront Center Arena, 400 First St. S: "Holiday on Ice; opened Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1W, 7:30 p.m. : Repeat performances 2:30, 7:30 | p.m. today; 7:30 p.m. Thursday; , 8 p.m. Friday; noon, 4, 8 p.m. Saturday; 1:30, 5:30 p.m. Sunday; 1 7:30 p.m. Monday; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Admission charged. Principal performers: Ronnie Robert- . son, Anna Galmarini, Alice Quessy, Tommy Allen, Juanita Per- celly, Marei Langenbein, Jorge and Helga Valle, Grete Borgen, the cook Family, Paul Andre. fans ?╟÷ with reminiscent visits to old New York and the glamorous era of Hollywood set in the early decades of the century. But the show is smartly designed for children and fans of all ages, with performing chimps for the kids, shapely girls in skimpy costumes for the guys- and, at one point, show headliner Ronnie Robertson in tights for the gals (or, for that matter, just Ronnie Robertson for the gals.). The show is a spectacular, of course, with all the theatrical tricks of the trade, including, rear-screen projection, strobe, black and whatever lighting and a collapsible car. But Holiday on Ice wouldn't be what it is without the ever-present stars like Robertson and Clearwater's Alice Quessy, who had her own cheering section in the audience last night ?╟÷ and some fans weren't a bit embarrassed to applaud at length just at the sight of the idol. You also have the talented duo of Helga and Jorge Valle, the comedy of Alfredo Mendoza, Paul Andre and Johnny Leech and the ice precision of Tommy Allen and Juanita Percelly. And there was the perennial Cook Family ?╟÷ minus one; but the three kids were there on the ice with their dad, and Kim Cook seems to be getting better each year, as her preci sion, coordination and stage, or ice, presence improves. ^ Naturally, she was the favorite of the audience. j The show, which is some- ( how a highlight all unto itself, ^ has some specially good mo- < ments within it. Those ice J hockey-playing, high - jump- I ing chimps, for example, and a colorful and effective music number billed as "Jungalero," with petite and lithesome Anna Galmarini in fine form and style as the Cat Girl. To say Holiday on Ice is flawless would be erroneous; but it's the closest thing to ice perfection this side of the Olympics, and much more colorful. Sure, it's a show for the kids. But don't kid yourself: anyone who's young at heart or mind or spirit can thoroughly enjoy this 2%-hour show, and should.