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BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD ?╟÷ Wednesday, February 18, 1970 'Holiday is a joy to watch BY EMMETT WEAVER P-H Amusements Editor Birmingham and "Holiday on Ice" have pretty much grown up together, so Tuesday night's "silver anniversary" show was a joint occasion for celebration by audience and performers. Twenty-five years seems like a long time for a ice revue to be business, but that's the enviable record Morris Chalfin and "Holiday" can boast of. And, judging from the 1970 edition of * 'Holiday" which glided into the Municipal Auditorium Tuesday night, it is, easy to see why Mr. Chalfin & Co. continue to attract the crowds. The Tuesday night opening here was a near sell-out, but it's the show that's the thing, and this year's ice revue incorporates the best elements of staging and production. Some "first-nights" can be calamitous, even for seasoned blade stars, but the one Tuesday moved so effortless and with such technical precision that it was such a joy to watch. Each beautifully-costumed number (and Freddy Wittop has really outdone himself in the needle-and-thread department) dovetails so smoothly with the next that the viewer is hardly conscious he or she is making a visual transition. This speaks well for the behind-the-curtain technical people and also company manager Tommy Collins (an ex-skater himself) who was been with "Holiday" over 20 years. Two of the skating stars to keep a special eye on are German-born Marei Langenbein and powerful, muscular Ray Balmer in "Roman Holiday" number. This is fraulein Langen- bein's second year with the ice revue, and when she first made her debut she didn't seem to have confidence and poise she now has a skater. Of course, having Balmer as a partner on the ice is a great asset, and in their duet they complement each other exceptionally well with Ray providing thee strength and Marei the grace. Also, the show's star for five years, Ronnie Robertson ?╟÷ who said backstage at intermission that he has received an offer from Disney ?╟÷ is still an exciting phenomenom on the blades. Ronnie's most difficult feat is a "Double axel" in which he executes two and one-half turns in the air taking off from a forward position and ending up backward. This year's production numbers created by director Donn Arden show production stylishness without too much gaudiness. The pretty girl skaters in their Easter egg costumes were quite clever. Also, the "Holiday In Rio" sequence, while not original in its employing of strobe, was still effective. The finale, however, undou- betdly has to rate as the as the most spectacular onslaught on the vision with a "White Christmas" panorama which has all the festival paraphrenalia you anticipate from holiday trees to lighted skirts and falling snow. Animal acts have become so much a part of "Holiday" over the years that if they didn't have trained chimps who jump over hurdles better than some humans, then something would be wrong. And, who can quarrel with an act like Kossmayer's Mules? If it wasn't an audience favorite, then Mr. Chalfin wouldn't leave it in the show. The Cook family, who were here last year, have returned too and 10-year-old Kim has turned into a most polished skater who can do a few tricks in the book even some adults don't use. Also her twin brothers, Kris and Kelly, are fine little perfor mers in their own right, although they're only a year ; younger than their sister. ^^^^MnPMp^P^HPPPH ?╜ *y-!!?·?╟≤ l8d970 W. miShm mm ^ii? ?√ß On 23rd visit?╟÷ Holiday on Ice a glittering show A gorgeous, glittering, sparkling show, bubbling with merry laughter, delighted a big Municipal Auditorium audience Tuesday night when Holiday on Ice celebrated its 23rd visit to Birmingham and its Silver Anniversary. In spectacular acts and dazzling costumes, the production has outdone any previous one. The skating is as great as ever. Some of the world's top skating stars are here. The Glamour-leers and the Ice-Squires make poetry of motion as they glide and sweep over the silvery sheet of ice. The comedy acts seemed to arouse the greatest enthusiasm from the large opening-night audience. They roared at Paul Andre and Johnny Leech as Cleopatra and Marc Antony. The same comic pair brought down the house as "The Kernel and the Pearl," spinning over the ice in a car that came to pieces and caught fire. THE TRAINED chimps of Werner and Denise Muller made a tremendous hit. The tricks these animals performed on skates were amazing. "Ole Houn' Dawg," made up of Alfredo Mendoza and John Ladue, brought as many laughs as ever with their absurd antics. The Cook family, mother and dad, two little boys and a girl, completely won the crowd. But the biggest laugh-getter was Kossmayer's Mules. This was not an ice act, but a hilarious demonstration of how the mules refused to be mounted. THE SHOW IS made up for the most part, though, of extravagant numbers celebrating such holidays as Valentine's Day, April Fools Day, Independence Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas. A Roman Holiday is a skating version of how ancient Rome enjoyed its orgiastic celebrations. A Holiday in Rio goes down to.South America. "A Salute to the Opera" introduces the doomed women of four famous operas. The White Christmas, which concludes the show, is the most scintillating number. Santa Claus dancers and girls dressed as Christmas trees mingled, and electric lights illuminated the costumes. The stars of the show are featured in the big scenes. Ronnie Robertson, who receives top billing, performed his record-breaking spins in "A Salute to the Opera" and "Halloween Time." Grete Borgen, Marei Langenbein, Alice Quessy, Ray Balmer, Tommy Allen and Juanita Percelly are among the other featured skaters. ?╟÷ LANE CARTER.