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12 :??/^R5Efr?╜ Mon., Jan. 6, 1969 HOLIDAY ON ICE (Forum, Inglewood; $5 Top) There's nothing in the world of showbusiness quite like an ice show. The performers must work in 360 degrees and be their own stagehands as well. The formality of a legit show mingles with the informality of a circus; and the potential for complete, all-age en- tainment excellence exists. The 24th edition of "Holiday On * " in its fourth annual L.A. ap- Ice," ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ pearance, has so much going for it, in terms of performing and production talent, that it peaks too soon, dissipates its impact, and finally loses part of its audience. Still, in a 17-show run through Jan. 12, strong enough b.o. potential exists for pleasant results. Exec producer Morris Chalfen cannot be faulted for anything. Donn Arden created, staged and directed the "Nostalgia"-themed, two-act frolic with an eye for spectacular panorama as well as close-in comedy. Glenn Holse's scenery is^ smashingly effective?╟÷ an attractive, up-rink proscenium encasing some excellent sets and a well-executed back-screen projection of slides. Also, Freddy Wittop's costumes are plush, new-looking, and eye- dazzling. Dorothy Morris' lighting (including black light effects) is outstanding. Ben Stabler's band orchestrations and conducting, plus Chuck Cassey's vocal arrangements, are excellent. And the cast, headed by Ronnie Robertson, worked their blades off. So what went wrong? In the first act, which ran about 67 minutes, nothing went wrong at all. Of the seven major sketches in this portion of the show, four emphasized broad comedy and got a hot reception, while the opening, fifth and closing sketches were lavish production numbers, covering the ice and filling the eye. But the 64- minute, seven-sketch second act, for all its genuine additional dazzle, seemed to go no farther in impact than the first act. By the finale?╟÷ a 20-minute Hollywood pix salute from silent films through the 1930s ?╟÷ dozens in the audience were blandly filing out of the Forum. The clue to the cumulatively diminished lustre of the show may well be simple time duration. The most well-received, and theatrically effective, production numbers ran about 13 minutes or less. This surfeit of excellence boasts many fine individual performing achievements, starting with star Robertson's top icemanship, in a Fred Astaire tribute but particularly as the prince from La Mancha in "The Gates Of Granada" number. Latter, plus the "Jungalero" number, featuring Jorge and Helga Valle and Anna Galmarini, were the plushiest in the show. Alice Quessy was most notable as Eva Tanguay in the opening number, devoted to little old New York. Tommy Allen and Juanita Percelly charmed in a good romantic dancing sketch. The pert Miss Galmarini displayed versatility in a variety of assignments, including a voodoo dancer, a clown, and as Judy Garland. Comedy sketches featured Alfredo Mendoza and John Ladue, together as a hound dog; Paul Andre and drag-garbed Johnny Leech in a "Bonnie and Clyde" takeoff; Andre as a daffy skating sailor in the comedy highlight of second act; Werner Muller and some lovable chimps; the Cook family turn^ (minus mother Dori), in which Kim, Kris and Kelly Cook, the kids, steal an audience's heart; Mendoza and Darolyn Prior, plus a stooge photographer, combine adagio expertise and slapstick. Arden's staging combined the precision symmetry of, say, Busby Berkeley with the inevitable tedium inherent in an overemphasis of same. Apart from some minor preem fluffs, production and execution are excellent. Murf. A-8 Saturday, Jan. 4,196? Hollywood Citizen-Hews I 'Holiday On Ice' Has Fun, Beauty, Sparkle By REED "Holiday on Ice," now at the Forum sports arena in Inglewood for all too short a run, has more goodies in just its first half alone than most ice-travaganzas have in the whole show. It's super-colorful, packed with youth and also more mature talent; the comedy is really hilarious and the skating is all superb. All this and Ronnie Robertson, too. Robertson, that skating star of stars, seems at the topmost peak of bis flashing form this season. Always a whirlwind on the frozen stage, he now seems smoother, more graceful and, if possible, even more skillfully polished than before. There's just no end to the favorite performers in this show, but we expect the most popular may be The Cook Family. Mama Dori was absent opening night Thursday but Papa Cal, tiny daughter Kim and the even tinier sons, Kris and Kelly, brought down the house. You never saw a more graceful, more poised performer in ANY age bracket than the diminutive, beautiful Kim, while the two angelic boys will match her inborn artistry. The skill of the children, of course, reflects on the training by their parents. As usual, The Chummy Chimps are huge scene- stealers. The cunning chimpanzees ge better every time, too, and their "Banana Brigade" this year with their trainer, Werner Muller, nearly defrosted the ice with the PORTER warmth of applause of the crowd. This 24th annual edition of the smooth "Holiday on Ice" boasts a dazzling display of costumes by Freddy Wittop and scenryby Glenn Holse, which highlight every single number of the spectacle created, staged and directed by Donn Arden, all tributes to his unending talent. The spectacle numbers, with an unusually excellent group of young girl and boy skaters lending unfailing, sharp support, include "Hello, New York," "Jungalero," "Astaire Time," "Rockin' Happy," "The Gatea of Granada," and "Star Time," a delightfully complete salute to most of the silent and early-talkie film stars; The musical direction of Ben Stabler is an enormous asset to each member. The other skating stars include Grete Borgen, Anna Galmarini, Helga and Joreg Vallee, Alice Quessy, Alfredo Mendoza and Darolyn Prior, Marei Langenbein, Tommy Allen and Juanita Percelly, and many, many more it would be only fitting to single out, including all those budding stars in. supporting choruses. The comedian skaters this year also seem funnier and fresher than ever yet seen. Alfredo Mendoza and John Ladue are great in "Pooch Parade," a crowd pleaser; Paul Andre and Johnny Leech really "burn up" the ice in their "Connie and Glyde" satire, Paul Andre, Johnny Leech, Gerry Willis and Fred Napier, with a smart assist by little Kris Cook, are knockouts - in "Hit the Deck." And the comedy just keeps coming all through the big show. John Finley is production director on this edition, Chuck Cassey does the vocal arrangements and Dorothy Morris the admirable lighting. The ; talents of these and all others on the production end do honor to executive producer Morris Chalfen. "Holiday on Ice" sparkles anew with, beauty, laughter" and excitement. Don't let this great family entertainment get out of town without seeing it.