The story of "the history of humanity" and the "relationship between humans and Earth" as told by the Cirque de Glace international troupe attracted audiences of all ages from over the weekend, according to organisers.
In a "theatre on ice", internationally renowned ice skaters performed Cirque de Glace's "Evolution" at Al Hussein Sports City's Palace of Culture, showcasing the story of the creation of the planet, "man’s evolution and a journey to the limits of technology".
An ice stage was constructed and equipped in accordance with international standards for the performance, organisers Friends of Jordan Festivals (FJF) said in a statement made available to The Jordan Times.
On the opening night on Thursday, the two-hour performance attracted an audience of 1,700 from Jordan and other countries. The cirque concluded its performances on Saturday.
Audience members interviewed by The Jordan Times said the theme was one of the main reasons that attracted them to the ice show.
Iraqi Mohammad Faisal, who is in Jordan for medical treatment, said that the theme was really important.
"In this day and age, many people are not aware of the importance of the environment and that we need to protect it. I hope that the audience will understand the message behind this show," Faisal said as he waited for the performance to begin.
Nawras Ghanam, 19, also said what he liked most was the theme of the performance.
"I was really curious to see how this troupe would introduce man’s evolution through an ice show," he told The Jordan Times.
Victoria de Klerk, from Holland, said she liked this kind of entertainment so she decided to attend the event.
"These kinds of shows are fun for people who live in Amman," noted de Klerk, who is the wife of the Dutch ambassador to Jordan.
For other members of the audience, it was the novelty of an ice show that attracted them to attend Thursday's performance.
"I watched videos of the troupe and I really liked them... For me, it was a new experience," said Muath Khaleel, who heard about the performance from his friends.
Khaleel noted that he liked sports, which was another reason for attending the ice show.
"I heard that the performers are famous athletes, so I wanted to have a closer look at their art," the 22-year-old added.
Sandra Sabha was full of praise for the ice show.
"The performers did a good job and I liked the whole performance. Last year, I attended the Cirque du Soleil and I think this show was better... because it was simple and told an interesting story," she said during the break.
Nancy Majali disagreed.
"The story is strange. To be honest, I liked the previous show," she said.
Yazan Ghanam noted that these events contribute to boosting tourism in the Kingdom.
"When people come all the way to Jordan to watch their favourite troupe perform, they will also be tempted to see the most famous sites in the Kingdom," he said, voicing hope that the organisers will hold other such events in the future.
However, Ghanam noted that the tickets were not affordable for everyone.
Prices ranged from JD25 to JD60, and schools got a 50 per cent discount, according to organisers.
"I believe not many can afford a ticket that costs JD25. When organisers hold an event at affordable prices, they encourage a greater number of people to attend it," he added.
The FJF said free tickets were given to nonprofit charity organisations to distribute to underprivileged children from outside Amman.
Cirque de Glace first started as the Wild Rose Troupe, founded by Vee Deplidge from Britain and her son Julian. The company toured the UK in 1993 with a production of "The Sleeping Beauty" on ice, according to an FJF statement.
Since then, the cirque has performed in Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Germany and Cyprus, among other venues.
by Muath Freij
