For one weekend, Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale The Snow Queen was brought to life on the boards of Brighton Dome’s Concert Hall.

It was an engaging, whimsical tale with enchanted animals and themes of friendship and love, and translated well as a ballet.

This performance, by Ballet Theatre UK, was well-devised with a simple, scant set and few props to distract from the choreography.

From the folksy opening act to the dramatic pieces later in the tale, the dancers demonstrated great skill, though with a few unfortunate errors in movement or synchronicity.

For the past couple of years, Disney sing-along film Frozen has captured the imaginations and adoration of many young girls, and the choice of The Snow Queen was a clever one.

The glittery costumes and icy backdrop drew gasps of admiration and hushed whispers from the dozens of young girls in the audience, and quite a few of their parents too.

In particular, the eponymous Snow Queen’s costume was beautifully designed, with a jewel-encrusted bodice and a dramatic crown.

On the whole, this was an elegant and considered performance, and a great way for a family to start the New Year.

Four stars