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The 02 played host to a live version of the popular ITV1 ice dancing show

In one word: brilliant. Not what you’d think, I know. Once more to The 02 for last night’s ice dancing spectacular, and a chance to see the self-proclaimed ‘world’s most popular venue’ in all its glory. And what a space – four tiered levels, and a 20,000 capacity (around half to three-quarters full for last night’s performance).

The whole of the standing area in the centre of the arena was made into an ice rink about a third larger than the one used in the popular ITV1 TV show. With 7 celebrity skaters including evergreen entertainment darling Bonnie Langford and series winners Suzanne Shaw and Kieran Bracken paired with professional partners, the ice soon came alive with their energetic or graceful routines. A series of on-ice projections gave the whole thing almost as much added sparkle as the sequinned costumes.

The one-third bigger ice rink took up the whole of The O2′s standing area

The format of the TV show transferred over well to Dancing on Ice: the Live Tour. Two parts of an hour each in length sandwiched a twenty-minute break, with the first session following faithfully the on-screen spectacle. The skating performances were judged by the TV panel, with the audience casting votes via text messages, cheering enthusiastically for their favourite.

The two most-popular couples then performed a routine to the legendary Bolero made famous by Torvill and Dean at the 1984 Winter Olympics, with the winners crowned the evening’s champions. But before this, more relaxed and non-competitive displays quite literally took your breath away, with all of the professional and celebrity pairings’ performances worthy of praise, sashaying and gliding their way in front of the more than eager crowd.

But of course, the best performances of the evening were probably those of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean themselves. Professionals of more than 32 years, their status is undoubtedly worthy of the legendary reference it so often gets. Flawless and foot-perfect, they made it seem so effortlessly easy, as if they weren’t actually skating at all.

While I may not be quite that good, it has renewed my enthusiasm for taking to the ice. With indoor rinks seeing ever more wannabe Fountains and Shaws, it appears I’m not alone. And, as indoor rinks are just that – indoor – you no longer have to wait until the wintry weather to step out onto the slippery stuff and put your best Mack and Mabel feet forward. Now, where did I put my skates?

For the second time in as many months, we enjoyed the spectacle of Cirque du Soleil last night. On this occasion though, the circus quite literally took us to The O2, rather than the more traditional Royal Albert Hall. The invigorated Dome and our company were as enticing as the performance itself, especially as I’d never made it to Greenwich when the circular venue was in its previous life.

Treated to a Live Nation VIP Experience, we ate, drank, and made merry at Gaucho at The O2 first, before moving through to the arena for the night’s main event. Just what contrasts would there be between this show by the Canadian entertainers, and the last?

Quite a lot as it turned out. Delirium is ‘a multimedia theatrical production’, and is billed as ‘a Cirque du Soleil live music concert’. Usually played out on a lengthways stage cutting through the arena floor, at The O2 it bisected the arena across its width, and told its stories facing the audience. Just like a typical arena-type pop or rock concert, in fact. At all its venues the main stage is flanked by two enormous screens, onto which are beamed animated, pre-recorded, and real-time projections, to help carry the modern-day story along.

And that story is one which may be familiar to many. The show’s main character, Bill, is on a quest for balance in a world dominated by devices such as television and computers, and pressures on his time. Living in a bubble which floats around the stage, his urban life draws him more into a virtual world, but by the end of the performance he has grounded his energy back into the real world. If it sounds whimsical, that’s exactly what it was, but isn’t that what Cirque du Soleil is all about?

The music was contemporary and was made up of remixes of existing Cirque du Soleil tracks, taken from the troupe’s other performances. Re-written to include English lyrics, the tribal beats and electronic sounds reverberated well around the steeply-banked and domed interior of the arena, but did it feel the same as the Royal Albert Hall? In a word, no. But then you wouldn’t expect it to, as the two performance spaces are so different. I’m glad that Delirium wasn’t the first time we’d seen Cirque du Soleil, as I think we would have missed something.

The Royal Albert Hall is a much more intimate venue, and as a member of the audience, you feel more involved. Traditional circuses are staged in the round, after all. As a flat-on staged performance, this show felt lacking a little in audience engagement, especially when net voiles screened cast members from view.

It was still an enjoyable night, though, and it will be interesting to see how The O2 Arena deals with a proper audience participation show next week – I’m there again next Tuesday when Dancing on Ice The Tour sashays across the arena floor.