If you're looking to host a large mid-winter party and are in need of ice, then Paul Mansfield will be able to help.
The United Kingdom-based Imperial Ice Stars executive producer was in Dunedin yesterday to check out the Regent Theatre, venue for the company's next New Zealand production, Sleeping Beauty On Ice, which is playing in the city from June 11-14.
It has been more than 40 years since there was an ice skating rink set up in the Regent Theatre.
The last time was in 1974 when skaters performed in the Ice Varieties show.
Creating an ice rink suitable for Olympic and world championship-level ice skaters in the Regent Theatre will be a tricky procedure, but it's a task Mr Mansfield and his team have achieved in theatres around the world many times.
The process would start with two large chillers about 3m long by 1.5m high and a metre wide, positioned outside in the theatre's loading bay.
''We're not talking about your typical fridges. They're designed to chill a chemical called glycol down to -14degC.
''Then on the stage itself, we build a shallow baking tray and we fill that in with two plastic pond liners and then lay rows and rows of piping to run the glycol coolant through it - it's about half a mile of piping.
''Then we'll put five tonnes of ice cubes down. That's a lot of glasses of mojitos.
''I haven't yet found out where in Dunedin I'm going to get that much ice from - probably not the local garage - but there will be a place somewhere.
''Then some poor fellow has to stand there for 12 to 14 hours spraying a layer of water on it every 15 minutes.''
From start to finish, it would take about 18 hours to build the rink, he said.
The ice would take a lot of maintenance to keep it ship-shape for the skaters.
Before and after every show, and during the intervals, two people would scrape the surface several times and spray another layer of water on top to keep it smooth, he said.
''Interestingly, the water we spray on is hot because it freezes quicker than cold water. It's called the Mpemba Effect.
''Everyone who attends the show will see this happening.''
He said the ice would cover about 13m x 13m - about a quarter the size of a rugby field - and would stretch right to the front of the stage, ''so the front row can get a bit of ice in their faces'' from the skates.
Despite the relatively small size of the rink, he estimated the skaters would reach speeds of more than 50kmh.
Mr Mansfield said one of the main issues to come from his survey of the theatre and its facilities was working out what to do with all the ice when the shows finished.
Because of hectic schedules, there would not be time to wait for the ice to melt and drain away.
So large mallets would be used to smash it before it was wheel-barrowed out the door.
''All this ice has to go somewhere. There will be 12 to 13 tonnes of it. So I'm very happy to give it away.
''It would be edible. Essentially, it remains as pure water.
''Anyone who wants a mid-winter party and wants ice, skated on by national and world champion ice skaters, give me a call,'' he joked.
''We'll even get some of it signed if you want. It will add a bit of posh to your party.''
