The Car Man
(Carmen)
‘The Car-Man’ is loosely based on Bizet’s popular opera (‘Carmen’) and has one of the most thrilling and instantly recognisable scores in New Adventures’ repertory, brilliantly arranged by Terry Davies.
(Carmen)
Sensational new dance cinema event from celebrated choreographer Matthew Bourne. The familiar 19th Century Spanish cigarette factory becomes a greasy garage-diner in 1960’s America where the dreams and passions of a small-town are shattered by the arrival of a handsome stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge. Lez Brotherston’s epic design, Chris Davey’s evocative lighting and Matthew Bourne’s vivid storytelling take in a wealth of cinematic references, creating a dangerous and uncompromising vision of small-town America.
The single stage set adapts into eight different permutations, taking us from diner through nightclub and prison and then out on the road in a cinematic finale where the Chevrolet cars of the period are destroyed in a pile up. The period look is further enhanced with the girls in tight-waisted colourful frocks and the men in Brando-esque T-shirts and jeans. The dance ensembles are an extraordinarily versatile group: classical, jazz, modern and flamenco seem natural expressions of their body movements. Marcelo Gomes will guest star as ‘Luca’, the title role and Will Kemp deserves a special mention for his sensitive portrayal of Angelo.
'The Car Man' was first seen in 2000, winning the Evening Standard Award for “Musical Event of the Year”. A revival in 2007 proved a smash-hit in London and at venues across the UK. This event was recorded live at Sadler’s Welles, August 2015. 98m (no interval).