The Car Man

Matthew Bourne's New Adventures - Sadler's Wells

Passion sparks from each scene; the choreography is heated, and the drama is just as hot. Audiences are wowed, but it feels there should be more emphasis and attention on the drama. Too much passion, not enough gripping drama.

Matthew Bourne's 'The Car Man' is a heated, male-led adaptation of Georges Bizet's 'Carmen', a high-drama opera about a desirable, strong woman who ignites the flames of obsession in the men she attracts. It's the perfect operatic tragedy. 'The Car Man' is loosely based on 'Carmen', and Terry Davies has created this modern, reimagined version of Bizet's composition in combination with Rodion Shchedrin's 'Carmen Suite'. It's quite a feisty piece of dance theatre, and it packs a fiery punch.

As the audience sits in anticipation for the piece to begin, each member of the cast joins the stage to set the scene gradually, as the audience sits waiting for the show to properly begin. A little pre-show. The Car Man walks on to the stage, and the characters are all drawn to his charm immediately; they have been waiting for a man like him to come in and take over, as the sign they place on stage says 'Man Wanted ', and he shows his interest in filling the position. He shakes up so many of the people he attracts and creates a real stir. It is set in the West at an American diner in the 1950s; the cast is Italian-American, and the heat of the town accentuates their lust and desire. The choreography does not suggest sexual relations; it very clearly shows you what is going on between each character, and nothing is really left to your imagination. If you are new to dance theatre and want a story that is easy to follow, with some lust-driven choreography, then this is the one to see. Whilst so much of the choreography showcases the cast's incredible and high-quality dance skills, it does feel a little intense and too obvious at times. The beauty of dance theatre is gauging your own conclusions from what the choreographer has crafted, and the story feels spoon-fed to the audience. So much of the show is the relationships between each character, and not enough time is spent on the story's development. You crave a bit of a deeper look into each character and how they feel towards the events they are living through.

You could not have cast a better 'Lana', played by Ashley Shaw and 'Luca ', played by Will Bozier; their dance abilities are astonishing, and their chemistry is the most intense I've ever seen on stage. The two have this ability to own the stage the moment they step into the light; they have such a confident and powerful energy. As soon as they start moving, their strength, co-ordination, timing and performance skills enchant not only the audience, but also their cast members who gravitate towards them. 'Rita', played by Anna-Maria De Freitas and 'Angelo ', played by Harry Ondrak-Wright, are quite standout characters, because they have quite a clear character development and some uncomfortable scenes that they perform with such emotion. The whole cast are some of the strongest, performative dancers, with a clear understanding of the story. It's wonderful to watch each one of them, and if you go back and watch the show multiple times, you'd be able to focus on another area and pick up on something you didn't notice. There is so much going on during the show that you wish you could slow down time to pick up on areas you missed.

It's like seeing the actual setting in front of you; the stage transports you to the west, and summer is a fitting season to watch the show. You feel it adds to the experience, and the heat fills the auditorium. The set is the strongest creative area of the show because it is so realistic; they even have sparks on stage to create the image of an angle grinder. It's designed by Lez Brotherston, and the lighting, of course compliments the stage well, designed by Chris Davey. There is the heat of the west, some amazing levels, and some amazing settings, all different from each other and creating some really beautiful moments. The cars on stage are quite interesting and impressive; the cast stands behind them, and it's the front half of a car, and the cast pushes them around to give the illusion of them driving. The sound, designed by Paul Groothuis, does not exactly match the standard of lighting and set, because there are choices of sound levels that are clearly done for a reason, but because some moments of songs are louder than others, they almost feel highlighted, but it's not clear why. I also feel some lovely moments of the music are lost due to the sound being deliberately lowered at times.

It goes without saying that Matthew Bourne is an out-of-this-world choreographer; whilst 'The Car Man' was not my favourite Bourne piece, it has some strong moments, and the story isn't as dramatic as it could be, it's still engaging and impressive. I felt like I craved a bit more from the story, a bit more depth to the characters by themselves and a bit more about the 'Car Man' and his relationships. How they led the characters to obsession. You see the relations, but not the growing relationship. This is a different adaptation of 'Carmen', and with the woman having the upper hand at the end, it's a lovely twist with a little bit of female empowerment. This is still a great show, and if you're new to dance theatre, this is one that you shouldn't miss. Be ready for a little bit of nudity and some chemistry-charged scenes. It's a spicy bit of dance theatre!