Matthew Bourne's 'The Car Man'
The Car Man is probably the best dance work that Sir Matthew Bourne has created since New Adventures' version of Swan Lake. Drive yourselves down to Norwich Theatre Royal and grab yourselves a slice of the action.
Norwich Theatre
“Welcome to Harmony. Population 375. Drive safely now.”
The message on the huge electronic display sets the scene for us as we take our seats in Norwich's Theatre Royal. Various cast members are already busying themselves on the stage, moving between the garage on the left, where two cars are parked up in the workshop, and Dino's Diner on the right, where a sign advertising for staff is being hung above the counter. This is clearly a remote Mid Western town in the 1950's, and the mood is distinctly neo-noir.
Matthew Bourne's New Adventures is back into town this week, cruising in with their re-ignited, turbo-charged interpretation of Georges Bizet's classic opera, 'Carmen'. With a specially recorded string and percussion soundtrack suite re-imagined by Terry Davies and Rodin Shchedrin, the passion and power of 19th century Andalusia is picked up and re-planted into a dry and dusty American heartland, and the world of Coke and fries.
This is the seventh Matthew Bourne production that I have seen since I first saw the New Adventures dancers performing on the Lakeside Stage at Latitude in 2017. As with all previous productions, it is Bourne's imagination and vision, coupled with his wry sense of humour that makes every ballet such a joy to watch. (Where else would you find a beatnik nightclub called 'Le Beat Route'?) There is certainly a wicked sense of irony that lurks beneath the surface, and this is certainly built into The Car Man, along with pertinent social comment sitting alongside the dark themes of jealousy, murder and betrayal. His dancers, as well as being supremely athletic and strong, consistently incorporate a supreme sense of fun that accompanies their technical precision and the passion of their movement. The constant chatter and shouting manages to recreate a believable sense of workplace atmosphere and banter. And this is delivered with some of the most fluid and fabulous dancing that you are likely to ever see on stage.
Leading up the cast at tonight's performance was Cordelia Braithwaite as Lana, down-trodden wife of sleazy diner and garage owner Dino (Adam Galbreith). Only when mysterious drifter, Luca (Harrison Dowzell), arrives in town looking for work, does the temperature begin to rise, and passions begin to boil. Lana' younger sister Rita was played by Kurumi Kamayachi, whose bisexual boyfriend Angelo (Leonardo McCorkindale) is the one framed for the murder of Dino at the end of Act 1.
With a plot that remains closely bound to the spirit of the events that Bizet realised in the original Seville storyline, and with choreography that is overflowing with the flair and sexiness of Andalusian dance traditions, The Car Man is probably the best dance work that Sir Matthew Bourne has created since New Adventures' version of Swan Lake. Drive yourselves down to Norwich Theatre Royal and grab yourselves a slice of the action.
Limited availability remains until Saturday October 3rd.
