The Car Man (New Adventures)
Choreographed and Directed by Matthew Bourne
The Lowry, Salford – 30 May 15
Exploding with theatricality, sex-appeal and sheer ingenuity, Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man quite literally has it all. Described as both an “auto-erotic thriller” and “dance noir”, Bourne’s radical and enthralling adaptation of Georges Bizet’s Carmen pushes the boundaries, turns up the heat and takes narrative dance to a whole new level. Combining inspiration from the 1934 crime novel The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain as well as Bizet’s opera, The Car Man is certainly a unique example of an adaptation that has become original in its own right.
Set in the ironically named town of Harmony, a fictional 1960s Italian-American community, the residents are shaken up by the arrival of Luca (danced in this performance by Christopher Trenfield), a disturbingly charismatic drifter who enters into an adulterous tryst with the beautiful and manipulative Lana (Zizi Strallen). Bored by her older husband Dino (Alan Vincent – the original Luca from 2000), Lana is a femme fatale figure whilst her younger sister Rita (Katy Lowenhoff) embodies emotion and sensitivity, especially in her relationship with the shy and bullied Angelo (Dominic North). Cue secret affairs, violent murders, the perversion of justice and an excess of carnal expression … to sum up, this is not a dance show to bring the kids to!
With the music of The Car Man existing as a collaboration between Bizet’s powerfully dramatic score, Rodion Shchedrin’s forty minute orchestration and further composition by Terry Davies, the resulting musically-driven narrative takes on a strong filmic quality that really draws the watcher in. It is possible to recognise an element of West Side Story in this show, particularly in the Act II “Fight Night” amongst the gang of mechanics that quickly spirals into full-blown and fatal violence. Bourne’s works have often been described as “dansicals”, and it has to be said that this is a truly fitting description for The Car Man – unlike West Side Story, no words are required in order to fully convey the plot twists and turns and emotional journey that the show portrays.
Of course, no Matthew Bourne production is complete without truly top-quality dancing and his recognisable choreographic genius. The Car Man utilises dance to explore the themes of a gritty and earthy emphasis, but a couple of stand-out numbers have to include Angelo’s heart-wrenching handcuff dance and his following disconcerting duet with Rita. The audience can only watch in horrified fascination as the events of the plot push Angelo from timidity and submission to unnerving unpredictability, a conversion that showcased Dominic North’s astounding performance ability. Angelo’s shift of character is also mirrored by Luca’s own descent from confident charisma to guilt-ridden torment, and what better way is there to express such emotional carnage than through dance and music!
A dance thriller such as The Car Man is a rare experience in contrast to the many family-friendly productions in the dance world, so it is worth grasping the opportunity before this tour ends at Sadler’s Wells in August. It is a show guaranteed to set your pulse racing, from the never-ending suspense of the plotline to the fervour and intensity of both the dancing and acting. Whilst watching with an open mind should be recommended, I defy anyone not to be blown away by this show.
All the World's a Stage 