Review: THE CAR MAN, Sadler’s Wells Theatre
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Is it any wonder that Matthew Bourne has returned to The Car Man for yet another outing? Whether you consider it to be contemporary ballet or a dance thriller, this lusty, fiery production undoubtedly has mass appeal and must be seen by a wider audience.
A loose retelling of Bizet’s iconic opera Carmen, Bourne’s masterpiece has received international acclaim since debuting with his New Adventures dance company in 2000. So, with each revival comes the renewed high expectations.
As charged as Bourne’s choreography is, it is Lez Brotherston’s set that sets the tone for the show. Making full use of the depth of the Sadler’s Wells stage, the sprawling design captures the essence of small town 1950s America. Act I continuously flits between the garage, where beautiful young men work, and the diner, where those same men meet and cavort with their even more beautiful girlfriends. In Harmony (population 375), life appears to be sex, drink and dance.
Luca (played by Harrison Dowzell) is the new guy in town and quickly finds work at Dino’s garage. But heartthrob Luca is less interested in tinkering with car motors than Dino’s (Danny Reubens) younger, attractive wife Lana (Cordelia Braithwaite). The pair soon embark on a passionate affair, although Luca also has more than a fleeting interest in Angelo (Leonardo McCorkindale).
The core company is completed by Rita (Kurumi Kamayachi), Lana’s sweet, not-so-streetwise younger sister. When the group combines either to perform in duets or as part of the wider ensemble, The Car Man is utterly electric, with Act I’s highlight proving to be the coquettish Lana flirting her way across the stage, teasing the men with her shimmering sensuality.
While The Car Man is a knockout across its full two hours, it surely peaks during the lighter, floatier aesthetic of the first act. Act II is just as impressive but as the story grows darker and the characters spiral, the non-verbal narrative starts to fray at the edges ever so slightly.
But that cannot take away from what a stunning revival this is. If Strallen brought danger and spontaneity to Lana, Braithwaite digs deep into her character to deliver a slick and flawless portrayal. Opposite, Dowzell is hypnotic as Luca, while Kamayachi and McCorkindale steal the limelight as the ballet reaches its grisly conclusion in Act II.
The Car Man is the sort of dance production that ought to open up the genre to new audiences. Bourne’s choreography is sublime and alongside the intricacy of Terry Davies’ orchestra, it is a clinic in finding the perfect timing.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Tom Ambrose