The Car Man is an adaptation of Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera, Carmen, The Car Man, telling a story of a small American town named Harmony. The show was brought to life by Matthew Bourne and its extraordinary production as well as its ironical name are some of the many witty elements that perfectly leaven this steamy, violent tale, and which further demonstrates just why Bourne is considered our finest dance storyteller.
The story tells of a bored woman, Lana wife to a local diner and garage owner, Dino, in the small town of Harmony. A drifter who visits, Luca, immediately stirs desire in Lana's heart and this sets the tone for the passion, lust, revenge and bloodshed that soon befalls the town's locals.
When Luca and Lana finally got the chance to be alone, the atmosphere becomes dangerously charged, and the audience was all but left to hold its breath until the lovers collided in an explosion of forbidden passion. The carnal scenes in the show were neither subtle nor cut; they showed all the sweaty tangled lustful limbs, brutal grabs and thrusts, and a savagery that hinted at the bloodshed to follow.
From the show, it is clear that Bourne remains fairly true to his period setting while exploring a toxic masculinity culture in which Lana is objectified and degraded by her obnoxious husband and, subsequently uses her sexuality to plan an escape. Additionally, the audience witnesses how sensitive young Angelo and Rita's charming, innocent courtship is scorned by the other characters. Although Angelo is taught to fight by Luca, this is only a small portion of his tragic development into yet another gangster.
In the mayhem that ensues when Dino suspects the secret dalliance between Luca and Lana, Dino is murdered with repeated blows from a wrench by Luca. The scene is protracted, violent and very bloody. Dino's return as a figment of Luca’s imagination as he succumbs to drink-fuelled remorse, is terrifying. The innocent Angelo is mistakenly accused of the murder and jailed.
Bourne's character work is superb, bringing out the best in each of the leads with minimal effort. He excels at giving raw sensuality a voice in a way that few directors (of ballet or any other art form) can currently do. The show is unabashedly steamy from the start, with a shower scene full of naked mechanics laying the groundwork for what is to come. In Bourne's capable hands, the balletic bumping and grinding never feels cheesy, crass, or gratuitous, but rather like being in the midst of a life-affirming orgy.
While others of a different opinion may find holes in it, the truth is that this show is big, epic, beautiful, powerful, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There’s just no way you won’t enjoy it.
