Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man Will Rev Your Engine

Jonathan Ollivier smoulders as "the car man," photo courtesy of Chronicle Live

             Whenever a production of Matthew Bourne’s comes to London, you can be sure that I’ll be there with bells on. This time around, I attended a performance of The Car Man for its short one week run at New Wimbledon Theatre. For my previous reviews (always bound to be glowing) of Bourne’s work, you can read about Swan Lake here and Edward Scissorhands here. Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen is having a bit of a moment, as I mentioned in my previous post about Carmen Disruption at the Almeida Theatre (find it here if you would like a brief overview of Carmen’s storyline).

New Wimbledon Theatre

             To begin with, Carmen is already a very sexually charged opera. When you pair that with Bourne’s sexually charged choreography in what he proclaims is a “dance thriller,” magic happens. Take the original Spanish cigarette factory and turn the set into an American 196os neon-lit garage-diner called Dino’s. Add in the famous scores that have been arranged by Terry Davies. What you’re left with is a testosterone-fuelled vision of the tale involving sweat, sacrifice, and of course, lots of sex.

Man wanted very much indeed...photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             A giant sign with imposing letters welcomed the audience to the small Italian-American town of Harmony, population 365. Just like the idealistic-sounding Pleasantville, Harmony is also the actual name of several locations in the United States. For the purpose of the performance, the sufficiently deceptive and clearly ironic name choice inferred the calm before the very big storm.

             When an incredibly masculine and muscular newcomer called Luca (played by hunky Jonathan Ollivier) arrived, he shook things up in ways he couldn’t have possibly imagined. Ollivier was precisely the dominating male lead The Car Man called for. He was equal parts brawny and believable, supported by a stellar cast and set design by Lez Brotherston. A car positioned on the left hand of the stage was the perfect prop for the dancers to slide all over or use for a quick sex romp.

Lana, one-third of the love triangle, photo courtesy of Chronicle Live

             The modern twist unexpectedly showed itself by way of bisexuality, or perhaps what we could call curiosity. Either way, the handsome stranger not only began to toy with the heart of a woman (Lana, Dino’s wife), but also of a man (Angelo, a bullied hired help). This made Luca the ultimate lusted-after individual, appealing to both sexes, each blissfully unaware of the tangled web “the car man” was beginning to weave.

Angelo faces off against Lana for Luca's affections, photo courtesy of Chronicle Live

             The Car Man was the most erotic of Bourne’s productions that I have seen to date. My mouth was on the verge of being agape for its entirety, but my eyes certainly compensated by staying wide open. My friend and I nudged each other and giggled like schoolgirls during the shower scene, where the macho car mechanics stripped down to nothing but a towel, hiding their modesty (just about) by a strategically placed horizontal bar.

No caption necessary *ahem,* photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The dancing was raunchy and steamy as the dancers’ bodies were slick with perspiration. Mimicking sexual positions, there was no shortage of gyrating or thrusting and occasional nudity. The greasy garage men in their oil-stained wife beaters chased after the women who provocatively teased them. The energy reverberating from the stage pulsated intensely as audience members most likely fell into one of two categories: squirming in their seat or becoming a bit hot under the collar.

It's getting hot in here...photo courtesy of Chronicle Live

             The plot thickened when the devilishly good-looking Luca and the female object of his desire were fooling around and her brutish husband Dino (played by Alan Vincent, the original “car man”) returned. One thing led to another and Dino was killed. When the police arrived, Luca’s male lover seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In a flurry of confusion and cunning quick thinking on the part of Lana, the innocent Angelo was dragged away by police, leaving the guilty two to live happily ever after…

Lana's husband Dino (Alan Vincent, the original "car man") catches her in the act with Luca, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             …or not. The saying goes “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” but in this case we would need to replace the woman with a man. Revenge is a dish best served cold and the pair who escaped their fate would soon receive their comeuppance after Angelo’s jailbreak. If you know the story, then you know that it ends with a very literal bang. I’ll leave it up to you to find out who in the love triangle receives the brunt of the blow.

In Angelo's case, "Hell hath no fury like a man scorned,"  photo courtesy of  Johan Persson

             Although The Car Man does mirror Carmen, Carmen ultimately gave birth to the car man. The Car Man stands completely on its own and brings something new to the Carmen circuit. Whether Luca, Lana, or Angelo represents Carmen is up to individual interpretation, but Bourne did not intend to capture another Carmen. He instead created a car man and beautifully at that. Bourne loves to push the boundaries and The Car Man certainly surpassed my expectations, quickly securing itself a top spot alongside my other favorite of his, Swan Lake.

             As the reworked performance came to its dramatic close, the same Harmony sign from before made another appearance, cheerily prompting us to “come again soon.” To Harmony? Perhaps not, but to Bourne’s productions? Always.

 The Car Man's stellar cast, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The Car Man is coming to London’s Sadler’s Wells starting July 14^th until August 9^th. Book here now to avoid disappointment.

             [Author’s Note: On August 9th, before he was due to give his last performance as Luca in The Car Man, Jonathan Ollivier was tragically killed in a road accident. I was truly heartbroken to hear this news, especially having witnessed him perform so beautifully on stage. My thoughts are with Ollivier's family and the dancing community, who have suffered a monumental loss of an unforgettable talent.]

Matthew Bourne’s Swans Fly South for the Winter

             This past weekend, I travelled to Manchester by way of a very convenient two-hour train journey. You might be wondering what this has to do with London-related events, the chosen theme of this blog. Well, not only was I in Manchester to visit my relatives, but a viewing of Matthew Bourne’s production of Swan Lake also featured on the agenda. Swan Lake will be coming to London’s dance theatre, Sadler’s Wells, on December 4th, but I had the opportunity to see it firsthand up north at The Lowry Theatre.

             I openly attest to the fact that I am a fan of Bourne’s, having previously seen his ballets Nutcracker! and Sleeping Beauty, the former at The Lowry and the latter at Sadler’s Wells. However, Bourne prefers to classify Swan Lake as contemporary dance/theatre rather than ballet. Bourne is a British choreographer and director and is the recipient of five Olivier Awards and the Tony Award, an award to recognize excellence in Broadway theatre, for Best Choreographer and Best Director of a Musical. He was the Artistic Director of his company, Adventures in Motion Pictures, from 1987 to 2002. Alongside co-director Robert Noble, Bourne erected his current company, New Adventures.

             Swan Lake has been running strong for 18 years since it first debuted in 1995 at Sadler’s Wells and it still continues to challenge our ideas of typical gender roles today. Bourne chooses to cast all-male swans, with not a female swan in sight. To some, the idea might seem laughable, but what this new role designation creates is an aggressively charged and highly athletic performance, something that simply would not have been possible with the traditionally feminine tutu-clad swans. However, music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in all its perfection is not tampered with despite Bourne’s otherwise modern twists.

             The original Swan Lake storyline follows Prince Siegfried, who falls in love with Odette, the Swan Queen. Bourne’s Swan Lake is less about love than about affection. Referred to as The Prince (Sam Archer when I attended) in Bourne’s rendition, he is stunned by the powerful beauty of a male swan (Glenn Graham when I attended) and they quickly form a mutual bond. The Prince is often rejected by his mother, The Queen (Michela Meazza when I attended), but The Swan offers him a new sense of purpose and direction for reciprocated fascination. Swan Lake has been characterized by some as homoerotic, but the onstage chemistry between The Prince and the Swan defies sexual orientation and should be translated as undeniable in-“Bourne” talent on the part of the dancers, regardless of underlying inclinations.

Sam Archer pictured as The Prince (left) and Jonathan Ollivier as The Swan (right), photo courtesy of London Calling

             I was enraptured by the very strong stage presence of the male swans with their toned chests, synchronized movements, and exceptional poise. I cannot diminish the female characters however, as their glitzy ensembles were tantalizing in their own right and their soft nature complemented the male figures’ abrasiveness. The original Swan Lake features Odile, the Black Swan to Odette’s White, an imposter to trick Prince Siegfried. Graham donned all black and leather trousers in Bourne’s masterpiece, shedding his powdery white skin and feathers to torment The Prince, slinking his way around the stage like a top-class seducer, everyone in the palace (and the audience) falling at his feet.

Photo courtesy of Show & Stay

             Whilst debatable if Swan Lake is indeed homoerotic depending on your standpoint, there is no question that it is erotic. My favorite scene occurs when The Prince is asleep in his room and swans suddenly crawl out from beneath his bed, their stretching arms the only discernable body parts upon first glance. They are soon accompanied by The Swan, who wiggles his way out from underneath The Prince’s sheets. The male swans’ arm movements are utter precision, especially when paired with the dancers’ conviction in their nuzzling, fighting, hissing, and squawking. Throughout the performance, they imitate the gracefulness of actual swans while preserving a pristine composure, even in the face of excessive amounts of exertion.

             Bourne creates subtleties in his work and pays inordinate attention to detail. The eyes have to overcompensate in order to keep up, because Bourne visually overloads the audience, making it nearly impossible to capture everything going on at any given time. It could be observed in a sly look or a mini scene captured within a bigger scene. Bourne also likes to incorporate elements of humor in his work, as evident with the role of The Prince’s girlfriend (Kerry Biggin when I attended). During a ballet within the actual ballet, her phone goes off with an all too recognizable tone, much to the chagrin of The Queen and The Prince. Popular culture such as this is easily identifiable, with flashes of paparazzi’s cameras and the pink neon flicker of the Swank Bar sign. The props earn a rightful place on stage just as much as the dancers. I had to reign myself in to remember that I was watching a dance performance.

The Lowry Theatre in the background with my grandparents aptly and unknowingly featured in the foreground

             The only part of Swan Lake that seemed to drag on was the 20-minute intermission, because the entire show glided effortlessly from its triumphant start to its heart-wrenching conclusion. The performance is grossly absorbing and all of its magic comes just in time for Christmas. The Lowry was surrounded by stalls of Christmas treats and goodies outside and the Lowry Outlet Mall just across the way already had their silver trees and shimmering lights out on display. After the performance, all I could do was sing the praises of Swan Lake,over a plate of fish and chips no less!

             The Lowry proved to be full to the very back row, so book to see Swan Lake in London here and view the show’s official website here. Swan Lake will run at Sadler’s Wells from December 4th to January 26th until the swans take flight for their next destination.

             [Author’s Note: I mentioned briefly in an earlier post that I contribute to my university’s online newsletter, The Gazelle. As well as remaining a staff writer, I now also hold the position of Arts and Entertainment editor. Today, December 10th, I can proudly announce that we have released our second print edition, where my above review of Swan Lake has been published.]

The Gazelle pictured against the Christmas tree that is currently adding festive cheer to my flat