Carmen Sweet

It’s not surprising that this is the company’s most popular ballet  ̶ familiar story and wonderfully evocative music.

What’s different about this version is that Carmen is portrayed by three dancers: Elise May, in black, is the gypsy girl as her friends see her; the other two, Michelle Barnett and Rhiannon McLean, both in red, display the facets of Carmen’s inner self as the love triangle she gets herself into develops. So we become privy to her inner emotional turmoil, at times, passionate, capricious, playful, uncertain, flirty, fearful.  

Shchedrin’s music embraces all of these moods and Natalie Weir cleverly makes the most of the opportunities with her choreography.

At times Don José, the soldier, danced by Jack Ziesing, romances and dances with all three. At other times he dances with one or other of the red Carmens. Then the matador, Escamillo, (Benjamin Chapman) appears, steals Carmen’s affection and jealousy, rage and tragedy complicate the dance partners and patterns. Daryl Brandwood, a sort of athletic feral seer, is memorable as the Fortune Teller who predicts the inevitable outcome.

Bill Haycock’s less-is-more design is an empty stage dominated by a red sofa that, viewed from the auditorium, looks like full red lips. Ben Hughes’s lighting is sympathetic to the moods of the evolving story. Ten ballerinas get an effective brief appearance as Escamillo’s entourage.

In a nutshell: a thoroughly engaging dance experience.

Jay McKee

Images: Benjamin Chapman, Riannon McLean and Jack Ziesing & Elise May, Michelle Barnett, Jack Ziesing and Riannon McLean. Photographer: Dylan Evans.