BWW Review: Natalie Weir's CARMEN SWEET Shows Three Sides To The Femme Fatale in Beautiful Dance

Tuesday 10th November 2015, Riverside Theatre, Parramatta

The famous story of CARMEN is reinterpreted in Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre's production of Natalie Weir's CARMEN SWEET. Three sides to the Spanish Gypsy are seen through three different dancers as she toys with the naïve solder's affections.

With a blend of classical and contemporary dance, Weir (Artistic Director) has stripped back the tale, most often told in opera, to 60 minutes of dance with three sides to Carmen captured by Elise May, Michelle Barnett and Rebecca Hall. May, in long black skirted costume represents the wiser, more mature and darker side of Carmen. Barnett, in a red and black mid length dress captures the sensual, dominant and fiery side whilst Hall, in a more innocent red and black dress presents the carefree and younger side of Carmen.

The audience first meets May's Carmen as she dances solo around and on a Salvador Dali style red lip sofa. May demonstrates a strength, precision and litheness as she demonstrates a power and playfulness through repetition of moves. She is then joined by the other two Carmen's as Barnett and Hall mimic May's move, cementing the idea that they are all the same character. Jostling and playful one-upmanship show the conflicts that arise from having the various character traits within one person.

The soldier, Don Jose (Jack Ziesing), originally falls for all sides of Carmen, leading to a dance with all three ladies making for some unique styling before the carefree, young and flirty side comes to the fore. Carmen is then seduced by the Matador Escamilo (Benjamin Chapman) who arrives with his own troupe of black clad dancers, each bearing a red rose, reminiscent of the reality TV shows. The Fortune Teller that warns Carmen of her fate is played by Daryl Brandwood.

This work is beautifully constructed with engaging dance, a simplified storyline and a unique interpretation of how to divide a character to better display the different motivations. The combination of classical and contemporary dance keeps the work fresh but avoids obscure interpretation that can occur in modern dance. There is a fluidity and strength in the gracefulness and passion and the use of the couch provides an interesting prop as it is moved around the stage.

Whilst the season at Riverside Parramatta the work is touring Regional NSW.

Expressions Dance Company

Riverside Theatres Parramatta

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