Bourne's Car Man at Albert Hall

Published: 7 April 2022
Reporter: Vera Liber

Matthew Bourne's The Car Man Credit: Johan Persson

New Adventures has announced the casting for Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man in a new staging for the Royal Albert Hall's 150th anniversary 9–19 June 2022.

Based on Bizet's Carmen, The Car Man will be completely reimagined for the Royal Albert Hall, as the dancers perform throughout the auditorium amid stage designs by Lez Brotherston. Musical arrangements are by Terry Davies featuring Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after Bizet’s Carmen). With an expanded company of 65 dancers and musicians, a live orchestra and new designs, this will be the first time New Adventures performs a full production at this venue.

The 19th century Spanish cigarette factory becomes a greasy garage-diner in 1960s America where a small town's dreams are shattered by the arrival of a handsome stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into a spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge.

The title role of Luca will be played by Will Bozier and Richard Winsor. Bozier was last seen as The Swan / Stranger in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake in 2018/20 and also stars in the recent film version. Winsor, also a former Lead Swan, has played several roles within the production (including Angelo) and now returns in his debut as Luca.

Lana will be danced by Ashley Shaw and Zizi Strallen. Shaw has been a Principal performer with New Adventures since 2009 playing most of the leading roles in the repertory. Strallen is currently starring in the title role of Mary Poppins at The Prince Edward Theatre.

Angelo will be shared by Paris Fitzpatrick and Dominic North. Fitzpatrick was most recently seen in Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell, and also created the role of Romeo in New Adventures' Romeo and Juliet in 2019. North, a New Adventures dancer for close to 20 years, will return to the role of Angelo.

Rita, Lana’s older sister, will be performed by Kayla Collymore, making her Principal debut, and Kate Lyons. Lyons played Rita in the recent film version. Collymore joined New Adventures in 2010 for Cinderella and has featured in most of the company’s repertory since that time, most recently in The Midnight Bell.

Dino Lana’s violent husband will be played by Alan Vincent, returning to the show in which he created the title role of Luca in 2000.

Joining them are Jonathon Luke Baker (Franco), Benjamin Barlow Bazeley (Fabio), Alistair Beattie (Marcello), Stephanie Billers (Delores), Isaac Peter Bowry (Elio), Cordelia Braithwaite (Mercedes), Ben Brown (Ricardo), Reece Causton (Dirk), Jade Copas (Natalie), Harrison Dowzell (Rocco), Cameron Flynn (Roberto), Rose Goddard (Sophia), Glenn Graham (Bruno), Bryony Harrison (Frankie), Shoko Ito (Elisabetta), Monique Jonas (Bianca), Nicole Kabera (Gina), Kurumi Kamayachi (Silvana), Katrina Lyndon (Monica), Rory Macleod (Marco), Andrew Monaghan (Vito), Stephen Murray (Chad), Harry Ondrak-Wright (Lorenzo), Edwin Ray (Alberto), Danny Reubens (Hot Rod), Sam Salter (Raf), Gabrielle de Souza (Giulietta), Catrin Thomas (Claudia), Christopher Thomas (Ugo) and Bryony Wood (Elsa).

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