“What do you think of it?”, asked one theatre goer of another during the interval. “Fantastic”, came the reply. What more need you say about this new production of Georges Bizet's Carmen? For Chris Monks’s new libretto set to Bizet’s brilliant music has brought this opera right up to date. Supermarkets, shopping malls, footballers, gangs, drugs and drink are the things of today and they are all here, beautifully put together in a plot that all ages appreciate. This was refreshing opera at its best. All aspiring and established directors should sneak a look and see this production and see how it should be done. More converts to the the opera came from this staging than any of the major opera companies.

Diction, diction and diction in abundance came from the mouths of these singers. You could hear every word without them making a sacrifice of the music. The singing was superb, with shop girl Carmen, sung by soprano Kirsty Malpass, acting her socks off as she hit all the top notes. Security guard Johnny Jay had a tenor voice that people would give their right arm for and it belonged to Jason McCann. Remember, you could hear every word they sang, which is more often than not the case with so called divas and their male equivalent. These singers were only part of the success with this production, so let’s name more of the people bringing delight to an appreciative theatre audience. The three girls were sung delightfully by Gillian Kirkpatrick (Fran), Lily (Carol Noakes) and Aimee Thomas (Mary) and the nurse Mary by Siubhan Harrison. The men giving superb voice to their parts were Howard Gay (Lewis Tenant), James Millard (Mr Duncan), Christian Newton (Les), Matt Rawle as Itailan footballer Tony Amor and dinky Dylan Williams getting everything from his part as Remi.

Now none of this would have been possible without superb music played by Gareth Ellis on keyboards and Steve Cooper on double bass who translated Bizet’s music to balance and brilliance for the audience's enjoyment. Jonathan Gill supplied much appreciated musical supervision and arrangements. When you have the Toreador lyrics brought right up to date for a footballer of David Beckham’s calibre, it must allow for self praise with words like “Tony Amor the one that girls adore”. This is just one of the lyrics that drew shrieks of appreciation from the audience.

The set designed by Les Evans adapted itself with slick participation from the cast to show lighting design by Daniella Beattie. The fight sceens were so convincing it was difficult to see why the cast did not get hurt and the fight director Renny Krupinski must be thanked for this.

No there is no description of this contemporary plot for you must go to see this unique production and enjoy as this audience did something that should be common place, but is not. Lots more please. © BA

“Carmen” is at the Round in Scarborough from the 23rd September to the 4th of October, 2003.