As part of this year's International Online Theatre Festival, I was able to watch a recording of the 2016 production from final year students at The Young Arts school in Miami in Florida, and Jay Scheib's shortening and reimagining of the opera Carmen by Bizet.
Performing outside in the campus grounds with live piano accompaniment, various stages and locations were set up, as if a film studio, with a live audience. Multi-media was used throughout to show the audience any action that was out of their sight-lines, and the whole was very experimental in nature. It was a work-in-progress, and they allowed the audience to stand, follow, or even photograph the action as it went along. many things were updated, and different ideas were toyed with throughout.
What this performance did however, was amply showcase the main performers, who sang the relevant arias from Bizet's opera, and spoke a dilaogue, which felt very cinematic.. it was much more a film than a piece of theatre, which of course was ironic since it was a piece of theatre first, and only filmed as a means of recording the show.
Jay Scheib's vision was highly original, and some parts worked better than others, but all together it was a little disjointed and fragmented, especially since I know the opera so well; I felt somethings had been cut which should have been left in, whereas, some of the changes in the storyline were well placed and others very 'clunky'. In conclusion then it was a very mixed bag, but since it was students, and a WiP, these inconsistences can be easily overlooked.
What was clear was the talent that Young Arts has on offer. India Carney (Carmen), Aaron Casey (Jose), D'Angelo Lacy (Escamillo), Asia Stewart (Michaela), and Wes Goodrich (Morelos), were all equally talented and their singing (more than their acting) was hugely enjoyable. Special mention to the pianist too, Llewllyn Sanchez-Werner.
This production is available to watch online via the The Theatre Times website until 31st May.
Guest Reviewer - Baz Choffe
on - 17/5/20
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