In Carlos Acosta’s Carmen, the well-known story is stripped back to focus on the love triangle wherein army officer Don José falls in love with the free-spirited Carmen, but Carmen switching allegiances to the toreador Escamillo, leads to tragic consequences of Don José’s jealousy. Alongside these three protagonists, Acosta introduces a new role - The Bull - a minotaur-type character representing fate.

Laura Rodriguez gives a terrifically assured performance as Carmen, moving seamlessly between classical dance - secure en pointe and in challenging lifts - and the production’s more contemporary styles. Meeting Carmen dancing within a circle of men, Rodriguez quickly establishes the character’s sensuality despite, rather than because of, some unnecessarily vulgar moves. It is a mystery why, when Carmen is doing all the teasing, it is the men who have to do a Chippendale style strip, but it brings a gasp of delight from the audience.

In a small part, Denzel Francis has a powerful solo as Zuniga, his character contrasting sharply with Alejandro Silva’s Don José who, initially, seems less of a catch for Carmen. Silva does go on to successfully embody Don José’s struggle between duty and desire.

The bulk of Act One is given over to showing the developing relationship between Carmen and Don José. In their solo pieces, Rodriguez and Silva each put strong technique to good use, rising to the challenges of Acosta’s choreography which, at its best, is thrilling but occasionally repetitive. It is when Rodriguez and Silva come together in their pas de deux that things are more difficult to read.

Is the lack of any sense of passion between Carmen and Don José down to limitations in the choreography? Or is that intentional and trying to show Carmen’s lack of commitment? If the latter, it is hard to reconcile that reading with her seeming to agree to marry Don José at the end of the act. The loud electronic tang underlying the recording of Rodión Shchedrin’s ‘Carmen Suite' also makes it difficult to read the intended tone of these scenes.

The beginning of Act Two brings the highlights of the evening. Set in a tavern, the Danza Acosta company bring terrific energy and an anticipated Cuban vibe (as they do in all the ensemble scenes). The interweaving of Bizet with additional music, together with a range of dance styles, supports the dancers’ carousing, table slapping and bottle throwing to create a show-stopping celebration of life. Into this enters Enrique Corrales as the preening, cocksure Escamillo, with his sights set on Carmen. His powerful solos provide a good contrast to those of the less assured Don José, and once Carmen falls for Escamillo, their pas de deux do have a bit more fizz.

The Bull, played by Costa on opening night, has his major moment in Act Two. Until then, The Bull has been outside of the main action, being a puppet-master or sculptor positioning Carmen and Don José in preparation for scenes to come. Jumping into action, The Bull’s duet with Carmen addresses her accepting her fate, although the literalness of being caught between horns is perhaps not strictly needed to drive home her dilemma. But there is no doubting Acosta’s stage presence.

Acosta chooses to start the ballet with Carmen already stabbed before rewinding to the beginning of the story. This sense of circularity is followed through in the design with framed by circles – an open circle at the back of the stage is reflected in a large red circle occupying most of the dance space. Tim Hatley’s themes of red and black in his sets is echoed in his costumes while projected images by Nina Dunn provide a sense of scene changes.

The possibility of seeing Acosta himself on stage will doubtless fill seats, but the real draw of Carlos Acosta’s Carmen is the energy and verve of the Danza Acosta collective.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Mike Askew

Carlos Acosta’s Carmen plays at Sadler’s Wells until 6 July, with further info here.