Baseless Fabric will present 10 free street performances of Carmen reimagined this summer on the high streets of South London from 4th – 21st August 2022.
The piece will also be presented at the Arcola Theatre from 9th – 13th August 2022 as part of Grimeborn Festival.
Following the success of 2019’s sell-out Die Fledermaus (★★★★ The Guardian, ★★★★ The Stage) and their recent Cosi Fan Tutte, which was an Off West End Award Finalist for Best Opera Production, we are back this August with our new production of Carmen. With a re-imagined score for violin, accordion and bassoon by acclaimed young composer Leo Geyer of Bizet’s famous tunes and a colloquial contemporary English libretto by director and librettist Joanna Turner, this daring new production places Bizet’s characters directly on today’s high street.
This original high street adaptation will pop up in over 30 locations across Wandsworth & Merton including cafes, pubs and supermarkets to give local people the chance to experience opera, who might not ordinarily do so. Our performances aim to change attitudes to the art form and encourage people to realise that opera can be fun and not elitist, expensive, boring or irrelevant, as it can often be perceived.
For the Arcola’s Grimeborn festival, we will adapt the show with design by Marina Hadjilouca and lighting design by Joe Price. This will give an opportunity to experience our innovative modern re-imagining in a new close-up context.
Street Performance Schedule
Thu 4th Aug 5-6pm Colliers Wood
Fri 5th Aug 1-2pm Mitcham
Fri 5th Aug 5-6pm Roehampton
Thu 18th Aug 5-6pm Wandsworth Town
Fri 19th Aug 11am-12pm Pollards Hill
Fri 19th Aug 5-6pm Clapham Junction
Sat 20th Aug 1-2pm Raynes Park
Sat 20th Aug 5-6pm Wimbledon
Sun 21st Aug 1-2pm Putney
Sun 21st Aug 5-6pm Wimbledon Village
Performances are unticketed. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook for updates on starting points. #HighStCarmen
Grimeborn Festival
Venue: Arcola Theatre, Studio 1
Dates: Tues 9th to Saturday 13th August 2022
Time: 7pm
Running time: 60 minutes no interval
Ticket Prices: from £12 (concessions available)
Visit the Carmen show page to read about our amazing cast and creative team, watch the trailer and more!
