Poster CARMEN - November 1985

In Bizet's opera CARMEN the Spanish gypsy lives only for sensuality. After she has loved many, she is attracted by the sergeant Don José, encompasses him with her wiles, and leads him to mutiny and desertion, so that finally nothing remains for him but to join a band of smugglers of which Carmen is a member.

His fate is endurable as long as he retains the love of Carmen, but when she turns from him he is sunk in the depths of despair. Called to the death-bed of his mother, on returning he finds Carmen before the arena in Seville with the bull fighter Escamillo, to whom she has promised her love if he is the victor at the fight. She is approached by José, who asks her to return to him, and when she coldly repulses him he stabs her through the heart.

Based on the book by Prosper Merimée CARMEN was first performed on 3rd March 1875 at the Paris Opéra Comique. Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy.

The musical Carmen Jones opened on Broadway in December 1943 and ran for 502 performances. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The 1954 film starred Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte.

Morales John Rule
Dancairo Roger Parham
Remendado Guy Smither
Mercedes Jan Undrey
Frasquita Elizabeth Hutchings
Lillas Pastia Brian Bayford
Micaela Eileen Walker
Jose Brydon Baker
Captain Zuniga Will Hemsley
Carmen Norma Baker
Manuelita Carole Gennings
Escamillo Gil Oliver
Felipe Ron Brown
Ladies of the Chorus Sonia Atkinson, Ann Baker, Beryl Baird, Josie Beckwith, Joan Cartwright, Sue Goldsmith, June Jones, Julie Mitchell, Margaret McIntyre, Beryl Peyton-Bruhl, Pat Pring, Sandra Price, Betty Smith, Linda Smither, Hayley Smither, Valerie Simpson, Mandy Simpson, Barbara Thwaites, Sandra Tucker, Pamela Vaughan, Marie Willcocks, Midge Wallace, Sue Wright, Angela Wood.
Gentlemen's Chorus Bob Cartwright, Tony Doye, George Franklin, Ray Gibson, John Goldring, Mike Gennings, Harry Hanks, Tom Hanlon, Cliff Jones, Mike Naylor, Tony Peyton-Bruhl, Brian Sweatman, Tony Willcocks
Dancers Caroline Browne, Joanne Clay, Marie Cragg, Jocelyn Watson, Amanda Graham, Sara Ostermeyer, Lisa Williams, Joanne Clay, Sharon Wilson, Caroline Thomas, Jane Ostermeyer, Lisa Williams, Sharon Wilson
Urchins Cheryl Fletcher, Laura Doye, Clare Price, Sara Jeffery, Karen Lockhand, Natasha Aladin, Samantha Hugget, Sarah Lockhand, Heidi Marr, Zoe Marr, Karen Harris, Jacqueline Goldring
Producer & Choreographer Audrey Pring
Musical Director Alan Pring
Official Accompanist Brian Sawyer
Stage Manager Dave Hawkins
Assistant Stage Manager Sean Goldring
Stage Crew Brian Stenning, Frank Watson, Robert Procter, John Ingram, Duncan Hawk, Andy Hilton, Mike Wines, Carey Owen, Peter Hutchinson
Sound Peter Mitchell
Lighting Design Vera Clark
Property Mistress Jane Ostermeyer
Wardrobe Sue Womar
Publicity Ron Newton
Front of House Photographs Ivan Saunders
Ticket Control Joan Budd, Anita Waterhouse
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