Text: Rubén Gutierrez
Photos: Rafael Manjavacas

Dance: José Losada “Carrete”, Carmen Ríos, Crsitobal García. Actor: José Luis Ortíz Nuevo. Cante: Juan José Amador, José Valencia, Laura Román. Guitars: Juan Requena, Joaquín Losada “Carretillo”, Paco Iglesias. Piano: Diego Suarez.

SEVEN WONDERS

That’s how we could define the show José Luis Ortiz Nuevo put together to lay out the life, work and miracles of that genius of a dancer from Málaga calle El Carrete. Seven scenes that come together in a flamenco show that could stand up to the best Greek tragicomedy. When an artist makes you laugh and cry in the same work, his mission can be considered accomplished, nowadays it’s hard to find so much emotional stimulation in a theater.

The crazy life of this dancer who spent the first ten years barefoot, takes us on a musical journey full of flamenco and plenty of swing. Carrete confesses that ever since he was small he loved going to the cinema to see Fred Astaire’s movies, but mostly to watch how the people on screen ate, and he ended up getting hooked on the American’s dance style. Carrete comes on with coat and tails, top hat and cane, to dance to images of Fred Astaire projected on the backdrop.

José L. Ortíz Nuevo

José Losada "CARRETE"

The unifying thread of the whole work is Carrete’s adventures, represented by the character of “El Poeta”. The director of Málaga en Flamenco is more than an investigator, literary gadfly, dramatist, producer and ideologue. Quite simply, he is an artist, perhaps even a genius. He brings in guitarist Joaquín Losada “Carretillo”, son of the lead character, who was rubbing elbows with great guitarists in Madrid years ago. A sublime Juan José Amador starts singing trillas to bring us into the world of alegrías that the whole company interprets dressed as field workers, and where Carmen Ríos and Cristobal García prepare the audience for maestro Carrete who gives a lesson in how to dance alegrías, literally: the company repeats the steps he shows them.

To define this person’s style is no easy task, he’s an eclectic who has things from Vicente Escudero, Antonio Ruiz Soler and Mario Maya. He’s on top of the compás, and has a bag of tricks and contorsions, he even dances on his knees, but most noteworthy is his expressive face, the mirror of his soul with happy moments, but plenty of sadness: Carrete says he was “brought up by the police”. The third scene is siguiriyas, the most tragic moment of the work, where you see the hard times in the reformatories, or when in Málaga, in 1956, as a result of going barefoot, he contracted rheumatism in his knees and was almost relegated to a wheelchair. But all’s well that ends well, and the fourth scene is a real hoot.

José L. Ortíz Nuevo & Joaquín Losada "Carretillo"

Juan José Amador

When an artist makes you laugh and cry in the same work, his mission can be considered accomplished

 Dressed with a certain Louis the fifteenth air, although it could have been mistaken for something from Sargent Pepper’s band, we are told the story of how Carrete went with Chiquito de la Calzada to Norway in 1968. They end up being invited to a princess’ wedding where they raised hell and came home with their pockets full of money, although the rigors of protocol earned them a monk-style haircut. There is also a delightful rumba and tango from Granada and Extremadura where Carrete dances wearing a crown, and sings the ending himself.

The New York skyline situates us in the fifth scene called “El Tiempo”, another bittersweet situation that begins recounting how back in 1963 Carmen Amaya danced in Málaga to almost no audience, she was very ill by then, and went to the Taberna Gitana where Carrete was dancing. He dressed up as a woman and made her forget all her sorrow. With his taste for dressing-up, he comes on wearing sequined trousers for soleá. Carrete is a product of the tablaos, and if you ever find yourself around Torremolinos, be sure to stop by Los Tarantos where he performs nightly.

José Losada "CARRETE"

José L. Ortíz Nuevo

Carrete is a true artists’ artist, admired by many, and helped out by many gypsies as well as non-gypsies, and this comes out in the final scene where that affection is expressed to Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” set to bulerías, which transports us to musical heaven, while also highlighting the cruelty of those who only offer friendship when there is something to be gained, and when the money is gone, so is the friendship. All that’s left is Carrete’s taranto to wind up with everyone in coat and tails with top hat, Ortiz Nuevo dressed as a nun, and once again the swing music. You can be sure the Flamenco Powers that Be would heartily recommend this show, because it’s pure pleasure, and if you don’t believe it, just ask José Valencia, who had a grand time on stage.

José Losada "CARRETE" José Losada "CARRETE" José L. Ortíz Nuevo & José Losada "CARRETE"

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Special MÁLAGA EN FLAMENCO