Theatre Review – Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man

Matthew Bourne's THE CAR MAN. The Company. Photo by Johan Persson.

Set amongst the Italian American community in a small town in 1960’s America, Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man reimagines one of Bizet’s most popular operas, Carmen, in a more contemporary setting. Luca (Harrison Dowzell) is a drifter, whose charisma immediately draws the attention of Lana (Cordelia Braithwaite), the wife of Dino, Luca’s boss. They embark on a passionate affair, but Luca catches the eye of Angelo (Leonardo McCorkindale), a young mechanic who is bullied by his contemporaries and who is irresistibly drawn to the stranger. In a heady mix of violence, murder, sex, passion and revenge, Luca’s arrival sets off a cataclysmic chain of events which is steeped in seductiveness and briming with betrayal.

In the current heatwave, the hot and humid atmosphere of the Midwest setting translated easily from the stage and added to the atmosphere in the theatre. The overall feeling of the piece is one of grimy, seedy sensuality coupled with borderline toxic masculinity and violent confrontation; all of which is mixed with a heady and claustrophobic atmosphere and an abundance of sexually charged encounters which embrace the spectrum of the characters sexuality. The main protagonist, Luca, is clearly comfortable in his attraction to both sexes and his passionate encounters with both Lana, his boss’s wife, and Angelo, the young mechanic, demonstrate both his irresistible allure to the townsfolk and his self-serving manipulation of others.

The other townsfolk are equally as liberal, where the fluidity of sexuality mixes in with the testosterone fuelled masculinity of the mechanics and their blend of both fiery and submissive girlfriends. This is a gritty world, where sex, rough handling and casual violence are compounded by the intense heat, and one which comes across superbly in the theatre. It is also a world where the levels of sexual tension and dramatic tension are evenly matched. This is not just a straightforward narrative piece, it is a piece that delivers a genuinely enthralling story, pulling you in early on, and not releasing its taught grip until the final curtain falls.

Matthew Bourne’s choreography is simply stunning, easily portraying the narrative, clearly defining each character and providing an accessible piece of theatre. The attention to detail given to every character is incredible, both in terms of the choreography and the performances, and whenever anyone is visible on stage, it is with purpose, meaning and behaviour which is completely in character.  

Whilst using what is effectively an abridged version of Bizet’s score, Bourne cleverly utilises the most identifiable and familiar pieces and surrounds them with original music, making the accompanying score simultaneously familiar and fresh. Further inspiration comes from Bizet’s opera, but never in such abundance that this production becomes a re-tread. For me, Luca was Carmen, and switching the gender of the central character was an inspired choice, but that doesn’t stop the other characters, Lana in particular, from taking on the persona of Carmen at different junctures in the story.

The cast were universally on form, tightly choreographed and performed incredibly, injecting each of their roles with uniqueness and filling the stage with an energetic and boundless performance, where character was as important as choreography.

Harrison Dowzell was as charismatic as the character he portrayed, and Angelo’s transformation from naive teenager to vengeful young man was superbly handled by Leonardo McCorkindale. Kurumi Kamayachi provided a tender portrayal of Rita, and Cordelia Braithwate performed the role of Lana beautifully. But this is an ensemble cast and they were simply perfect, with superb performances by Will Bozier, Jamie Duncan- Campbell, Serena McCall and Eve Ngbokota amongst the company.

The set, crystal clear music and lighting only served to make this production the whole package. The Car Man is a phenomenal piece of theatre. Sultry, sexy and sensual, you would be hard pushed to find a better blend of dance, drama, pathos and passion.

The Car Man is at Sheffield Lyceum (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until the 25^th July 2026. You can find details of their accessibility policy here.