Sir Matthew Bourne OBE remains a leading figure in the UK dance community and has received numerous prestigious awards. He was among the influential graduates of the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance (now Trinity Laban Conservatoire) in the 1980s, alongside Russell Maliphant OBE and Lea Anderson MBE.
In 1987, he founded Adventures in Motion Pictures (AMP), allowing him to develop his unique choreographic style by combining storytelling, characterisation, humour, and elements of popular culture. He also began blending ballet, contemporary, and musical theatre dance styles.
His ground-breaking all-male Swan Lake in 1995 brought him to the attention of a wide dance audience including many people who had not attended ballet before, especially after its Broadway run! Still popular, it is studied at GCSE, ‘A’ level, and professional training. The company marked its 30th anniversary with a tour in 2024/25.
In 2000 Bourne founded New Adventures cementing his relationship with Cameron Machintosh and directly linking contemporary dance and his much-loved musical theatre. Hull continues to strengthen its relationship with the Company, as Hull New Theatre regularly hosts New Adventures’ tours. The all-male Swan Lake was featured in 2019, while Romeo and Juliet attracted large crowds in 2023, and Edward Scissorhands impressed audiences in 2024. Additionally, Liam Mower, originally from Hull, joined New Adventures in 2011.
The Car Man was created for New Adventures in 2000 and like all Matthew Bourne’s performances has been revived and toured several times, with this tour including a visit to Hull. The choreography is, as always, fast, characterful and intricate while the piece itself blends wit with grit. Exploring complex emotions and the darker side of human nature - lust, passion, revenge, and murder all appear (along with some nudity) - but knowing the story of the opera’s storyline won’t help you!
The music has an unusual history. Terry Davies developed his exhilarating score by building upon the composition Rodion Shchedrin created in 1967 for the Bolshoi Ballet’s Carmen Ballet. Davies modified and expanded sections until the score fully supported the choreography. Shchedrin’s original work was in turn inspired by the opera Carmen by French composer Bizet, giving rise to the title, Car Man.
The Car Man comes to Hull New Theatre 30 June - 4 July 2026. Book your tickets now: Matthew Bourne's The Car Man - Visit Hull
Age guidance 12+
Audio Described: Thursday 2 July, 7.30pm + Touch Tour: 6pm
Content warning: The Car Man contains scenes of a sexual nature, brief nudity, strobe lighting and gunshots.