Hull New Theatre – until 4th July 2026
Reviewed by Dawn Bennett
5*****
The New Adventures team has once again delivered a magnificent production: sexy, sultry, and beautifully danced throughout.
The story is set in 1960s Harmony, a small Italian American town where Dino Alfano (Alan Vincent) owns Dino’s Diner and Garage. Dino treats his wife, Lana (Ashley Shaw), poorly, and when handsome drifter Luca (Harrison Dowzell) arrives in town looking for work, she is quickly drawn to him.
Lana’s sister, Rita (Kurumi Kamayachi), tries and fails to intervene, while Luca is also attracted to Angelo (Harry Ondrak-Wright). These tangled relationships lead to passion, intrigue, and murder.
The entire cast is magnificent, with compelling detail unfolding across every part of the stage. As an audience member, you are drawn completely into the world of the production, from the heat and tension of a sultry day to the atmosphere created through lighting, movement, and performance.
Lez Brotherston’s set is brilliantly atmospheric, shifting seamlessly from the diner and garage to the jailhouse and a city nightclub. Chris Davey’s lighting and Paul Groothuis’s sound design enhance each location beautifully, creating a vivid setting that supports the dancers and heightens the drama.
The cast moved with precision and energy, responding to every beat of Terry Davies’ music and Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite, inspired by Bizet’s Carmen.
Sir Matthew Bourne has a remarkable gift for creating bold, groundbreaking productions, and The Car Man is no exception. I first saw The Car Man at the Royal Albert Hall nearly four years ago, and its impact and message feel just as powerful today.
The Car Man is dance at its very best: bold, expressive, and utterly compelling. The standing ovation it received last night was richly deserved.