Matthew Bourne's The Car Man returns to Scotland

Lisa in the theatre
Nov 9
2 min read

Updated: Nov 26

Matthew Bourne's legendary production The Car Man will return to the King's Theatre, Glasgow in 2026 as part of a new UK tour. The new tour of Bourne's award-winning dance thriller will open at Leicester Curve Theatre in June 2026. Find out more below.

New Adventures announce the return of Matthew Bourne's The Car Man

New Adventures is delighted to announce that Matthew Bourne’s award-winning dance thriller THE CAR MAN will return for a 2026 UK tour, coming to the King's Theatre, Glasgow from on Tue 27 - Sat 31 October 2026 as part of a major UK tour which includes a 5-week summer season at London's Sadler’s Wells. Tickets, more dates and venues listed here.

Casting to be announced.

What is Matthew Bourne's The Car Man about?

Loosely based on Bizet’s ever-popular opera Carmen, THE CAR MAN has one of the most thrilling and instantly recognisable scores in New Adventures’ repertoire. But here the familiar 19th century Spanish cigarette factory becomes a greasy 1950’s garage-diner in the American Midwest, where the dreams and passions of a small-town are shattered by the arrival of a handsome and enigmatic stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge.

Matthew Bourne said today:

“I never dreamed when we created this show at the beginning of the new millennium that it would still be around, thrilling audiences, 25 years later! Inspired by vintage movie film noir classics, it holds a unique and special place in the New Adventures repertory as the only piece based on an opera and possibly the first ballet to feature a bi-sexual anti-hero! I’m particularly happy that we are taking the show “on the road” again after more than 10 years and I can’t wait to re-visit the hot and steamy town of Harmony USA – the best place to be next Summer!”

THE CAR MAN was first seen in 2000, winning the Evening Standard Award for Musical Event of the Year and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Choreography. It was last seen in a unique revival for The Royal Albert Halls 150th birthday in 2022. This expanded production received rave reviews and nightly standing ovations. However, this will be the first time THE CAR MAN has toured since 2015.

Directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, THE CAR MAN has music by Terry Davies & Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after Bizet’s Carmen), with sound by Paul Groothuis, lighting by Chris Davey and design by Lez Brotherston.