Matthew Bourne’s dance thriller The Car Man announces powerhouse cast for 2026 London & UK Tour

LONDON — New Adventures has officially confirmed the casting for the 2026 return of Matthew Bourne’s multi-award-winning dance thriller, THE CAR MAN. The production is set to embark on an extensive 23-week UK tour beginning 15 June 2026, marking the first time the acclaimed show has toured since 2015.

The tour will open at Curve, Leicester, before visiting 17 venues across the country. A centerpiece of the run includes a five-week summer residency at Sadler’s Wells in London, followed by a newly announced international week at the Royal Theater Carré in Amsterdam.

Principal Casting Revealed

Leading the company in the title role of the enigmatic stranger, Luca, are Will Bozier and Harrison Dowzell. Both dancers are celebrated alumni of New Adventures, having previously starred as the Lead Swan in Bourne’s Swan Lake.

Joining them are New Adventures stars Cordelia Braithwaite and Ashley Shaw, who will alternate in the role of Lana. The production also features a notable “full circle” moment for the company: Alan Vincent, the original 2000 “Car Man,” returns to the production to portray Lana’s jealous husband, Dino, a role he will share with Danny Reubens.

The cast is completed by:

Angelo: Played by rising stars Leonardo McCorkindale and Harry Ondrak-Wright.
Rita: Leading role debuts for Anna Maria de Freitas and Kurumi Kamayachi.
The Town of Harmony: A company of 16 dancers, Jack Frame, Serena McCall, Rae Miller, Jack Widdowson and Karishma Young, Tanisha Addicott, Jamie Duncan-Campbell, Cameron Flynn, Rory Macleod, Callum Mann, Eleanor McGrath, Jarrod McWilliams, Eve Ngbokota, Nikolas Shikkis, Xavier Andriambolanoro-Sotiya and Lyra Treglown.

A “Re-invented” Classic

Loosely based on Bizet’s Carmen, the production famously reimagines a 19th-century Spanish cigarette factory as a 1950s American grease-and-chrome garage. The narrative follows a handsome stranger whose arrival in a small town triggers a violent spiral of lust, betrayal, and revenge.

“I’m proud that New Adventures never just ‘revives’ a show; we re-invent, question and grow with each new cast,” said Sir Matthew Bourne. “I’m so excited to revisit the small town of Harmony this summer and, much like Luca himself, shake things up a bit!”

Credits and History

Originally premiering in 2000, The Car Man has won the Evening Standard Award for Musical Event of the Year and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Choreography. The 2026 revival features the iconic score by Terry Davies and Rodion Shchedrin, with noir-inspired set and costume designs by Lez Brotherston.

The production was last seen during a limited, sold-out run at the Royal Albert Hall in 2022, but this upcoming tour represents the first opportunity for regional audiences to see the “expanded” production in over a decade.