Sir Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man has been thrilling audiences for more than 25 years and is still going strong. And it’s easy to understand why. A gripping production brimming with twists and turns, it is impeccably performed by the outstanding dancers of Bourne’s New Adventures company.

The plot is loosely based on Bizet’s opera Carmen, with the setting moved to America’s Mid-West in the middle of the last century. The arrival in town of a handsome stranger leads to desire, betrayal and revenge. Human nature is laid bare as passions ignite, and the result is a powerful, captivating tale of a community torn apart.

With more than a hint of irony, The Car Man is set in a small town called Harmony, where a garage and next-door diner are a gathering point for local folk. It is a place where everybody knows everybody else (and everybody else’s business), and so the arrival of new blood is bound to attract attention. The new blood in question is Luca (Will Bozier), a seemingly honest type in search of work, but whose presence soon causes more than a little consternation. This new kid in town certainly makes his mark, with dramatic consequences for the inhabitants of the formerly sleepy backwater.

Local girl Lana (Ashley Shaw) is the initial object of Luca’s desire. Unhappy in her marriage to the oafish Dino (Danny Reubens) and ripe for adventure, it’s little surprise that the temptation to stray is overwhelming. But Lana isn’t the only target of Luca’s attention - he also has an eye for the young and innocent Angelo (Leonardo McCorkindale) - and from this initial attraction stems chaos and confusion.

Relationships such as this, based only on selfish desire, are doomed for disaster it seems.

As Luca, Bozier is the ultimate macho-man, with confidence and charisma oozing from every pore. He struts around the town as if he were born to own it and with an attitude that Lana, quite believably, finds irresistible. Shaw dances the role of Lana with a level of sultriness that almost burns a hole in the stage - it is an exquisite performance. McCorkindale’s interpretation of Angelo is beautifully touching and totally entrancing. Completely smitten, he’s powerless to resist Luca’s charms - with inevitable, devastating consequences.

Bourne’s interpretation of this enthralling tale is set to a score by Terry Davies (featuring Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite after Bizet’s opera), and the high energy of the music only serves to complement and enhance the drama unfolding onstage. Carmen’s famous rousing melodies are immediately recognisable and serve as the perfect backdrop for Bourne’s magnificent choreography - brimming with intensity and spirit.

We have come to expect great things of Bourne’s ballets, and The Car Man does not disappoint. It is a perfect combination of music, costume, set, choreography and arresting performances - a sure-fire ‘must-see’ and a truly unforgettable experience.

Five stars

The Car Man was reviewed by Rachel Smith on Tuesday 13 October at Birmingham Hippodrome, where it shows until Saturday 17 October