Matthew Bourne’s award winning - The Car Man

Thursday 3rd September 2026

We wer delighted to offer a visit to see a performance of Matthew Bourne’s award winning The Car Man at the Bristol Hippodrome.  This is a ballet loosely based on Bizet’s ever-popular Carmen.  The familiar 19th Century Spanish cigarette factory in Carmen becomes a greasy 1950s garage-diner in the American Mid-West 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.

We had the best of days in Bristol.  The coach dropped us at Cabot Circus, so a few of us had a coffee and natter.  Then some went shopping and others exploring Bristol.  I made a drawing by the Waterside and had lunch outside near the docks before heading to the  Hippodrome.

Matthew Bourne’s Carmen adaptation ‘Car Man’ was superb.  How can modern ballet be so engaging for someone who knows little about dance ?  This was !  The dancing was startlingly clear and readable so the plot was uber-clear to follow and relevant to  us now. Cuttingly so.  And the interpretation of the story really made the music come alive.

With interval icecreams and a laugh with few other members, and a coach pick up right at the front entrance to the Hippodrome, the day couldn’t have been more relaxing and well organised.

Hundred percent glad I went on this trip,

Laurie