Photography Johan Persson

We’re sure Matthew Bourne needs little in the way of an introduction – best known for his daring, provocative all-male interpretation of Swan Lake which earned him an Olivier and a Tony Award, which has toured the UK and internationally regularly for some 30 years now – he’s one of the UK’s best-known and most highly-regarded choreographers. Last week we caught up with him to discuss The Car Man, a revival of his 2000 piece based on the music of Bizet’s opera Carmen, which is currently touring.

We’re familiar with the music – Carmen has transcended popular culture, with pieces being used in TV shows ranging from Family Guy to Doctor Who – though we’re less familiar with the story of The Car Man. Transporting us to 1950s American, there is a queer romance at the centre of the tale, which is still quite rare in dance. "Apart from having the music of Carmen, it’s actually very little to do with the opera, in terms of the story,” Matthew begins. “At the time I made it, I wanted to make something which is still fairly unique – a dance thriller! A story told through dance, that has twists and turns and surprises, like watching a great old movie.”