As the New Vic’s celebrated production of Around The World In 80 Days opens at London’s Cadogan Hall as part of its major national tour, the theatre today announces the full season of productions that audiences can enjoy this autumn at the theatre in-the-round.
Opening the season, the Stephen Joseph Theatre visits Staffordshire with Amelia Bullmore’s Di and Viv and Rose from Tuesday 5 to Saturday 9 September. This humorous and thoughtful exploration of friendship crackles with wisdom and wit, as it explores the lives of three women during their 30-year friendship.
From Friday 15 September to Saturday 7 October, The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall takes to the stage. Produced by the New Vic, this brand new production of Lee Hall’s classic play is based on the true story of a group of coal miners who, after beginning evening painting classes, took the British art world by storm. Directed by former Artistic Director Gwenda Hughes (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Talking Heads, New Vic Theatre), this is an inspiring, funny, feelgood play about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
An Alan Ayckbourn double-bill follows, as Stephen Joseph Theatre returns to the theatre with a revival of the brilliantly clever and outrageously funny farce Taking Steps (Tuesday 10 to Saturday 28 October), followed by the world-premiere of Ayckbourn’s A Brief History Of Women (Thursday 12 to Saturday 28 October) – a comedy about an unremarkable man and the remarkable women who loved him, left him or lost him over 60 years.
Northern Broadsides then return with For Love or Money from Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 November, a new adaptation of Alain-Rene Lesage’s savage 18th century comedy, Turcaret. Adapted by Blake Morrison and directed by and starring Barrie Rutter, this is a comedy about monstrous wealth and whopping lies.
For the festive season, New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins adapts and directs Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story about buccaneers and buried gold, Treasure Island. On stage from Saturday 18 November until Saturday 27 January 2018, Treasure Island follows on from the theatre’s much-loved adaptations of literary classics, including last year’s The Snow Queen, The Borrowers and The Hundred and One Dalmatians.
Brought to life in the theatre’s trademark style, the production will feature high physicality, live-on-stage original music, spectacular set and costumes and larger-than-life characters and promises to delight audiences of all ages this Christmas.
Running alongside Treasure Island, Tale Trail to Treasure Island (Saturday 9 to Saturday 30 December) is an immersive theatre experience that will take the youngest theatregoers on an adventure of their very own. Devised especially for 3-5 year olds and their grown-ups, Tale Trail is a perfect introduction to the magical world of theatre.
The one and only David Graham Productions then visit the New Vic to celebrate Christmas in style with Eric of Dock Green in Midwinter Murders (Monday 27 November to Saturday 9 December). A comedy of a Christmas party gone wrong, featuring a murder, mistaken identities, side-splitting laughs and the very best ’60s hits.
Completing the autumn season, a whole host of one-night concerts take to the New Vic stage, offering audiences the chance to enjoy a range of music and comedy. The autumn season includes appearances from punk poet Dr John Cooper Clarke, Mock The Week comedian Andy Parsons and the world-renowned musician Rick Wakeman.