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 has announced its full season of productions this autumn at the theatre in-the-round.
Opening the season, the Stephen Joseph Theatre visits the Newcastle Under Lyme venue with Amelia Bullmore's hit play Di and Viv and Rose from Tuesday, September 5 to Saturday, September 9. 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, September 15 to Saturday October 7, The Pitmen Painters 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 New Vic with a revival of the brilliantly clever and outrageously funny farce Taking Steps (from Tuesday, October 10 to Saturday, October 28), followed by the world-premiere of Ayckbourn's A Brief History Of Women (Thursday, October 12 to Saturday, October 28) - a comedy about an unremarkable man and the remarkable women who loved him, left him or lost him over the course of 60 years.
Northern Broadsides returns with For Love or Money from Tuesday, November 7 to Saturday, November 11, 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, November 18 November until Saturday, January 27, Treasure Island follows on from the theatre's much-loved adaptations of literary classics, including last year's The Snow Queen, The Borrowers and 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, December 9 to Saturday, December 30) is an immersive theatre experience which will take the youngest theatregoers on an adventure of their very own. Devised especially for three to five 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 visits the New Vic to celebrate Christmas in style with Eric of Dock Green in Midwinter Murders (Monday, November 27 to Saturday, December 9). 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.
For more details, or to buy tickets visit www.newvictheatre.org.uk or call the box office on 01782 717962.
