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Alan Ayckbourn’s Latest Play Constant Companions Scrutinizes Impact of AI on Humanity

Alan Ayckbourn’s Latest Play Constant Companions Scrutinizes Impact of AI on Humanity

One of the UK’s most successful playwrights, Alan Ayckbourn, scrutinizes the consequences of artificial intelligence in his 89th play, Constant Companions. Performed at the New Vic from Tuesday 24 October to 4 November, this topical production from the prolific playwright is also directed by the man himself. Starring Georgia Burnell (Family Album), Andy Cryer (Season’s Greetings), Tanya-Loretta Dee (Family Album), Alexandra Mathie (The Girl Next Door), Naomi Petersen (The Girl Next Door), Richard Stacey (Confusions) and Leigh Symonds (Season’s Greetings), it weaves together the stories of highflying lawyer Lorraine, lonely bachelor Don and technician Winston. Lorraine is a fabulously successful…
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Cast Announced for New Vic’s Magical Family Reimagining of Christmas Classic The Nutcracker

Cast Announced for New Vic’s Magical Family Reimagining of Christmas Classic The Nutcracker

This Christmas, the New Vic Theatre will put its own magical spin on the classic story of The Nutcracker in a festive family production from Friday 17 November 2023 to Saturday 27 January 2024. Bringing this much-loved tale to life in The Nutcracker: A Christmas Fairytale is a cast that includes Franky Attard (Doctor Who, BBC, Dick Whittington, Spillers Pantomimes) as Marie/Ensemble, Edwin Cheng (Romeo and Juliet, New Adventures) as Nutcracker Prince/Ensemble, Clara Darcy (Brassed Off, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, New Vic) as Lemon Meringue Mayor/Bonbonviller/Snowflake/Ensemble, Matthew Ganley (The Great Gatsby, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Grosvenor Open…
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Sing-a-long-a Matilda the Musical Heads to the Regent Theatre

Sing-a-long-a Matilda the Musical Heads to the Regent Theatre

Sing-a-Long-a Matilda The Musical heads to the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent on Sunday 14 January 2024 Sing-a-Long-a is a unique interactive Sing-a-long-a show featuring the brand-new smash hit Musical film Matilda The Musical. Calling all revolting children and their parents – come and be a little bit naughty at Sing-a-Long-a Matilda The Musical from the producers of Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music and Sing-a-Long-a The Greatest Showman. Now is your chance to interact with this incredible tale of a little girl making her great escape! Find the “magic” inside of you at the latest film to get the Sing-a-Long-a treatment – the…
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Review: Astley’s Astounding Adventures At New Vic

Review: Astley’s Astounding Adventures At New Vic

The tale of local resident Philip Astley was expertly brought to life in the latest production at New Vic. Born in 1742 in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, the tale follows the life and times from humble beginnings as the son of a cabinet maker, to a decorated veteran of the seven years' war through to his exploits as the father of the modern day circus. The trio of Philip Astley, Patty Jones and Alfie Burrell were played expertly by familiar faces Nicholas Richardson (Tom, Dick and Harry), Danielle Bird (Alice In Wonderland) and Gareth Cassidy (The Card) respectively. They gave a fantastic performance…
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Review: Sister Act At The Regent

Review: Sister Act At The Regent

The stage of the Regent Theatre became the winter of 1977/1978 in Philadelphia and played host to the stage version of one of the most loved films of 1992 starring Whoopie Goldberg. Now in its 14th year, following its West End debut in 2009, the musical, based on the film tells the tale of Deloris Van Cartier. Struggling with both her professional career as a cabaret singer and with her love-life as the mistress of local gangster Curtis Shank, Deloris witnesses him murder an informant and she is taken under the protective wing of police desk Chief Eddie. Eddie decides…
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By the Waters of Liverpool opens next week at Crewe Lyceum

By the Waters of Liverpool opens next week at Crewe Lyceum

The creative team behind new Helen Forrester play By The Waters Of Liverpool have released the first cast images during rehearsals and in costume. By The Waters Of Liverpool Autumn 2023 UK Tour will run for eight weeks visiting 13 venues across the country. The show opens at Crewe Lyceum next week and runs from Monday 18 – Tuesday 19 September. The tour opens in two weeks on Monday 4 September 2023 at The Auditorium at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool before travelling round the country. The nine-strong cast will play more than 50 characters between them during the production.…
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Britpop Legends Shed Seven Bring Their Tour To Victoria Hall

Britpop Legends Shed Seven Bring Their Tour To Victoria Hall

There’s just six weeks to go until Shed Seven take to the Victoria Hall stage on Monday 23 October 2023. Shed Seven emerged as one of the big hitters during the heyday of Britpop, their catalogue of classic singles leading to seven Top 20 hits includingGoing For Gold,Chasing Rainbows, Disco Downand On Standbyas well as four Top 10 albums. Their popularity has continued since reforming in 2007, with 2017’s Instant Pleasuresalbum debuting at #8 - their highest-charting record in eighteen years. Shed Seven’s current tour coincides with the launch of their first new album in six years A Matter of Time which will be released in…
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Review: ‘Ocean At The End Of The Lane’ at Regent Theatre

Review: ‘Ocean At The End Of The Lane’ at Regent Theatre

Photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg Adapted from the bestselling Neil Gaiman book, Ocean At The End Of The Lane began its run tonight at Regent Theatre. Neil Gaiman is best known for 'Coraline' which was turned into an animated blockbuster as well as 'Good Omens' which recently began its second series on streaming services starring David Tenant and Michael Sheen. The story follows an unnamed man who returns home for a family funeral. He revisits an old farmhouse where he remembers the young girl 'Lettie Hempstock' and is drawn to their duck pond in her farm which she referred to as an 'Ocean'.…
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Review: ‘Faith Healer’ At New Vic

Review: ‘Faith Healer’ At New Vic

One of the most famous works by Irish dramatist Brian Friel opened at New Vic last night which starts the production's national 2023 tour. The play first opened in 1979, the tale of travelling faith healer Frank, his wife Grace and manager Teddy is told through a series of four monologues. It deals with themes of loss, addiction and how an account of the same events by different people, paints vast inconsistencies. Opening with the 'Faith Healer' himself, Frank (Paul Carroll) we hear of the tales of the trio navigating rural Wales and Scotland in the 50s and 60s, stopping…
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Review: Eric’s Italian Job

Review: Eric’s Italian Job

David Graham returns to the New Vic with his new show ‘Eric’s Italian Job’. The New Vic favourite finds himself witness to the Great Train Robbery. Able to identify two of the perpetrators of the heist after bearing accidental witness to the getaway, he is enlisted by Scotland Yard to travel with them to Turin, believed to be the location of the gangs' next job. Cue a plotline which is sure to find Eric in the midst of high farce and many laughs. As with any ‘Eric’ production, the quality of the production and the music was fantastic. All cast multi-talented,…
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