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Review: ‘The Card’ At New Vic

Photo Credit: Mark Douet Arnold Bennett's comic novel is inventively and fabulously re-told by Claybody Theatre on its latest run at New Vic which opened on Saturday. Bennett's 1911 tale tells the story of Edward Henry (Denry) Machin and his rise from lowly son of a washerwoman to Mayor of Bursley. The endearing Denry gets there through ingenuity, blind luck sometimes and all with a generous helping of humour. The novel itself was turned into a film starring Alec Guinness and Petula Clark in 1952 (called The Promoter) Bennett, of course, makes more than a little reference to his home…

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Review: ‘Annie’ at The Regent Theatre

Photo Credit Paul Coltas Annie hit the Regent Theatre this week on the musical's 2023 tour of the UK came to Hanley. A much beloved film in 1982 starring (amongst others) Albert Finney and Tim Curry which was revived in 2014 with Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz. Generation after generation adore the tale of the young Annie, plucked from her dreary existence in a New York orphanage which is ran by the surley, exasperated and drunken Miss Hannigan, by 'Gracie' who works for wealthy Oliver Warbucks. Warbucks and the confident Annie are pushed together and they soon build a strong…

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Review: ‘The Killing Of Sister George’ At New Vic

The latest production at New Vic brings to life the 1964 Frank Marcus play 'The Killing Of Sister George'. Itself converted to a 1968 film famously starring Beryl Reid, it tells the tale of June Buckridge, who plays mild-mannered district nurse 'Sister George' on a radio show called 'Applehurst'. In stark contrast to her wholesome, hymn-singing character, June is forthright, frequently drunk, smoking cigars and lives with her lover, Alice 'Childie' McNaught. Deeply paranoid about her status on the show, she almost self-sabotages both her personal and professional relationships, violent and bullying with Alice, unruly at work and culminates with…

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Review: ‘Titanic The Musical’ at The Regent

The Regent is the latest stop on the UK tour of 'Titanic The Musical' this week. The tale focusses on the real lives of passengers on board White Star Line's RMS Titanic in a deeply moving and poignant production. Initial correlations will be made to James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster when looking at the billboards, but instead of a fictional tale as Cameron's epic was, every one of the characters on stage were actual passengers on board which makes it such a hard-hitting production. Over 1500 souls tragically perished onboard (estimated around 800 passengers and 700 crew) and it is hard…

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Review: Heathers The Musical At Regent Theatre

The opening bell at Westerburg High peeled tonight at The Regent Theatre to celebrate the first Stoke based performance of the UK 2023 tour of 'Heathers The Musical'. To say that the 1988 film with Christian Slater and Winona Ryder has a cult following is a slight understatement, as the foyer was littered with fans dressed as their favourite characters and most sporting mock croquet mallets made from everything you can imagine. The musical stays true to the film's dark comedy with a sardonic look at the archetypal US high school, with the various groups, the stoners, the football champs…

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Review: Abigail’s Party At New Vic

Mike Leigh's 1977 master class of peering into human fragility is realised here in the latest reboot at New Vic. Abigail's party is of course, the one happening further up the street, which we don't get to see, instead the action is based inside the plush 1970's living room of the elegantly dressed, but overbearing Beverly and her neurotic husband Laurence, who struggles to deal with his wife's behaviour. Invited to the gathering is the meekly mannered Susan, mother of the titular Abigail, who is left pondering what is going on at her own house, taking refuge, but not helped…

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Review: The Mousetrap At The Regent

In its 70th anniversary tour after debuting in November 1952, the world's longest running play, The Mousetrap, raises its distinctive plush red curtain on the famous residents and guests of Agatha Christie's Monkswell Guest House. Monkswell's owners, the Ralstons, Mollie (Joelle Dyson) and Giles (Laurence Pears) are adjusting to their new venture and welcoming guests into their home for the very first time, a terrible snowstorm doing its level best to disrupt the opening week. Invited guests, eccentric architect Christopher Wren (Elliot Clay), the fastidious Mrs. Boyle (Gwyneth Strong), the stoical Major Metcalf (Todd Carty) and the well travelled Miss…

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Demon Dentist Review At The Regent Theatre

Photo courtesy of Mark Douet The adaptation of the much loved 2013 David Walliams childrens' book 'Demon Dentist' hit The Regent on Thursday of this week, following massively successful shows like 'Gangsta Granny' and 'Billionaire Boy'. The musical sees friends Alfie and Gabz trying to get to the bottom of mysterious going's on in the town which has seen the tooth fairy's usual gift of a shiny coin replaced by items such as worms, rats and toads. The events seem to coincide with the arrival of the terrifying new dentist, Miss Root, fully equipped with syringe, pliers and hissing white…

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Review: ‘Bouncers’ At New Vic

The in-the-round setting at New Vic Theatre became the 1980's hottest nightclub in town 'Mr. Cinders' as John Godber's classic comedy 'Bouncers' opened last night. Directed by Jane Thornton and originally performed at Edinburgh Fringe in 1977, this four-hander relives a night at a Yorkshire disco with a thumpingly good soundtrack. Telling the tale of Bouncer's Judd, Les, Ralph and Lucky Eric, the versatile cast play every character in it, from the vulgar and laddish Bouncers, to the young 'lads and lasses' on a night out, even the pre-event barbers and ladies' hairdressers. The cast of Frazer Hammill (Lucky Eric),…

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Kiln Sparks To Inspire Backstage Talent With In the Round Theatre Workshops

Kiln Sparks, a new one-week course as part of the New Vic Theatre’s Kiln Network development programme in association with New Earth Theatre and tiata fahodzi, will provide an opportunity for emerging and entry-level theatre personnel from under-represented groups to get experience working in-the-round at Staffordshire’s New Vic Theatre. The one-week residential course, led by the New Vic’s Associate Director Vicki Dela Amedume MBE, is an initiative designed for entry level sound and lighting technicians; company stage managers wishing to expand their knowledge of technical processes; emerging production managers who would like to expand their technical knowledge and emerging sound…

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