New Vic 60th Celebrations Culminate With Christmas Show Alice in Wonderland

As their production of the critically-acclaimed Marvellous opens in the West End, the New Vic’s festive show Alice in Wonderland begins to take shape at the theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme as the company prepares for the finale celebrations of their 60th anniversary year.

New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins said: “I’m so happy to be bringing our version of Alice in Wonderland to the New Vic stage this year. It feels extra special to be sharing this show as the finale to our 60th anniversary year of theatre making here in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. We’ve made it especially for the New Vic, with local people and theatre in-the-round very much in mind. Our multi-talented cast will be acting, singing, dancing, playing instruments and performing some dazzling illusions that will truly be magical! We can’t wait to welcome audiences to see it”.

New Vic favourites Danielle Bird (Beauty and the Beast, Astley’s Astounding Adventures) and Michael Hugo (Marvellous, Tom, Dick & Harry) share the role of the Mad Hatter/Chorus. They are joined by Lucinda Freeburn from last year’s Christmas production Beauty and the Beast as the Dormouse/Rose/Musician/Chorus, Victoria Brazier (The Snow Queen, The Borrowers for the New Vic) as the White Queen/Mam/Musician/Chorus and Matthew Ganley (Around the World in 80 Days, The Snow Queen for the New Vic) as Dodger/White King/Mad March Hare/Musician/Chorus. Seen recently in New Vic Borderlines’ My Thousand Year Old Land, Stasha Dukic will join the company to play the Cheshire Cat/Musician/Chorus.

Making her professional debut Eleanor Fransch will play Alice alongside New Vic Youth Theatre alumni Katie Cannon as Chorus/Musician. Making their New Vic debuts are JimmyChambers (Caligari, ChewBoy Productions at Edinburgh Festival Fringe) as Tweedledum/Musician/Chorus; Angelina Chudi (Henry VI: War of the RosesHenry VI: Rebellion, RSC) as Tweedledee/Musician/Chorus; Purvi Parmar (The Book Thief, Bolton Octagon; The Jungle Book, The Dukes Theatre) as Red Queen/Chorus; Kyle Potter(Jack and the Beanstalk, Pomegranate Theatre) as Chorus/Musician; Peter Watts (Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, Nottingham Playhouse) asThe Great Blanco/White Rabbit/Musician/Chorus and Madeleine Wilshire(Twelfth Night, Jupiter Theatre; The Illustrated Girl, Hall for Cornwall/Kneehigh Theatre)as Chorus/Musician. 

Opening on Friday 18 November 2022 and running until Saturday 28 January 2023, audiences will journey with Alice down the rabbit hole, following the White Rabbit into a curiously enchanting new world, filled with even curiouser characters.

As she searches for a way home, Alice encounters strange and whimsical people: a disappearing Cheshire Cat with a grin wider than she’s ever seen, a Mad Hatter whose tea party never quite serves tea, and a bad-tempered Queen who is looking for her jam tarts…

This adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic by New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins, last performed at the theatre in-the-round in 2011, is one of the New Vic’s best-loved Christmas shows. It will be captivatingly brought to fresh life by the same creative team behind the theatre’s previous successful Christmas productions including last year’s Beauty and the Beast which has been nominated by UK Theatre for this year’s Best Show for Children and Young People, and The Snow Queen, which won the accolade in 2017.

In true New Vic style, Alice in Wonderland is set to be an adventure like no other, filled with fun, laughter, live music and many magical moments, giving the young, and young-at-heart, a joyful festive treat this year.

Alice in Wonderland will take to the stage at theNew Vic from Friday 18 November 2022 to Saturday 28 January 2023. For more information and to book call the Box Office on 01782 717 962 or visit newvictheatre.org.uk.