Newcastle-under-Lyme’s New Vic is to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Arnold Bennett by staging a new adaptation of his novel Anna of the Five Towns.
Born in Hanley, Stoke in 1867, Bennett moved away to become a solicitor's clerk when he was 21 but used memories of his childhood and early life in The Potteries as the inspiration for his Five Towns novels, depicting life in the area at the time.
One of the works, Anna of the Five Towns, tells the story of life in the Potteries for a young woman but famously omits Stoke’s sixth town, Fenton.
Bennett's literary legacy will form part of Stoke’s bid to become the 2021 UK City of Culture.
Anna of the Five Towns is adapted by Deborah McAndrew whose play Cyrano, a version of Edmond Rostand’s romantic comedy Cyrano de Bergerac, is on a nationwide tour. Conrad Nelson directs.
The play centres on Anna Tellwright whose 21st birthday brings with it newfound responsibilities, wealth and a suitor. Courted by desirable bachelor Henry Mynors, she struggles to gain her independence. She finds herself torn between trying to please her tyrannical father and a desire to help young Willie Price and his family from the brink of ruin.
The cast features Rosie Abraham as Agnes Tellwright, Mark Anderson as Henry Mynors, Lucy Bromilow as Anna Tellwright, Susie Emmett as Mrs Sutton, Andrew Price as Mr Sutton / Titus Price / the revivalist, Molly Roberts as Beatrice Sutton, Benedict Shaw as Willie Price and Robin Simpson as Ephraim Tellwright.
The company will be joined at each performance by a chorus of singers from Staffordshire choir the Phoenix Singers.
Anna of the Five Towns runs at the New Vic from Friday 26 May until Saturday 17 June.