A seven-strong cast including neurodiverse actors will perform Marvellous, the story of “Stoke City FC kit man, clown and all-round local hero” Neil “Nello” Baldwin, at Newcastle-under-Lyme’s New Vic Theatre.
All seven will play versions of themselves playing Baldwin and a host of other characters. They are Suzanne Ahmet, Charlie Bence, Gareth Cassidy, Alex Frost, New Vic regular Michael Hugo, Jerone Marsh-Reid and Daniel Murphy.
With words almost entirely Nello’s own, Marvellous combines “a playful script with physical comedy and New Vic artistic director Theresa Heskins’s iconic directorial style to bring to life this incredible story about how you can realise your dreams—even when society tries to limit you with a label”.
Heskins said, “through thick and thin, the prospect of staging the story of Nello’s inspirational life has given us cause to smile. His optimistic outlook and talent for happiness rubs off on everyone he meets. And Marvellous is going to do exactly the same.
“It’s a story of joy and sadness; of realising dreams; of belonging and othering; of how labels both limit us and protect us; of what constitutes a hero—and why we need them. It’s a play that’s as straightforward, direct and sunny as Neil is: it will fill audiences with optimism, bring people together and spread happiness.”
Baldwin said, “the cast are lovely—we’re friends already. I’m really looking forward to seeing it all come together. I hope the theatre will be filled every night. It’s going to be great.”
A new play created in conjunction with Baldwin himself, Marvellous takes to the New Vic stage from Friday 11 March until Saturday 9 April.