Staffordshire’s New Vic Theatre has announced the first part of its spring 2022 season, beginning a year of celebrations to mark its 60th anniversary.
The first two productions in the theatre-in-the-round's year of celebrations will be Marvellous, the world première production based on the life of Neil “Nello” Baldwin and a co-production of Shakespeare's As You Like It with Northern Broadsides.
New Vic artistic director Theresa Heskins said, "over the years the New Vic has continually honoured its origins in documentary dramas championed by its founding director Peter Cheeseman, dramatising issues relevant to our community.
“The plays in our upcoming season feel like a perfect complement to the company's 60th anniversary, celebrating all that’s unique about our work, none more so than the extraordinary true story of local hero, clown and Stoke City FC kit man Neil Baldwin. With Marvellous, we have a story that I know will fill us all with such optimism.
“It's also wonderful to be collaborating once again with Northern Broadsides on a vibrant production of Shakespeare's As You Like It. I can't wait to open the year by sharing these two plays with audiences."
As You Like It will run at the New Vic from Friday 4 until Saturday 26 February before it goes on a national tour. Both companies will be celebrating milestones: the New Vic's 60th and Northern Broadsides' 30th anniversaries. Marvellous will be performed from Friday 11 March until Saturday 9 April.
The productions kick off a year-long celebration of the beginnings of the New Vic theatre company, then the Victoria Theatre Company—the first professional company in Britain to perform permanently in-the-round.