New Vic Theatre
Encyclopedia
The New Vic Theatre is situated in Newcastle-under-Lyme
, Staffordshire. It was purpose-built as a theatre in the round
and opened in 1986, replacing a converted cinema, the Victoria Theatre, Hartshill
, Stoke-on-Trent
.
was searching for a permanent base for his Studio Theatre company, which specialised in theatrical productions "in the round", that is with audience from all sides. He found it in a disused cinema in Hartshill, Stoke, which was converted to theatrical use and opened as a playhouse on 9 October 1962 The first resident director was Peter Cheeseman
, and he remained in control for 38 years.
The company soon established a reputation for innovative productions of both new and classic works. A particular focus was on plays with a local subject, such as The Knotty, about the North Staffordshire Railway
, The Fight for Shelton Bar
, about the closure of a local steelworks, and Jolly Potters.
The first production of a play by Peter Terson
took place there in 1964; he was writer in residence for 18 months and wrote in all 22 plays for the Victoria.
As well as drama, the venue was also used for classical and other music. The square layout of the performance area and audience created an excellent acoustic for chamber music. The Lindsay String Quartet performed there regularly in the 1970s.
By 1985, over 280 productions had been staged. The need was felt for a larger, purpose-built building, and this was created in nearby Newcastle-under-lyme
and opened its doors in 1986. The new venue took the name The New Vic. Whereas the old theatre had a seating capacity of 389, the main auditorium in the new theatre has a capacity of just over 600, with the audience surrounding a central stage as before. The acoustics for music are good and the Lindsay String Quartet performed there regularly, as they had done at the old theatre.
The theatre continues to keep close to its Potteries
roots. One of the plays in its re-opening season was by local playwright Arthur Berry
. The theatre is a keen supporter of local communities through its Borderlines campaign, which works with some of North Staffordshire's most disadvantaged communities, helping people find new and positive ways to understand themselves, their communities and their responsibilities. They use theatre to promote understanding, celebrate diversity, and experience the power of creativity, combating disaffection, social exclusion, and prejudice.
In 1998 Peter Cheeseman
retired as Artistic Director, and was succeeded by Gwenda Hughes. In 2007 she in turn was succeeded by Theresa Heskins.
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
, Staffordshire. It was purpose-built as a theatre in the round
Theatre in the round
Theatre-in-the-round or arena theatre is any theatre space in which the audience surrounds the stage area...
and opened in 1986, replacing a converted cinema, the Victoria Theatre, Hartshill
Hartshill, Staffordshire
Hartshill is a township within Stoke-upon-Trent in the city of Stoke-on-Trent in the English county of Staffordshire.Hartshill was developed by Herbert Minton as a dormitory suburb of Stoke. The ecclesiastical parish was created out of the parish of Stoke in 1842 when Holy Trinity church was built...
, Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
.
History
In the early 1960s Stephen JosephStephen Joseph
Stephen Joseph was an English stage director and pioneer of "theatre in the round".-Life:Stephen Joseph was born in London, the son of Hermione Gingold and the publisher Michael Joseph . He was educated at Clayesmore School in Dorset...
was searching for a permanent base for his Studio Theatre company, which specialised in theatrical productions "in the round", that is with audience from all sides. He found it in a disused cinema in Hartshill, Stoke, which was converted to theatrical use and opened as a playhouse on 9 October 1962 The first resident director was Peter Cheeseman
Peter Cheeseman
Peter Cheeseman, CBE was a British theatre director who is credited with having pioneered "theatre in the round".-Career:...
, and he remained in control for 38 years.
The company soon established a reputation for innovative productions of both new and classic works. A particular focus was on plays with a local subject, such as The Knotty, about the North Staffordshire Railway
North Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....
, The Fight for Shelton Bar
Shelton Bar
Shelton Bar was a major steelworks in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, England. In its heyday, Shelton Bar employed 10,000 in the steelworks, had five coal mines, a complete railway system, and a by-products processing factory.-The main site:...
, about the closure of a local steelworks, and Jolly Potters.
The first production of a play by Peter Terson
Peter Terson
Peter Terson is a British playwright whose plays have been produced for stage, television and radio. His early work in the 1960s focused on growing up in the dead-end working-class culture of industrial England. He was born as Peter Patterson. He was a schoolteacher for 10 years before writing...
took place there in 1964; he was writer in residence for 18 months and wrote in all 22 plays for the Victoria.
As well as drama, the venue was also used for classical and other music. The square layout of the performance area and audience created an excellent acoustic for chamber music. The Lindsay String Quartet performed there regularly in the 1970s.
By 1985, over 280 productions had been staged. The need was felt for a larger, purpose-built building, and this was created in nearby Newcastle-under-lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
and opened its doors in 1986. The new venue took the name The New Vic. Whereas the old theatre had a seating capacity of 389, the main auditorium in the new theatre has a capacity of just over 600, with the audience surrounding a central stage as before. The acoustics for music are good and the Lindsay String Quartet performed there regularly, as they had done at the old theatre.
The theatre continues to keep close to its Potteries
Staffordshire Potteries
The Staffordshire Potteries is a generic term for the industrial area encompassing the six towns that now make up Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire, England....
roots. One of the plays in its re-opening season was by local playwright Arthur Berry
Arthur Berry
Arthur Berry was an English playwright, poet, teacher and artist, born in Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent.Berry was the son of a publican and grew up during the Depression. At the age of 14 he enrolled at Burslem School of Art...
. The theatre is a keen supporter of local communities through its Borderlines campaign, which works with some of North Staffordshire's most disadvantaged communities, helping people find new and positive ways to understand themselves, their communities and their responsibilities. They use theatre to promote understanding, celebrate diversity, and experience the power of creativity, combating disaffection, social exclusion, and prejudice.
In 1998 Peter Cheeseman
Peter Cheeseman
Peter Cheeseman, CBE was a British theatre director who is credited with having pioneered "theatre in the round".-Career:...
retired as Artistic Director, and was succeeded by Gwenda Hughes. In 2007 she in turn was succeeded by Theresa Heskins.