New Vic Theatre announces Autumn season, including Russell Kane's stage debut in Romeo and Juliet
The New Vic Theatre has announced a bold new co-production of Romeo & Juliet starring Russell Kane and the stage premiere of a new play by Oscar winner Rachel Shenton.
The New Vic, the UK’s first purpose-built theatre in-the-round and one of the country’s most influential producing theatres, continues celebrations of its 40th anniversary in 2026 with the announcement of a major autumn season featuring a striking new take on a Shakespeare classic, a stage premiere of a new play inspired by the Pottery industry and a revival of one of the theatre’s most popular Christmas productions.
Comedian Russell Kane will star in a radical reimagining of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, the first collaboration between the New Vic and Not Too Tame. Directed by Not Too Tame Artistic Director Jimmy Fairhurst, this retelling imagines the star-crossed lovers meeting later in life, repositioning the story from a perspective of age and experience, with the title characters aged in their 40s.
Academy award winner Rachel Shenton’s Gladstone Girls will receive its stage premiere at the New Vic in February, in a collaboration between the theatre and Slick Films. The play is set in the Potteries and explores the lives of a group of female pottery workers determined to protect their cherished ‘Curl Friday’ factory tradition. It’s a drama celebrating solidarity, resilience and the enduring community spirit of the ceramics industry.
For its 40th Anniversary celebrations, the New Vic will revive its 2014 production of Mary Norton’s The Borrowers Adapted and directed by New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins (Olivier award-winning The Worst Witch, West End; Marvellous, the New Vic production which opened new West End venue @sohoplace; UK Theatre award-winning The Snow Queen)the captivating production follows up the theatre’s previous critically-acclaimed Christmas productions, The Little Mermaid, The Three Musketeers and The Nutcracker. One of the New Vic’s most popular Christmas productions of the last 40 years, The Borrowers is bursting with magical storytelling, original music and heart-racing adventure.
New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins said:
“I’m delighted that in our 40th anniversary year, we’re announcing a programme that will showcase our core values - that everyone should have access to great theatre; that local talent should be prized and nurtured; that young people’s first experiences of theatre should inspire them with a lifetime’s love for it”.
Romeo and Juliet runs from 17th September until 10th October 2026.
The Borrowers runs from 13th November 2026 until 23rd January 2027.
Gladstone Girls runs from 6th – 27th February 2027.
The New Vic Theatre’s new season will go on general sale on Wednesday 25 March. For more details visit newvictheatre.org.uk.
