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and opened its doors in 1986 after many years of fundraising, negotiation with local councils and construction. The new venue took the name The New
Victoria Theatre, often abbreviated to "New Vic", and this shortened name was formally adopted later. Whereas the old theatre had a seating capacity of
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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 musical acoustics are good and the
Lindsay String Quartet performed there regularly, as they had done at the old theatre.
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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
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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
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By 1985, over 280 productions had been staged. The need had been felt for a larger, purpose-built building from the very start, and this was created in nearby
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retired as
Artistic Director, and was succeeded by Gwenda Hughes. In 2007, she was succeeded by current Artistic Director, Theresa Heskins.
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which was converted for theatrical use and opened as a playhouse on 9 October 1962. The first resident director was
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who remained in control for 36 years, bar a period in 1967–68 when he was temporarily replaced by the management.
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was searching for a permanent base for his Studio
Theatre company which specialised in theatrical productions
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took place there in 1964; he was writer in residence for 18 months and wrote 22 plays for the
Victoria.
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This article is about the theatre in
Newcastle-under-Lyme. For the theatre in Woking, see
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roots. One of the plays in its re-opening season was by local playwright
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Martin Banham (1992). "Victoria
Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent".
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Pen drawing of the
Victoria Theatre, Hartshill, 1975
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332:Note: ironically, in (locally-born) Bennett's
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23:. For other theatres with a similar name, see
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227:The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre
125:The New Vic continues to keep close to its
16:Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, England
114:performed there regularly in the 1970s.
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157:, one of Stoke-on-Trent's six towns).
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241:"New Vic Theatre: Past Productions"
103:The first production of a play by
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184:. New Vic Theatre. Archived from
25:Victoria Theatre (disambiguation)
281:Brennan, Clare (4 June 2023).
268:The Cambridge Guide to Theatre
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423:Producing theatres in England
270:. Cambridge University Press.
87:North Staffordshire Railway
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413:Theatres in Staffordshire
221:and Peter Found (1996).
207:New Vic Theatre: History
312:www.claybodytheatre.com
335:Anna of the Five Towns
112:Lindsay String Quartet
418:Newcastle-under-Lyme
119:Newcastle-under-Lyme
62:In the early 1960s,
40:Newcastle-under-Lyme
36:theatre in the round
21:New Victoria Theatre
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389:53.0161°N 2.2145°W
314:. Claybody Theatre
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93:Shelton Bar
407:Categories
377:53°00′58″N
168:References
83:The Knotty
380:2°12′52″W
182:"History"
160:In 1998,
127:Potteries
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48:Hartshill
360:Archived
142:The Card
58:History
318:14 May
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