In 2026, the New Vic will celebrate the first part of its 40th anniversary year with a season that includes one of its most iconic productions and a revival of a cult classic from their history.

The spring season features an acclaimed reinvention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous tale The Hound Of The Baskervilles; a powerful, music-fuelled drama Good Golly Miss Molly, and a revival of the New Vic’s international-hit show, Around The World In 80 Days.

Steven Canny and John Nicholson’s acclaimed adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic story The Hound Of The Baskervilles will open on Saturday 14 February and run until Saturday 14 March, and will be directed by Joyce Branagh (UK Theatre Award Best Musical Production nominee Now Is Good, Storyhouse). Combining the atmospheric tension of classic thrillers such as The 39 Steps with sharp humour, this witty reimagining of one of the greatest literary mysteries of all time makes for a fiendishly funny whodunnit.

Originally produced by the New Vic in 1989, Good Golly Miss Molly will be revived by original director Bob Eaton as part of the theatre’s 40th anniversary celebrations. Set in the Potteries and written especially for the New Vic, Good Golly Miss Molly charts the history of one local community against a backdrop of social turmoil, societal changes and tumultuous friendships. Revived in 1991 and 1993, the music filled show returns after a 33-year hiatus, taking to the stage from Saturday 4 April to Saturday 2 May.

Last seen on Broadway, New York in 2019, Around The World In 80 Days will also return to the New Vic for the theatre’s 40th anniversary from Saturday 23 May to Saturday 13 June. New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins (Marvellous, opening production @sohoplace, Olivier award-winning The Worst Witch, West End; critically-acclaimed The Company of Wolves, New Vic), reunites Andrew Pollard, Michael Hugo and Dennis Herdman to bring Laura Eason’s inventive adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel to life for audiences once again.

The New Vic also announce today three additional productions added to their programme of events for the coming months. Tones - A Hip Hop Opera tells the story of a treacherous path to self-discovery set to the gritty underground sounds of hip-hop, grime and drill and the melodrama of opera on Thursday 30 October. Tale Trail To The Little Mermaid sees the return of the theatre’s popular festive adventure for 3-5 year olds from Tue 9 - Wed 24 December and then in February, the John Godber Company will return with Teechers, a hilarious comedy masterpiece set in a secondary school from Tue 3 - Sat 7 February 2026.

New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins said: “2026 is going to be a special year for the New Vic as it marks the 40th anniversary of when the doors to this extraordinary theatre first opened. We were the first purpose-built theatre in-the-round in the whole of Europe and for four decades, we’ve been a hub for the community and a place of bold storytelling. In the spring, we’ll continue this proud tradition by producing a new version of a reimagined classic before celebrating some of the stories that put the New Vic on the world map – from the Potteries to the West End to Broadway.

I’m so pleased that Joyce Branagh will work with us for the first time on The Hound of The Baskervilles, and that Bob Eaton will return to the theatre to revive his iconic production, Good Golly Miss Molly – a show he wrote especially for the New Vic and a production that contributed to the theatre’s passion for combining powerful drama with live music. Then, I’m looking forward to reuniting original cast members from Around The World In 80 Days and reviving this production – it’s toured halfway across the world and for us to be able to bring it home to Newcastle-under-Lyme for our anniversary year is a real treat.”

For more details on the New Vic’s spring season visit newvictheatre.org.uk or call the Box Office on 01782 717962.