COPPELIA - A MYSTERY Will Be Performed at the New Vic Theatre, Staffordshire This Summer

This July, the New Vic Theatre in Staffordshire will transform their space into a magical summer wonderland to stage a brand new adaptation of Coppelia - A Mystery for family audiences, from Friday 16 July to Saturday 7 August.

An inventive promenade performance, Coppelia - A Mystery will begin outside in the grounds of the theatre before taking audiences on an intimate journey around and inside the theatre and back again.

Directed by New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins and brought to life by some of the creative team behind the Olivier Award-winning The Worst Witch in the West End.

Corinna Brown (Netflix's Heartstopper), Michael Hugo (Around The World In 80 Days), Urdang Academy Graduate Kira McPherson and beatboxing violinist Faz Shah will create the characters to bring the story to life for audiences.

New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins said: "We made Coppelia - A Mystery with love and determination last Christmas. When we realised we wouldn't be able to invite audiences then, we planned how we'd reimagine it for a summer's day. The show plunges its audience right into the story, inviting them to walk through this magical world along the street of shops we've built outside the theatre, and then to sneak into the workshop at the back of Dr Coppelius's shop to discover the toymaker's secret.

"Nothing brings us more joy than seeing all generations of a family delighting in a show together, so creating theatre for family audiences is an important part of our theatre-making. This year it feels more important than ever to give families unique experiences to treasure: for us to inspire imaginations, offer adventures, and to rediscover the power of theatre to bring people together."

Inspired by the classic tale, Coppelia - A Mystery is a spellbinding adventure suitable for all ages. Families will take a journey with the characters outside and into the theatre, through a woodland glade and down an inviting street of shops, leading to the toyshop of the mysterious Doctor Coppelius - a toyshop with a curious secret that one girl is determined to discover. A production which truly celebrates the home-produced work of the New Vic, audiences will enter into an enchanting world filled with love, mischief and mystery to uncover the toyshop's secrets for themselves, perhaps spotting a few surprises on the way!

East 15 Acting School graduate Corinna Brown - soon to appear in Netflix's adaptation of Heartstopper - will play Swanhilde, joined by New Vic favourite Michael Hugo (Around the World in 80 Days, Astley's Astounding Adventures, The 39 Steps at the New Vic), charming audiences as Doctor Coppelius. Making her professional debut, Urdang Academy graduate Kira McPherson will play Coppelia; and violinist Farhaan Shah (Astley's Astounding Adventures, New Vic; Eid with the Neighbours, Brimero Entertainment/Penny Appeal) will provide the music as Amadeus.

New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins (Olivier Award-winning The Worst Witch; The Snow Queen, UK Theatre Awards Best Show for Children and Young People 2017) will direct and brings her trademark innovative storytelling to reinvigorate this timeless story, alongside a creative team who magically brought to life previous New Vic shows including The Prince and the Pauper, Treasure Island, and The Borrowers.

Coppelia - A Mystery will be performed in and around the New Vic from Friday 16 July to Saturday 7 August 2021. For more information and to book tickets visit newvictheatre.org.uk.

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