By Richard Bean
Fri 3 – Sat 25 April

Television’s top brass are re-joining the ranks in-the-round this spring as stars of Juliet Bravo and The Bill’ take to the stage at the New Vic.

Colin Tarrant, best known for his role as Inspector Andrew Munroe in ITV’s hit series The Bill and Stephanie Turner, who made her name as lead role Inspector Jean Darblay in the BBC’s prime time police drama Juliet Bravo, are returning to the round for Richard Bean’s earthy and ingenious comedy Honeymoon Suite.

The production will see the on-screen ‘bobbies’ swap the beat for the boards in an emotional return to the North Staffordshire venue, which was a special place for both actors during their early careers.

A member of the renowned Vic company during the 1970s, Colin is delighted to be making his return after 31 years: “I have many happy memories of working at the Vic Theatre. It was great fun!  The repertory experience I gained there, in the capable hands of Peter Cheeseman, has stood me in great stead over the later years of my career. It also gave me an abiding love of theatre-in-the-round as well as affection for the warm Potteries people.”

Stephanie, who went on to star in hit BBC drama Juliet Bravo, also has links with the theatre through Stephen Joseph, a director and theatre visionary who helped establish the Vic. “I was taught by the grandfather of theatre-in-the-round Stephen Joseph at Manchester University. As students we used to come to Stoke an awful lot where he was working with Peter Cheeseman.”

 “The theatre has always been on my horizons so it’s thrilling to be finally coming to the New Vic.”

Adds Colin, “We all can't wait to get started on Honeymoon Suite. Richard Bean's play is a gem – ingenious, affectionate and wonderfully funny. It should be a fantastic production.”

Written by award-winning northern writer Richard Bean, Honeymoon Suite uses ingenious, time-shift techniques to ask ‘what happens when youthful passion fades?’

Tickets for Honeymoon Suite, which cost £8.50 – £17.50, can be booked by calling the New Vic’s Box Office on 01782 717962 or online by visiting our book online page.