Woman to Watch Theresa Heskins, award-winning actor Carol Royle and top designer Liz Cooke are the triumvirate of female talent joining forces for a new staging of Charlotte Jones’s brilliantly original, Humble Boy.

The production is Heskins’ first project after being recognised as one of the most talented and ambitious women in the UK creative industry, following her inclusion on the Cultural Leadership Programme’s national list of just 50 ‘Women to Watch.’

Clare Calbraith as Rosie, Carol Royle as Flora, Julia Munrow as Mercy. Image by Andrew Billington

Singled out by judge Kwame Kwei-Armah for being “bold and brave”, the Artistic Director has been commended for an outstanding contribution to regional theatre by exploiting the impact and intimacy of theatre-in-the-round.   

Joining her is acclaimed actress Carol Royle, who rose to fame in TV series’ such as Dennis Potter’s Black Eyes, BBC’s Life Without George and most recently as Lady Brewster in Heartbeat. A former Chanel model, Royle is also an acclaimed classical actress known for her roles at the RSC, including an award-winning Ophelia. Humble Boy will see her return to the Shakespeare standard, this time as the play’s ‘Gertrude’ – the formidable Flora.

Heskins, who studied with Humble Boy playwright Charlotte Jones at university, is also enjoying a reunion with designer and dedicated beekeeper, Liz Cooke, following their collaboration on award-winning aerial drama, The Wicked Lady. Bringing high summer to the stage, Cooke is transforming the New Vic’s in-the-round auditorium into a living, Renaissance-inspired garden.

The cast includes Heartbeat’s Dr Tricia Summerbee, Clare Calbraith, New Vic regular Andy Hockley, Martin Miller (Honeymoon Suite), Julia Munrow (Dreamthinkspeak's Absent at theRoyal Opera House) and Michael O’Connor (Sweeney Todd ).

Humble Boy premiered at the National Theatre in 2001, receiving a Susan Smith Blackburn Award the same year. A Critics' Circle Best New Play and the People's Choice Award for Best New Play followed in 2002.

Tickets for Humble Boy, which cost £8.50 – £17.50, can be booked by calling the New Vic’s Box Office on 01782 717962.