The New Vic present a rare revival of Big Big Sky by Tom Wells this July, marking only the second professional outing of this heartfelt and uplifting play from the award-winning playwright.
Masterfully interweaving humour with moments of poignancy, Big Big Sky is set in a seaside café in Kilnsea, East Yorkshire, in a community nestled on the edge of an ever-changing landscape. With delicate nuance and warmth, the play explores the lives of four interconnected characters as they navigate themes of love, grief, friendship and motherhood. A moving ode to the beauty of everyday life, the play paints a portrait of small-town community that is both intimately personal and universally relatable. Testament to the skill of Tom Well’s writing, Big Big Sky manages to combine a story about the complexities of life, with live country music, light-hearted humour and line dancing.
Directed by former New Vic Resident Assistant Director Bryn Holding (Cinderella, Home Girl, Derby Theatre; King John, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham/ Hammerpuzzle Theatre Company; Macbeth and The Clockmaker’s Daughter, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire), this new production will be imbued with wistful charmand features a talented ensemble of actors including: Sam Baker-Jones (HERE, Southwark Playhouse; Di Ray, HTM Television and The Walk in, ITV Studios) as Ed; Tanya-Loretta Dee (Ladies Down Under, New Vic Theatre; Things We Do for Love, The Old Laundry Theatre; EastEnders, BBC1) as Angie; Roxanne Morgan (Into The Woods Redgrave Theatre; Tiger Country, Tobacco Factory Theatre; As You Like It, Malcolm X Community Centre) as Lauren, and Simeon Truby (The Glee Club, New Vic Theatre; Wicked, Apollo Victoria & UK Tour; War Horse UK & South Africa Tour) as Dennis.
Director Bryn Holding said: “Playwright Tom Wells, succinctly remarks, Big Big Sky is about ‘love, grief and birdwatching. It is a beautifully crafted piece of work and a great night out! A comedy laced with poignancy and relevance. A play that quietly speaks to us all. A play that celebrates the joy of love, life, friendship and family whilst honouring the complexities of loss. I am overjoyed to be returning to the New Vic this summer to direct Big Big Sky. The New Vic feels like home; it is 20 miles from my where I was born and raised, it is where I saw my first Shakespeare play, where I honed my skills as an actor, and where I embarked on my training as a theatre director. The building, the staff, it’s auditorium and audience matter to me and I can’t wait to share this heart-warming story with you all.”
Big Big Sky runs at the New Vic from Saturday 5 – Thursday 24 July 2025.For more information visit newvictheatre.org.uk.