Review: Eric’s Italian Job at the New Vic Theatre*

[Ad-gifted] I headed to the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-Under-Lyme last night for its opening night of Eric’s Italian Job and what a night it was. Eric and his band took us on a journey through time and back to the sixties and the Great Train Robbery.  Artfully twisted into another famous (albeit fictional) heist, the Italian Job, the music and sketches played out by the nine cast members promise to entertain and amuse their audience with impeccable harmonies, witty humour and a performance to get lost in.

How it all began…

Eric, who runs a disco, has got his first and only booking in Leighton Buzzard – but on the way home his van breaks down, leaving him stranded near what he thinks is the local station.

Keen to catch a possible late train, Eric stumbles upon two balaclava-clad thieves from the Great Train Robbery – and becomes a valuable witness as they unmask and spill the beans about their identities.

The police then get a tip-off about the same gang being involved in a similar heist that is about to take place in Turin, so they rope in Eric as chief witness and set off in hot pursuit, led by the not-so-competent officer in charge.

What we thought of Eric’s Italian Job

Eric is an old favourite here at the New Vic, with a back-catalogue of 25 years of shows themed on well-known literature, comedy and film. Being completely new to both the New Vic and Eric, I was warmly greeted by staff on the desk who had seen previous shows and even had their favourites.

The New Vic is a relatively new theatre that opened in 1986. It has an inviting, plush interior and just over 600 seats set around a central stage where tonight the band have set up an impressive array of instruments under the atmospheric lighting. Subtle wisps of dry ice drift in the rafters.

Eric’s band double up as the actors and cast, nine multi-tasking, talented musicians and vocalists. Eric is first on, setting the scene with his disco adventure story… but it doesn’t take long for the masked robbers to appear.

It was a little stroke of genius to have the robbers start the music in costume – very effective and entertaining – humorously opening with the Flying Lizards track, I Want Money. I know how hard it is to get the sound right in a band, but these musicians had nailed it with crisp, clear, rich sound, brilliant musicianship and variety in the vocals. Additional music from the original Italian Job film soundtrack was also blended in to the performance, creating a great atmosphere. Props were kept to a minimum, allowing us to focus on the storyline, but costume changes were fun and surprising.

Eric and his trusty sidekick, Gordon, are skilled raconteurs, and it wasn’t long before a couple of members of the audience got their attention… beware those sitting directly at the side of the stage! The humour was quirky; sometimes dark, sometimes slapstick – always British. Plays on words and contemporary references kept us alert and engaged.

It didn’t feel like the opening night – the cast were relaxed and well-connected with each other, making their hard work seem effortless. The uncomplicated storyline allowed the sketches to be delivered with lots of personality and even a couple of twists. And even though there were no Minis racing round the stage, there was room here too for a hilarious take on those famous scenes in the original film. After ‘curtain call’ the group came back to deliver a couple more popular hits, and this time the audience all got on their feet, clapping in time and singing along. And yes, that band deserved it.

Eric’s Italian Job is pure entertainment. Go and you will be able to lose yourself for a couple of hours; have fun, sing along, enjoy yourself. It is not often nowadays that one can watch a show that is free of any political agenda, intelligent without being highbrow, funny without making you cringe and light-hearted in the true sense of the word. Eric’s Italian Job delivers a great evening out.

Cast and creatives/band members

Carly Cook
Stephen Chapman
Kenny Davies
Georgia Gagen
David Graham
Alan Howell
Harvey James
David Lonsdale
Scott Ottaway

How much do the tickets to Eric’s Italian Job cost?

Tickets are on sale now, priced from £23 to £29.50. 
Concessions: £2.00 off
Group Discounts: £2.00 off for ten or more
Four Friends for £92

How do I book tickets to watch Eric’s Italian Job?

Tickets are now on sale and available from the Box Office, by calling 01782 717962 or visit the New Vic Theatre’s website here.

How long is the show for and what are the timings?

Eric’s Italian Job will run until Saturday, 2 September 2023 with evening shows at 7.30pm.  No performances on 27 & 28 August.

Where is New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-Under-Lyme?

New Vic Theatre
Etruria Road
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Staffordshire
ST5 0JG

The theatre has a large car park, with a £2 charge on show days. Only contactless card payment is currently accepted for parking charges.

The theatre café is open 10am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday – then from 5.30pm for pre-show meals.

Booking is required for pre-show meals 5.30pm onwards, via their booking system at this link.

About The New Vic Theatre

Founded in 1962, the New Vic is the producing theatre for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. With around eight major productions a year, its varied programme includes contemporary drama, new commissions, adaptations and classics. Recent productions have toured nationally and internationally, and have transferred to London and Manchester. The New Vic has developed extensive and award-winning community involvement. It works regionally, nationally and internationally through its education department and New Vic Borderlines, which aims to change the lives of the most disadvantaged members of the community. The New Vic is funded by Arts Council England, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

About Arts Council England

Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture.  By 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences.  Between 2018 and 2022, we will invest £1.45 billion of public money from government and an estimated £860 million from the National Lottery to help deliver this vision.

Keeping you safe

To help you enjoy your visit, the New Vic has put measures in place to help all visitors feel as comfortable as possible:

• Please feel free to wear a face covering while at the New Vic, when walking around the venue and during the performance.
• They ask all guests to be mindful of fellow audience members when at the theatre, who may prefer to continue to keep a distance from other theatregoers while in their spaces.
• They have hand sanitiser stations positioned around the theatre, free to use by all. They are maintaining their high levels of cleanliness throughout the building, ensuring all spaces and contact surfaces are regularly sanitised.

Feeling unwell? If you, or a member of your party, are exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 prior to your visit, they politely ask you do not attend the theatre. If this is the case, please speak to a member of their box office team who will be able to talk you through options to exchange your tickets.

Review by: Metia Bethell Egan

You may also want to read this:

Review: Ladies’s Day at New Vic Theatre

Review: Quality Street at the New Vic Theatre

Review: Ayckbourn’s Family Album at New Vic Theatre

Photo Credit: New Vic Theatre/Malcolm Hart