Directors up for 'Oscars' of British theatre

Theresa Heskins (left) and Vicki Dela Amedume MBE have been nominated for best director at the UK Theatre Awards

Two directors at a Staffordshire theatre have been nominated for a national theatre award for their production of a gothic horror.

The New Vic's artistic director Theresa Heskins and associate director Vicki Dela Amedume MBE are up for best director at the UK Theatre Awards on Sunday.

The nomination reflects their work on a production of The Company of Wolves at the Newcastle-under-Lyme theatre in 2024, where storytelling was combined with circus disciplines.

"That acknowledgement that the work we are making here is some of the best work in the country... means the world really," said Ms Heskins, describing the awards as like the Oscars of British theatre.

It was really rare for a director partnership to be recognised, she said, as directors "normally come in ones, not twos."

The Company of Wolves combined storytelling with circus disciplines

To see a partnership built up over more than a decade and a half at the New Vic recognised was fabulous, she added, describing The Company of Wolves as a passion project that took a lot of time.

"We just want audiences here to have just the best theatre made for them, and by people here," said Ms Heskins.

Angela Carter's gothic horror The Company of Wolves was staged in the round in September and October 2024.

"The show was a standout production for us and the whole team feel incredibly proud of this nomination," said New Vic Theatre MD Fiona Wallace.

The two New Vic directors are up against Nadia Fall for Stratford East's production of Abigail's Party and Prasanna Puwanarajah for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Twelfth Night.

The 2025 UK Theatre Awards will be held on Sunday 12 October.