Big Big Sky

Written by Tom Wells

Directed by Bryn Holding

Review by David Bithell

Photo Credits by Andrew Billington

Nestled in the round at Newcastle‑under‑Lyme’s New Vic Theatre, Big Big Sky is a beautifully tender revival of Tom Wells’ much‑loved play and directed with warm insight by Bryn Holding.

This vibrant production blends humour, heartache and community spirit in a humble seaside café by the North Sea, offering up a generous slice of British theatrical charm.

Set in Kilnsea, East Yorkshire, the café run by Angie (Tanya‑Loretta Dee) serves as a haven for bird‑watchers, tourists, and the home‑comfortable Dennis (Simeon Truby). As summer draws to a close and the birds fly south, the arrival of Ed (Sam Baker‑Jones) and Lauren (Roxanne Morgan) brings new energy—and emotional challenges—to the small ensemble. With a final, unexpected visitor, the pace builds toward a poignant climax.

Holding orchestrates a quietly powerful performance, striking a tender balance between comedy and catharsis. The cast of Dee, Truby, Baker‑Jones, and Morgan—are uniformly excellent. Moments of gentle humour, line‑dancing, and live country music provide levity, while acts of grief and vulnerability resonate with emotional honesty.

Whether celebrating friendship or processing loss, Big Big Sky speaks to universal human experiences. It touches on love, grief, family, and community in a way that feels deeply personal yet widely relatable. The play is both a comforting embrace and a reflective mirror, inviting the audience into its warm, close-knit world.

The New Vic’s in‑the‑round auditorium heightens the intimacy. Here, actors and audience inhabit a shared space, enhancing emotional connection—as if over a cuppa in Angie’s café while allowing naturalistic performances unhampered by conventional staging

Big Big Sky is a heartfelt gem in Wells’ work of art, delivered here in a lovingly crafted production that balances humour, pathos and community spirit. The actors breathe life into their roles with gentle authenticity, supported by Holding’s clear‑eyed direction and the New Vic’s uniquely intimate space. Perfect for those who appreciate a quietly stirring, emotionally rich theatre night under a big, big sky.

Highly recommended, bring tissues and your sense of shared humanity.

Big Big Sky is at The New Vic until Thursday 24th July.

For tickets call The New Vic Theatre box office on 01782 717962