One of very few remaining Grade I listed theatres in Great Britain, the Tyne Theatre & Opera House is also one of only ten that date to the Victorian period. As one of the few left in the world boasting wooden modular stage machinery, the Tyne Theatre is an outstanding example of technological, artistic and creative innovation. The North part of the building is located within the boundary of the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site and the theatre façade looks onto the city’s medieval Town Wall.
The Tyne Theatre & Opera House original stage machinery includes four bridges, a demon and a fairy trap, object traps, a traditional Thunder Run and many other features. It was originally built in 1867 for Victorian stage spectaculars, since then it has amassed a phenomenal history of shows, people, events and ghosts making this one of the country's most impressive buildings of all types, rivalling castles, stately homes and even cathedrals for impact and importance. What is quite distinct for the Tyne Theatre is the centre isle - so many other theatres removed this to add in extra seating, yet by doing so they lost the look and feel of the traditional theatre.
In keeping with the theatre's desire to stay ahead of the competition, the owners embraced the advent of moving pictures and hence The Stoll Picture Theatre opened on 2nd June 1919 with a screening of ‘Tarzan of the Apes’ and was later the first cinema in Newcastle to show ‘talkies’. Colloquially known thereafter as 'the Stoll' the theatre was an ever present in the hearts and minds of the people of Newcastle and the North East - it is a name that still conjures up happy memories in people from the Scottish borders down to south Durham. You can find out much more about the history of this amazing building here - https://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/about/history/
Now, the Tyne Theatre and Opera House have a well deserved reputation for staging some of the best shows, variety and comedy in the country. Intimate in its design but huge in its appeal, this is a wonderful venue to enjoy performances from all walks of entertainment. Follow the link below to see a selection of the forthcoming shows - https://www.theatre4everyone.com/post/preview-summer-at-the-tyne-theatre