Behind the Door Of... Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Newcastle isn’t short of amazing heritage buildings – travel down practically any street in the city and you’ll find an architectural and historical gem. Some though, have a particularly interesting history, rife with unusual characters and stories; Tyne Theatre & Opera House on Westgate Road is one such venue. One of the city’s oldest cultural institutions, it's one of only ten Grade 1 listed buildings in the UK that date to the Victorian period and has some amazing features to be discovered. Come with us ‘behind the door’ and learn about this fascinating space…

Image: Early 1900s, courtesy of Newcastle Libraries

The theatre was built in 1867 by industrialist Joseph Cowen and is located within the boundary of Hadrian’s Wall. It also has another link to the city’s ancient history, as it overlooks the city’s medieval town walls. A superb example of the craftsmanship and innovation of the time, the venue excelled in Victorian stage spectaculars when it was built, with productions designed for everyone in society.

The venue’s lavish auditorium has been lovingly renovated and looks much as it would have done during its early years, complete with plush seating and ornate design. But it’s under the stage where the real Victorian innovation lies, as the Theatre's Sales and Marketing Executive Lena Moss explains:
 

“Tyne Theatre & Opera House is one of the few theatres left in the world boasting wooden modular stage machinery, and the Theatre is an outstanding example of technological, artistic and creative innovation. The stage machinery includes four bridges, a demon and a fairy trap, object traps, and many other features. It was originally built in 1867 for Victorian stage spectaculars and was unique to the North East at that time. Many of the stage operators were sailors who had the experience and skills of working with ropes and wooden structures. At any one time, over 30 people could have been working understage for a big transformation scene, with another 20 on stage and in the fly floor. From live Derby-winning horses running on elaborate treadmills to colossal ship-sinking scenes, this was the most thrilling entertainment of the time and to have preserved this feature is one of the things that make our venue particularly unique.”

Having changed into a cinema after the First World War, and renamed the Stoll Picture House, it was the first cinema in Newcastle to show ‘talkies’, and continued to be a much-loved picture house for over forty years. The decline in cinema popularity due to the invention of the television meant the venue closed for several years until a campaign to save it came from Jack Dixon in 1974, after which the Tyne Theatre Trust took over the management of the venue and made significant improvements over the years, including acquiring the lease of the neighbouring pub as well as shops, a restaurant and offices.
 

Tragedy struck in 1985 when a fire backstage ravished the flytower and damaged the precious stage machinery. Thankfully a sympathetic refurbishment was possible from the insurance money and less than a year after the fire the stage machinery was operational once again.
 

After a few years of fiscal turmoil the building was eventually purchased by Newcastle City Council and the freehold is now held by Tyne Theatre & Opera House Preservation Trust, which works to run the theatre independently and continue to offer entertainment for all, just as Joseph Cowen originally set out to do back in 1867.

Lena explains how important it is for the trust to keep the theatre independent and dedicated to the restoration and maintenance of the building: “As a registered charity and an independent not-for-profit venue, we have both the freedom and responsibility to operate the Theatre in a sustainable way. All profits made from operating the Theatre on a day-to-day basis, through our events programme, go towards the continued operation, maintenance and restoration of the venue. As a registered charity, our priority is not making fast profit, but preserving our beautiful venue so it can be enjoyed by future generations. We get crucial income from ticket and bar sales, but still rely on donations and the kind support of our friends and audiences.”
 

In June this year the Theatre was granted an award of £242,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will be used to develop a number of key elements within the Grade I listed building and restore the Victorian stage machinery, as Lena explains: “The project will encompass not only the restoration of the existing stage machinery, but also the acquisition of ‘missing’ pieces to complete the set, and training people to be able to operate it. Members of the theatre, local historians and North East universities will also collaborate to develop a performance calendar database of all the performances that took place between 1867, when the theatre first opened, and 1919 when the theatre was converted for cinema use. The funding also involves investigating the options for restoring the original Grand Salon (currently our Bistro Bar) which was built as an extension to the theatre in 1892. We’re really excited about the opportunity to share the Theatre’s heritage on a local, national and even international scale.”

Image: Grand Salon

As you can imagine with any old building, it’s got its fair share of folklore. Lena explains about their resident ghost Robert ‘Bob’ Crowther, who died in 1887 after a canon ball came loose from the thunderun (used to recreate the sound of thunder) and landed on his head:
 

“Everyone has had their own experience with Bob or something else a little spooky while working in the Theatre! From having Christmas lights mysteriously switch on by themselves, to hearing knocks on the office door when there’s nobody else in the building, to seeing figures pass by doorways out of the corner of your eye. If you smell cigar smoke while in the Theatre, that is said to be Bob. Although all our ghosts appear to be friendly, I certainly don’t like being the last person in the Theatre locking up when it’s dark!”
 

Today, the Theatre is a vibrant and welcoming place for both local and touring stage productions, live music, comedy, dance and much more. Lena explains what it is that drives their current programming: “The Theatre was originally designed to offer warmth, light and escapism to working people during a time of heavy industry when life was hard. Over 150 years later, this remains at the heart of our ethos. We’re proud to be a warm and welcoming venue, with a diverse programme of events offering something for everyone. Our varied programme hosts some of the biggest names in comedy like Sarah Millican, Russell Kane, Dave Gorman and Sara Pascoe, music acts spanning decades and genres like Gary Barlow, The Levellers, The Drifters and Joanne Shaw Taylor, plus ballet, opera, drag, family shows, local and national theatre talent, ‘In Conversation’ events with personalities such as Yotam Ottolenghi, Sara Davies, Fran Lebowitz and Monty Don. Whoever you are, I guarantee we have a show for you at our Theatre.”
 

Tyne Theatre & Opera House is located at 109-113 Westgate Road.