Theatre Royal, Newcastle
Encyclopedia
The Theatre Royal is a Grade I listed building situated on Grey Street
in Newcastle upon Tyne
. It was designed by local architects John and Benjamin Green
as part of Richard Grainger
's grand design for the centre of Newcastle, and was opened on 20 February 1837 with a performance of The Merchant of Venice
.
Following a performance of William Shakespeare
's play Macbeth
, a huge fire destroyed the interior of the building in 1899. It had its interior redesigned by Frank Matcham
and reopened on 31 December 1901. The theatre's restaurant is named after Matcham. Externally, the building is exactly as it was when it was first built.
It underwent a major refurbishment and restoration in the latter part of the 1980s, reopening on 11 January 1988 with a performance of A Man For All Seasons
starring Charlton Heston
.
The Theatre Royal went dark on 14th March 2011 due to a major restoration of the auditorium, box office, bars and restaurant. The restoration will restore the theatre to the original 1901 Frank Matcham
Edwardian interior. The whole interior was stripped apart from the original plaster work which was carefully preserved but all the seats, carpets and technical equipment was removed. The 70’s foyer doors and kiosk was removed. The proscenium
arch, tiers and boxes have all been gold leafed and the plaster work restored. On all levels the seats have been replaced with Edwardian style theatre seats in keeping with the restoration. The amphitheatre which was removed during previous renovations has been restored and offers more leg room and better views than the gallery. This takes the theatre to five distinct seating areas, the stalls, grand circle, upper circle, amphitheatre and gallery. Wheelchair spaces have been installed on levels which had previously been inaccessible. As well as the boxes near the stage, boxes at the rear of the grand and upper circles have also been restored taking the total number of boxes up to ten. The stage lift and orchestra pit have been replaced to offer better facilities for opera
and musicals. A new ventilation system has been put in place to improve comfort levels in the theatre. New frescos for the lobby and upper circle were commissioned and put in place. This £4.75m project is also introducing the highest modern standards of comfort and improving energy and carbon efficiency. The Theatre Royal reopens on 12 September 2011 with the Alan Bennett
’s epic period drama
The Madness of George III. George III was in fact the monarch who gave the Theatre Royal its charter.
The theatre hosts a variety of shows, including ballet, contemporary dance, drama, musicals and opera. The Royal Shakespeare Company
visits annually, and considers the Theatre Royal its northern base. The Christmas pantomime
is also very popular.
Almost all of the shows that come to the Theatre Royal are part of a national British tour, and in a typical year the theatre will have 30 to 35 visiting shows. For the annual pantomime, and any visiting musicals and opera performances, there is a sizeable orchestral pit available. This can seat 60 musicians if necessary. The stage itself is also of substantial size, and can house 50 singers, dancers, actors and musicians.
Over 100 people work at theatre, which is reputedly haunted by ghost a female from the 19th century nicknamed 'The Grey Lady'. According to legend she fell from the upper circle while reaching out to an actor she was in love with, who was rehearsing on the stage.
of the famous Kemble family
, who managed the theatre from 1791 to 1806. The original theatre's final performance was on 25 June 1836.
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. It was designed by local architects John and Benjamin Green
John and Benjamin Green
John and Benjamin Green were a father and son who worked in partnership as architects in North East England during the early nineteenth century. John, the father was a civil engineer as well as an architect...
as part of Richard Grainger
Richard Grainger
Richard Grainger was a builder in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked together with the architects John Dobson and Thomas Oliver, and with the town clerk, John Clayton, to redevelop the centre of Newcastle in the 19th century...
's grand design for the centre of Newcastle, and was opened on 20 February 1837 with a performance of The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic...
.
Following a performance of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's play Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, a huge fire destroyed the interior of the building in 1899. It had its interior redesigned by Frank Matcham
Frank Matcham
Frank Matcham was a famous English theatrical architect. He is buried in Highgate Cemetery.-Early career:...
and reopened on 31 December 1901. The theatre's restaurant is named after Matcham. Externally, the building is exactly as it was when it was first built.
It underwent a major refurbishment and restoration in the latter part of the 1980s, reopening on 11 January 1988 with a performance of A Man For All Seasons
A Man for All Seasons
A Man for All Seasons is a play by Robert Bolt. An early form of the play had been written for BBC Radio in 1954, and a one-hour live television version starring Bernard Hepton was produced in 1957 by the BBC, but after Bolt's success with The Flowering Cherry, he reworked it for the stage.It was...
starring Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes...
.
The Theatre Royal went dark on 14th March 2011 due to a major restoration of the auditorium, box office, bars and restaurant. The restoration will restore the theatre to the original 1901 Frank Matcham
Frank Matcham
Frank Matcham was a famous English theatrical architect. He is buried in Highgate Cemetery.-Early career:...
Edwardian interior. The whole interior was stripped apart from the original plaster work which was carefully preserved but all the seats, carpets and technical equipment was removed. The 70’s foyer doors and kiosk was removed. The proscenium
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
arch, tiers and boxes have all been gold leafed and the plaster work restored. On all levels the seats have been replaced with Edwardian style theatre seats in keeping with the restoration. The amphitheatre which was removed during previous renovations has been restored and offers more leg room and better views than the gallery. This takes the theatre to five distinct seating areas, the stalls, grand circle, upper circle, amphitheatre and gallery. Wheelchair spaces have been installed on levels which had previously been inaccessible. As well as the boxes near the stage, boxes at the rear of the grand and upper circles have also been restored taking the total number of boxes up to ten. The stage lift and orchestra pit have been replaced to offer better facilities for opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and musicals. A new ventilation system has been put in place to improve comfort levels in the theatre. New frescos for the lobby and upper circle were commissioned and put in place. This £4.75m project is also introducing the highest modern standards of comfort and improving energy and carbon efficiency. The Theatre Royal reopens on 12 September 2011 with the Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett is a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Born in Leeds, he attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research mediaeval history at the university for several years...
’s epic period drama
The Madness of George III. George III was in fact the monarch who gave the Theatre Royal its charter.
The theatre hosts a variety of shows, including ballet, contemporary dance, drama, musicals and opera. The Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
visits annually, and considers the Theatre Royal its northern base. The Christmas pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
is also very popular.
Almost all of the shows that come to the Theatre Royal are part of a national British tour, and in a typical year the theatre will have 30 to 35 visiting shows. For the annual pantomime, and any visiting musicals and opera performances, there is a sizeable orchestral pit available. This can seat 60 musicians if necessary. The stage itself is also of substantial size, and can house 50 singers, dancers, actors and musicians.
Over 100 people work at theatre, which is reputedly haunted by ghost a female from the 19th century nicknamed 'The Grey Lady'. According to legend she fell from the upper circle while reaching out to an actor she was in love with, who was rehearsing on the stage.
The Original Theatre Royal
Newcastle's original Theatre Royal opened on 21 January 1788. Its location on Mosley Street obstructed plans for the redevelopment of the city centre (as it was on the route of Grey Street), so it was demolished to make way for the present building. One of the theatre's most successful managers at this time was Stephen KembleStephen Kemble
George Stephen Kemble was a successful theatre manager, British actor, writer, and a member of the famous Kemble family....
of the famous Kemble family
Kemble family
Kemble is the name of a family of English actors, all distinguished actors and actresses who reigned over the British stage for decades. The most famous were Sarah Siddons and her brother John Philip Kemble , the two eldest of the twelve children of Roger Kemble , a strolling player and manager of...
, who managed the theatre from 1791 to 1806. The original theatre's final performance was on 25 June 1836.
Technical details
The theatre has a proscenium stage, and accommodates a variable orchestra pit on 2 lifts - which reduces the stall seating. The audience is seated on four levels: stalls (501), grand circle (252), upper circle (249) and gallery (247).External links
- Official site
- History page at the Official Site - an important resource for this article
- Theatre Royal History
- History of The Theatre Royal