The Tyne Theatre & Opera House Celebrates 154 Years of Warmth, Light and Escapism
On September 23rd 2021, the Tyne Theatre and Opera House celebrates 154 years operating as a Theatre for Everyone. Throughout its lifetime the Theatre has continued to grow and evolve--honouring tradition and championing innovation to leave behind a rich history and cultural legacy for generations to come.
The Grade 1 listed Theatre was designed by industrialist and politician Joseph Cowen in 1867. He envisioned a ‘Theatre for Everyone’ offering warmth, light and escapism to working people during a time of heavy industry when life was hard. Since those early beginnings, the Tyne Theatre has also thrived as a cinema for several decades across the mid-1900s before returning to its original function in the eighties and has delighted audiences with the best in music, comedy, theatre, variety & more ever since.
The list of those who’ve tread the boards includes household names such as; Dame Joan Collins, Sir Roger Moore, John Carpenter, Anthony Joshua, Alan Shearer, Michael Palin, productions from Russian State Ballet & Opera House, the stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race US & UK, and the podcast No Such Thing As A Fish
The comedy programme, in particular, has seen immense success with; Sarah Millican, Chris Ramsey, Romesh Ranganathan, Dylan Moran, Katherine Ryan, Ed Byrne, Count Arthur Strong, Ben Elton and James Acaster all having taken the Tyne Theatre stage over recent years.
But, of course, no success is without its challenges; the Covid-19 pandemic had an almighty blow on our theatres and cultural venues up and down the country. However, the Tyne Theatre continued to connect to audiences during the height of the pandemic, offering live-streamed and socially-distanced events, as well as running fundraising campaigns to secure the future of the historic venue.
The future now looks brighter for the Tyne Theatre with a jam-packed programme of events offering something for everyone. Just some of the incredible upcoming events include; the sell-out sensation Simon Amstell’s Spirit Hole tour, smash-hit, and internationally acclaimed Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare production, the drag icon that is Trixie Mattel, stand-up superstar Sarah Millican and the annual Tyne Theatre Productions show RENT.
Ensure you’re following the Tyne Theatre and Opera House on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to be the first to hear about upcoming shows. If you’d like to support the Theatre, ensuring that it is preserved for future generations there are many ways you can do so. These include joining their Friends’ Club, which gets you pre-sale access to tickets and other perks, sponsoring a seat in their auditorium alongside other theatre lovers and supporters (including local comedians Sarah Millican, Chris Ramsey, and Carl Hutchinson)! You can also donate directly to the Theatre, take a tour or, as a business, advertise with them.
Theatre Director Joanne Johnson says: “It’s an absolute joy to be able to continue to present such an amazing programme of events in such a well-loved cultural venue in the region. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Theatre as we continue to work to make this historic venue a Theatre for all.”
For more information on the Tyne Theatre and Opera House, to book tickets for upcoming shows, or find our how to support them, please see their website: https://tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk
