Tyne Theatre & Opera House to Host International Theatre Conference

Tyne Theatre and Opera House will hold an international conference in September 2023 at the end of their year long heritage project, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The 3-day conference entitled ‘Victorian & Edwardian Theatre in Performance: Music & Machinery – Stagecraft & Spectacle’ will take place between Wednesday 13 – Friday 15 September 2023 in the Grade I listed building, itself a glorious example of Victorian theatre. Speakers from USA and Europe will join those from the UK to examine the inter-relationships between the stage, the orchestra pit, the performer and the audience during the Victorian & Edwardian periods. A wide variety of subjects are expected including papers on silent film, the role of dance, Victorian transformation scenes and theatre fires!

The conference will culminate in a demonstration of the theatre’s Victorian stage machinery, currently being restored. The machinery will be operated by a volunteer team who are undertaking training as part of the heritage project’s community engagement strand. The conference will also mark the completion of the theatre’s performance database, developed with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.

Project Director David Wilmore said “We are delighted to be hosting this international conference which will bring together theatre practitioners and enthusiasts from around the world and put Newcastle’s hidden gem, the Tyne Theatre & Opera House on an international stage.”

The conference is open to all and tickets are available via the theatre’s website at www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk.