Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Its " Heritage Open Days " time again and this afternoon I was booked on a guided  tour of the Tyne Theatre & Opera House in Newcastle.

The historic Grade I listed Tyne Theatre & Opera House was built in 1867. With its lavish auditorium, outstanding acoustics and Victorian understage machinery, the Tyne Theatre produced entertainment that amazed the audiences of the time. In 1919 it became a cinema, the Stoll Picture House, the name which can still be seen on the building front and side. The cinema closed in March 1974 and the building was closed for 3 years, reopening as a theatre in July 1977.   It was damaged by a backstage fire in 1985 with subsequent rebuilding restoring the Victorian stage machinery. Our guide took us into the auditorium, on to the stage and then below the stage to see the restored stage machinery  Our guide was excellent and I learned a lot about the history of the theatre.

Musical link -  Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee An ACTORS Life For Me - by Buddy Clark

Neil had a day off today and while I was in Newcastle he called in to my house to pick up his new running shoes and his supply of contact lenses and I met him in town later when I came out of the theatre.  First of all we went to Wetherspoons but didn't stay as it was packed with hen/stag parties.  We ended up in  Camber Coffee to have a drink and catch up. Photo is Extras.

Neil headed off home as he was going for a training run and I did some shopping in Waitrose.

Steps today - 10,084