Theatre Royal

Welcome to the finest drama, the brightest West End musicals, the cream of the comedy circuit, award winning ballet and dance, family friendly shows, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, Opera North and Rambert Dance – and (we think) the best Pantomime in the country!

Welcome to one of the finest and most historic theatres in the UK, built in 1837 and, following a devastating fire, reconstructed in 1901, a Grade 1 listed landmark!

Welcome to the warmest of welcomes – 365,000 people a year can’t be wrong!

Welcome to the Theatre Royal for inspiration and entertainment!

The Story of Theatre

As a legacy of the £5.9m restoration in 2011,  a permanent exhibition entitled The Story of Theatre.

The Story of Theatre is a permanent exhibition area and learning space in the Gallery Foyer level at the Theatre Royal, illustrating the history of Theatre from its origins in Ancient Greece through to the present day.

Designed by David Hudson, Interior & Exhibitions Designer, it includes costumes from the Victoria & Albert Museum Theatre & Performance Collection – seen for the first time outside of London - and Theatre Royal’s vast collection of memorabilia alongside a large array of other artefacts.  

Highlights of the exhibition include a Dame Alicia Markova tutu and headdress from the 1930s, Royal Shakespeare Company costumes and a scale wooden model of Newcastle quayside, the site of medieval plays, complete with figures and stages along the banks of the river.

The exhibition is free and open to the general public throughout the day and evening.

Schools

Our learning department offers activities for students and teachers at all levels of education.

These activities can be:

• Curriculum based
• Life skills & careers
• Continuous Professional Development for teachers 

WORKSHOPS

We offer a range of workshops to suit the needs of a variety of learners throughout the school year. We have a team of dedicated practitioners from the professional world of theatre to deliver bespoke workshops to suit the individual requirements of your pupils.

Examples of workshops we have delivered include:

Shakespeare, Writing, Devising, Basic drama skills, Communication and confidence, Primary to Secondary transition, Makeup, Costume, Technical theatre and more.

Our standard workshops session is 1.5 hours.

Cost: £135 (max. 30 participants)

*Discounts are available upon booking multiple or extended sessions.

THEATRE DAYS

Our Theatre Days offer students the opportunity to visit the theatre and participate in 3 workshops from a choice of Performing Arts industry sectors. The sessions are delivered by professionals and give the learner the opportunity to ask questions about career paths, qualifications and experience as well as giving them the opportunity to get some hands on experience.  These sessions are particularly useful for GCSE and A level Drama students and those studying towards a BTEC in Performing Arts.

The day begins at 9.30am and runs until 3.30pm with breaks for comfort and lunch scheduled.

Cost: £520 (max. 20 participants)