175 years of the Theatre Royal
Newcastle's Theatre Royal celebrates its 175th birthday this week with, on Saturday (6pm until 10pm) and Sunday (6pm until 9pm), the Birthday Blaze when "compere the Master of Mischief will lead the revelling as phantoms of fiction and familiar characters from the Theatre's history inhabit their own fiery worlds along Grey Street playing out scenes for the audience's delight - the starcrossed lovers, the sisters of fate, the forlorn belle of the ball, a band of thieves, Old Nick and Lady Grey. Each hour the players will come together in a dazzling masquerade while the theatre explodes with light, sound and pyrotechnics."
On Sunday at 7.30 there will be a birthday gala hosted by Tim Healy and Denise Welch, joined by the Theatre Royal Orchestra and dancers, which will feature:
- Panto stars Danny Adams and Clive Webb, & Chris Hayward
- A special appearance by the young stars of Billy Elliott
- An extract from Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake
- Allan Stewart with songs from Jolson
- Christopher Biggins
- Daniel Koek from Chess
- The Krankies
- Graeme Danby
- Paul Zerdin
Live Writers Group
Applications for the Live Writers Group at Live Theatre are now open. A prerequisite for joining LWG is a sound grasp of the basic principles of playwriting and a commitment to work towards the completion of a one-act play. Places are limited to 15 and the sessions run from 7pm-9pm from28th March to 23rd May. The course fee is £80/£60. For information on how to apply, contact [email protected] or visit www.live.org.uk/newwriting/courses.php. Deadline for applications: Friday 16 March.
What's on this week
- The Vagina Monologues comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal from Monday to Wednesday. On Sunday it's the theatre's 175th birthday gala
- On Thursday Northern Stage presents its scratch night, First in Three
- Nativities, a new play by Zoe Cooper, runs at Live Theatre from Tuesday until 3rd March
- On Thursday KG Productions and Pink Lane Productions present To Wit: To Woo - Lessons in Love from William Shakespeare at Arts Centre Washington
- To Wit: To Woo is also at the Customs House, South Shields, on Tuesday, where Next Swan Down The River Might Be Black runs on Tuesday and Wednesday
The Radio Revellers present Dracula at Alnwick Playhouse on Thursday- Unpacked Theatre bring Robin & The Big Freeze (for age 4+) to The Maltings in Berwick at 1.30 on Thursday
- Also on Thursday Next Swan Down The River Might Be Black is at the Queen's Hall, Hexham
- On Tuesday and Wednesday Durham's Gala Theatre hosts Bob The Builder in
Bob's Big Theatre Build - Hannah Silva uses multiple art forms to dissect and parody political language in Articulate: Hannah Silva - Opposition at Arc, Stockton, on Thursday
- Aladdin And His Magic Lamp continues at Billingham Forum until Tuesday
- Fireman Sam Live - Pontypandy Rocks! Is at the Middlesbrough Theatre on Wednesday
- The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists comes to Hartlwpool Town Hall Thetare on Sunday
- Darlington Civic hosts All the Fun of the Fair from Tuesday to Saturday
- The Owl and the Pussycat runs at Darlington Arts Centre on Monday at 11am and 2.30pm, followed on Saturday at the same times by The Phoenix and the Carpet
- Edinburgh Fringe hit Memoirs Of A Biscuit Tin comes to Richmond's Georgian Theatre Royal on Friday, followed on Saturday by Icarus Theatre Collective's Macbeth
- Alistair McGowan Charlotte Page perform Sincerely Noël at Harrogate Theatre on Tuesday