Detailed Information

The theatre opened in September 1867 with a performance of Arrah-na-Pogue, otherwise known as The Wicklow Wedding, by Dion Boucicault.

In mid-1919 the theatre was reopened as a cinema under the name the Stoll Picture House. The stage area was mothballed for cinema use and stayed that way until 1974 when films at the theatre ceased.

The film period of the theatre’s history meant that historic nineteenth century stage machinery was preserved rather than having been lost like happened at so many producing and receiving theatres across the UK during the 1970s and 1980s.

In July 1997 the theatre opened as a legitimate venue hosting live performances.

Sadly, in 1985, the theatre suffered a devastating fire that destroyed the stagehouse and damaged the nineteenth century stage machinery.

The theatre has changed hands and management many times. It was sponsored by The Journal newspaper during the 2000s, until January 2012. From 2012 to 2014 it was called the Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre, operated by SMG Europe and sponsored by Volvo.

The theatre is currently run by the independent nonprofit group Tyne Theatre & Opera House Ltd.

This is a stub article awaiting further historical analysis and research.