Live Theatre

Creative Tourist
Live Theatre
Courtesy of Live Theatre Newcastle

Down on the Quayside on the Broad Chare (Chare is North-East dialect term for a street) is the Live Theatre. It has a fantastic reputation for being a writing theatre, developing and writing new plays and shows every year and producing its own plays.

The Live Theatre was established in 1973. It was at first a travelling theatre company, which started by telling stories that were relatable to daily life in the North East of England and presented these plays to local people – which it has continued to do to this day.  One of the best examples of this is the 2007 ‘Pitmen painters’ which went on to national fame after a sell-out performance at the Live Theatre.

It was at first a travelling theatre company, which started by telling stories that were relatable to daily life in the North East of England

Since 1982 it has been in its current buildings on the quayside which have been converted from warehouses, an alms-house and an old schoolhouse. These buildings have been converted over the years and adapted to provide the best facilities and spaces.

This investment has helped to continue the Live Theatre’s project of writing and telling the stories of the North East as well as training a new generation in the arts. The plays that are created at the Live Theatre regularly go on to tour the country and are put on in many famous theatres, one famous work being Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour which went on to have a run at the West End in London.

The theatre is always fostering a culture that helps to bring new talent into the arts. They are famous for their education programme which helps to train young people in the arts, from plays to poetry. This is one of the Live Theatre’s innovative ways of generating income, in a sector where many theatres generate income only from ticket and food and drink sales. This means the live theatre is far more resilient than other creative sector venues.

This started in 2006 where the theatre built the Schoolhouse, a hub for digital businesses, and continued in 2014 with the construction of the Live Works which provides office space for Zero-Light – a digital media company. The Live Works also has a built-in stage and Juliet balcony built into the back of the building allowing for outdoor performances in the courtyard behind their theatre.

These partnerships provide revenue to the Live Theatre enabling it to weather financially uncertain times far better than other venues. A trip here will open a whole new world of theatre and art to you, with new plays and stories being created every year it’s very much worth the visit.

Broad Chare, QuaysideNewcastle upon TyneNE1 3DQ View map
Telephone: 01912321232 Visit Now

Opening Hours

  • Tuesday12:00pm - 4:00pm
  • Wednesday12:00pm - 4:00pm
  • Thursday12:00pm - 4:00pm
  • Friday12:00pm - 4:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near Live Theatre

Where to go near Live Theatre

CBK Adventures
Newcastle
Tourist Attraction
CBK Adventures

CBK Adventures deliver award-winning coastal activities including guided tours and lessons in kayaking and paddle boarding.

Quayside
Newcastle
Tourist Attraction
Quayside

The Quayside of Newcastle (and its sister town of Gateshead) is a hugely popular location in the city, featuring seven bridges spanning the impressive river, linking Newcastle to Gateshead and providing scope for many walks and tourist attraction.

The Side Gallery
Newcastle
Gallery
The Side Gallery

The Side Gallery can be found on a small medieval street down by Newcastle’s Quayside. The Gallery itself is inside of an old warehouse, which by itself is a fantastic building to explore. Once you have entered the gallery, you are walking into one of the most important collections of film and photography in the British Isles.

Trakol
Newcastle
Restaurant
Trakol

On the Gateshead quayside, underneath the Tyne bridge is one of the best locations to go for a meal in Newcastle and Gateshead. In what was once derelict land on the quayside, now exists a fantastic shipping container village of purposely rusted shipping containers.

Newcastle Castle
Newcastle
Tourist Attraction
Newcastle Castle

Discover the castle that gave Newcastle its name, taking in a 12th-century fortress that has been added to over the centuries.

Pizza Punks
Newcastle
Restaurant
Pizza Punks

Pizza joint in Newcastle, also offering make-at-home pizza kits during lockdown.

ZENB

Delivering UK-wide, ZENB supplies carefully crafted delicious all-vegan pasta, with a variety of exciting sauces.

St. Nicholas Cathedral
Newcastle
Place of worship
St Nicholas Cathedral

The Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas is the Church of England Cathedral of Newcastle. There has been a church on the site since 1090 AD, but the church that stands there today is mostly from the 13th and 14th centuries making most of the building nearly seven hundred years old!

Newcastle
Restaurant
Stack Newcastle

Following the closure of Stack, a hugely popular food, drink and entertainment pop up in Newcastle’s Stephenson Quarter, plans are full steam ahead for a permanent location at Worswick Chambers.

Glamorous Owl
Newcastle
Shop
Glamorous Owl

The Owl is a wonderful little independent gift shop and gallery surrounded by similar independent retailers. The building itself used to be a stable for the old George next door and is full of historical touches.

Culture Guides