Live Theatre

Live Theatre stands on Newcastle upon Tyne’s Quayside in a cluster of five Grade II listed buildings. Originally founded in 1973 by Val McLane, Geoff Gillham and Dave Clark, it began life touring plays to community halls and working men’s clubs across Tyneside. In 1982 the company settled on the Quayside, gradually converting nearby warehouses and almshouses into a theatre, café bar and rehearsal spaces. A second warehouse on Broad Chare was later added, and in 2007 the whole complex was restored and refurbished. Today it contains a cabaret-style theatre, a studio theatre, writer’s rooms and a gastro pub called The Broad Chare.

The theatre is known for developing new writing talent and has worked with writers such as CP Taylor, Tom Hadaway, Alan Plater, Lee Hall and Karen Laws. Many of its productions have toured nationally and internationally, including Close the Coalhouse Door, Cooking with Elvis and And a Nightingale Sang. In 2017 Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and its all-female cast were nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The Red Lion, starring Stephen Tompkinson, also transferred to the West End and received an Olivier nomination.

Visitors find a main auditorium and a smaller studio space, plus a café bar and rehearsal rooms. Behind the theatre are studios where the free Live Tales creative writing programme meets. The Live Youth Theatre group, open to ages 11 to 25, runs weekly sessions nearby. Artistic Director Jack McNamara leads a team that includes Emeritus Artistic Director Max Roberts and Chief Executive Jacqui Kell.