Tyne Theatre And Opera House

The Tyne Theatre and Opera House, originally known as The New Tyne Theatre and previously the Stoll Picture Theatre, is a Grade I listed theatre and opera house located at 117 Westgate Road in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was designed by W.B. Parnell and built in 1867 for Cowan. The theatre was later purchased by Oswald Stoll and opened as a cinema in 1919.

The building features an Italianate façade that is three storeys high and consists of five bays, with the outer bays being narrower. It is constructed of pale brick with stone dressings, showcasing a stone cornice with long brackets, a tall parapet, and a pediment above. There are small semi-circular pediments flanked by urns on either side, and the second floor is arcaded. The ground floor has been modernised, while the first floor windows are either lozenge-shaped or pointed.

On the left return gable, there is a painted advertisement that reads: THE/STOLL/TYNESIDE'S/TALKIE/THEATRE.

Inside, the auditorium is horse-shoe shaped and features three tiers of balconies supported by cast iron columns with floral capitals and long cantilever brackets. The balconies are S-curved and adorned with thick applied baroque decoration. There is one set of boxes on either side framed in Orders, topped by two large female terms at the stage. The ceiling is shell-shaped, and the proscenium arch is very high. The theatre is noted for having an exceptionally complete surviving example of early stage machinery, including a deep stage with five sets of tabs, machinery, and a control panel, as well as a complete switchboard for the earliest electric lighting. The back stage area is deep and high, containing dressing and ancillary rooms with many period features.