NEWCASTLE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN INTRODUCTION By ...

In 1887 Augustus Harris took over the lease of the Tyne Theatre and managed
it until his untimely death at age forty-six years in 1896. He had a Knighthood
conferred upon him 1891. He brought with him from the Theatre Royal Drury
Lane, where he had been manager for eight years, many of his stars including
those of the Royal Italian Opera Co. During this period under Harris’
management the theatre thrived. But the local amateurs were not denied the
theatre and in 1897 The Newcastle upon Tyne Operatic Co put on a performance
of the comic opera ‘Dorothy’ by Alfred Cellier. This was another of those musicals
billed as having clocked up one thousand performances in London and a
staggering three thousand performances in the provinces. But, in Dorothy’s case
it was no idle boast because the lady turned out to be London’s longest running
19 th century musical ahead of each and everyone of the Gilbert and Sullivan
works and ahead of anything that would be presented in the last fifteen years of
the century. Peering into the 20 th century as we did with the Theatre Royal, the
pantomime of 1906 starred Harry Lauder and Jose Collins, two of the great stars
of the early years of the century. The Moody-Manners Opera Co were paying a
return visit in October 1905 with their production of ‘Tannhauser’ and ‘Faust’ with
the well known Irish tenor, Joseph O’Mara. The Quinlan Opera Co. in a
marvellous piece of timing gave a complete performance of the Ring Cycle by
Wagner in March 1913. It was the first and only time it had been done in
Newcastle – a year later and it might never have taken place, as Wagner
became persona non grata. Quinlin was putting on The Ring Cycle following the
expiration of the rights that had previously prevented Wagner’s dramas being
produced and performed outside Germany without payment. As a result of this
there was talk of the cost of tickets being from as little as 6d (two and a half new
pence) upwards. This resulted in a piece in the press that read ‘Mr Quinlan has
promised to give the best performances within his power at the lowest prices but
could not see his way to clearly ruining his reputation by cutting down the cost of
the presentation so that he could charge from 6d upwards’ The Tyne Theatre,
itself, was to become a victim of the First World War period and its doors were
finally closed in March 1919.
As the wealthier patrons made their way in their carriages to the Theatre Royal
and the Tyne Theatre to hear the Italian Opera or see the latest musical from
London they would hardly have noticed the poorly dressed faceless creatures
shuffling along the pavements under the yellow glow of the gas lamps, their
heads bowed against the freezing wind and rain, wending their way to one or
other of the Geordie Music Halls situated close by in what is today fashionably
called Grainger Town. These unfortunate creatures at the bottom of the social
scale would have been in search of a night’s enjoyment in the comparative
warmth and comfort of the Music Hall. Greater part of the working class
population at this time would never have attended a formal concert, except
perhaps the Corporation People’s Concerts in the Town Hall, and although some
would have gone to the Theatre Royal and the Tyne Theatre, to see the latest
shows they would have formed a separate audience isolated from the well to do;
admitted via the side street door, directed up an endless stone stairway, and then
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