February 15, 2012

The Theatre Royal in Newcastle is the the northern home to the Royal Shakespeare Company since 1977. Sadly due to budget cuts the RSC had to cancel it's 2011 touring season.

Michael Boyd was quoted in The Guardian:

"The RSC is proud of its relationship with Newcastle and the North East, and we very much regret that we are unable to bring a full season of plays to the City this autumn because of pressures on our funding. We are planning a national tour to large scale theatres and a Young People's Shakespeare tour and hope to bring both these to Newcastle in this financial year 2011/12. Our education and events departments are also exploring other ways of programming work in the region during 2011 and we are applying to the Arts Council to support a return with full productions from 2012 onwards."

Happily they are returning this year at the end of the month with Taming of the Shrew and then again in July with Julius Caesar.

On November 11, 2001 the theatre threw a Birthday Party to celebrate the RSC, the 3 plays being staged at the time were Romeo and Juliet, Comedy of Errors and The Rivals. Since David was staring in all 3 he was a natural choice for hosting the event.

Actor David Tennant became the night's tongue-in-cheek master of ceremonies with a reassuring: "This is your reward for sitting through all that boring Shakespeare." - The Northern Echo - November 2001-Viv Hardwick