Royal's scene is changing

May 21 2007 By The Journal

Before the curtain fell on Coriolanus at the weekend, a pair of the Royal Shakespeare Company's most seasoned performers got a glimpse of the future at Newcastle Theatre Royal.

After a week of wearing Roman garb, Timothy West and Darlene Johnson put reflective jackets and hard hats on to see how the development on Market Street is progressing.

The Journal went along too, keen to see how the historic theatre might look in July when the public is to be admitted for the first time.

Taking shape behind the protective barricades, in a former branch of Barclays Bank, is the new theatre box office, restaurant and what is termed a learning centre.

It is the latest phase of a £7m development which has already seen the construction of an extended stage and a new fly tower and flying system to aid the movement of scenery.

"Everything seems to be on track," said theatre chief executive Philip Bernays. "We reckon that by late July we'll be selling tickets from this area and we are considering other ways in which the building might be used."

He revealed that the new theatre bistro - on part of the site formerly occupied by its Cafe 100 - is to have an Italian name, Caffe Teatro. "We thought it sounded nice," he explained. "It'll be a theatrical cafe and it'll have the best coffee in town."

Meanwhile the fundraising continues. "We are confident that we will have all the money we need but it's not all actually in the bank, so that means drawing further on our reserves," said Philip.

The actors were happy to see work progressing. Timothy West was one of the earliest supporters of the scheme.

"It's a lovely building, one of my favourite theatres in the world and one of my favourite audiences," said the Yorkshireman who will be Menenius in Coriolanus in Madrid this week.

Darlene Johnson, who plays Valeria, said: "I think the first time I came here was in a production of The Tempest by the RSC in about 1979. Michael Hordern was also in the company."

Timothy's first Theatre Royal appearance was in 1961 in Simple Spyman, a Brian Rix farce.

Somewhat reluctantly he recalled a moment of mischief in Newcastle when he was a young actor sharing digs somewhere in the city.

"They really were the worst digs I'd ever had," he said.

Timothy and another actor, Neil Stacy, before they departed, unscrewed the back of the sofa and inserted some kippers. He related the incident in a letter to his wife, Prunella Scales, and it was published in a book called I'm Here I think, Where Are You?

On Friday the actor looked a bit sheepish. "Well," said Darlene, "you can say that I've been staying in wonderful digs in Newcastle where I was offered hot chocolate with Cognac when I came in after the show."

Theatrical times in the North-East, they are indeed a-changing!