Take a Theatrical Break to Newcastle

As the home of many theatres, you can count on the city of Newcastle for being one of the best destinations to head to on a theatre break. With countless shows appearing in a variety of theatres - from the best of the best to urban student show halls - you'll be sure to enjoy your favourite shows being performed in style.

Whether you're looking forward to dressing up and attending a high-profile theatrical performance at Newcastle's largest theatre, the Theatre Royal, or hoping to catch a performance at a small, independent establishment, Newcastle has a lot to offer theatre fans.

The Theatre Royal has played host to runs by the Royal Shakespeare Company for over a quarter of a century now and is the usual destination for touring West End musicals, meaning that it's a safe bet to check out this theatre if you're hoping to gain tickets to the UK's biggest shows.

If you'd like to explore more of Newcastle's local theatre scene rather than enjoy national touring groups, the options are immense. The city has a thriving arts scene and there are plenty of theatres offering myriad excellent performances of a wide variety of plays, from the most famous to the most obscure.

Northern Stage is an excellent theatre to consider if you're interested in local talent, as well as the People's Theatre, the Live Theatre, the Round and the Jubilee Theatre. All of these companies, alongside the large volume of other properties populating the city, helped Newcastle to achieve an accolade for being the arts capital in the UK in 2006 - a title of which the city is fiercely proud and strives to maintain.

One of the most exciting things about Newcastle's theatrical scene is its variety. From theatre to theatre, you'll find performances of the world's biggest and most popular international shows and musicals being shown alongside tiny, independent and locally written, directed and acted out narratives, many of which are amongst Britain's most cutting-edge plays currently being written.

What's more, Newcastle is one of the greatest cities in which to go for the whole theatre cities: many restaurants offer a pre-theatre menu with special menus created for those about to take in a performance at nearby theatres, thus making the experience a memorable one.

This north east city truly is a gem when it comes to the theatre - and with so many hotels in Newcastle finding a place to sleep for an overnight theatre trip is never an issue - the real problem is deciding on which show!