Preview: Geordie The Musical at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

Customs House smash-hit Geordie the Musical comes to Tyne Theatre this October as part of theatre’s 150^th Anniversary

Geordie The Musical 
Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House
Wednesday 11th - Saturday 14th October 2017

The Customs House smash-hit production, Geordie the Musical gets its Newcastle debut at Tyne Theatre & Opera House next month, running from Wednesday 11th to Saturday 14th October.

Original 2015 production photo

Tyne Theatre & Opera House are thrilled to have teamed up with the Customs House to bring this heart-warming story of North East Life to their stage as part of their 150th Anniversary celebrations. Performed at Customs House, South Shields in 2015, Geordie the Musical enjoyed sell-out audiences. The show was awarded the Proud to be in the North East Award from the North East Theatre Guide in 2015 LINK to news

Original 2015 production photo

The show combines traditional Northumbrian songs and music with the award-winning storytelling skills of Tom Kelly. It is set in the 1890s in a pub on the banks of the River Tyne and centres on landlords Bella and James and their daughter Maggie in a changing time for the North East. You're guaranteed a warm welcome at The Wheatsheaf, a traditional popular drinking house where folks from near and far enjoy a pint and a good old sing-song! The show is packed with old favourites which are interwoven into the telling of the tale, including Water of Tyne, Keep your Feet Still, Geordie Hinnie, Cushie Butterfield, Blaydon Races, Geordie Black, Wor Nanny’s A Mazor and Trimdon Grange Explosion.

‘Superb, well produced, proud and heart-warming.’ North East Theatre Guide

Original 2015 production photo

The story was the brainchild of ex-pat Andy Bogle. Andy was born and bred in South Shields and grew up in Garrick Street, off Stanhope Road. Despite having lived in the United States for more than 30 years, Andy has kept his accent but he realised certain Geordie sounds and phrases had changed since he’d moved away from his native North East. He began to look into the notion of the region’s dialect changing and came up with the idea of a musical featuring the 19th century songs in his beloved language – Geordie. “When I was younger talking in your dialect was discouraged as it was seen as common but I treasure it now. Geordie is the remnants of Angle, which pre-dates English. In the 1800s people started singing songs and they were published in 1804/5 to preserve this beautiful language. If you read some of them now you couldn’t understand them but this was the language of the people of the North East which has now broken into Northumberland, Tyneside and Pitmatic (Durham).

Writer Tom Kelly has enjoyed success with dozens of shows at the Customs House including most recently the sell-out success story I Left My Heart at Roker Park.Tom is a published poet, award-winning writer and he performs in Men of the Tyne, a multi-media show, incorporating film, stories and song.

Original 2015 production photo

Director Jamie Brown (The Man and the Donkey, Hadaway Harry) says: “We’re over the moon to be bringing Geordie the Musical to the heart of Newcastle in October. It’s a special show, blessed with some of the finest traditional folk music and performing talent that the region has to offer. Obviously, it’s also a very special occasion, with the Tyne Theatre and Opera House celebrating its 150^thanniversary.  In 2015, the atmosphere was electric during the sell-out Customs House production, and we can’t wait to see how that transfers to the grand auditorium of Tyne Theatre.  Geordie humour, songs that can break your heart one minute and have you singing at the top of your voice or tapping your foot the next, and themes that resonate with anyone that has a connection to this unique part of the world, guarantee a great night out for all ages.  Hope to see you there!”

Read our review of the original production: Review LINK

Tickets: £18 full price, £16 concessions & limited view.

Tickets available now ONLINE LINK