The New Tyneside Cinema

Would I like to attend a VIP Preview Screening and Celebration Evening at the newly refurbished Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle upon Tyne? Dress to impress!

Of course I was delighted to accept the invite from Northern Film & Media having been on their mailing list for some time and attended many of their excellent free training courses and seminars. My guest and I arrived early at the Tyneside, originally built in 1937 by a man who believed a cinema should be more than just a place to see the latest film. Today it is the last news theatre in existence operating as a cinema.

We stepped inside onto a beautiful mosaic floor. We were entranced by gold and yellow stained glass windows, an ornamental ceiling and lots of light, bright spaces. Many of the original features had been maintained throughout and a mixture of old and contemporary prevailed as white painted intricate iron balustrades mingled with silver hand rails and elongated modern lighting. Scrolled art features also complemented the walls of the stairways.

I was particularly intrigued by ‘The Wall’ in the Digital Lounge on the second floor. A 1250 frame moving image picture which looks into the breaking up of the moving icon. Up close, the observer could watch the film by singling out one frame to view. From a distance it looked like a mass of shifting chaotic random images. Totally mind-blowing!

I wasn’t so impressed by the high-tech metallic stool I struggled to climb up onto in the Tyneside Bar. Much to the delight of some of the other invitees, I couldn’t quite make it because of my ultra high heels (well they did say dress to impress and I can’t help being vertically challenged). However it proved a good icebreaker!

We peeped into the Tyneside Coffee Rooms which were warmly furnished with red plush seats and black tables, dark purple carpet and tasteful artwork.

On every floor the ultra pleasant staff (all distinguishable in black) served us champagne and wine. Then we were shown to our seats in the roomy Classic with red seats, the original 1930s art deco theatre where endless delicious canapés were on offer. The programme for the evening was to be: Introductions at 20.30 followed by the film ‘Helen’ at 21.00. Then there’d be an opportunity for a proper look round at the end.

We were really looking forward to seeing the film featuring Annie Townsend a nineteen year old drama student from Tyneside, who is up for an impressive award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

We all settled down in our comfy red seats. The film ‘Helen’ began and within seconds I was totally absorbed. Then after a few minutes the screen went totally blank…

The audience was advised it would be back on in fifteen minutes and in the meantime did we want to go and have another wander around the building? Maybe have another drink? We were glad of the chance to explore again and so off we went. We all duly returned in fifteen minutes.

There was a plaque on the back of the seat in front of me which said ‘Congratulations. We did it’. The man sitting there was happy to chat to us about how he had been involved with feasibility studies and redevelopment plans beginning around four and a half years ago.

Fifteen minutes stretched on and on… We were offered more wine but the canapés had run out by then. Eventually they announced that due to a ‘technological hitch’ they wouldn’t be able to show the film. Apparently, because of the way it was made in 35mm, they had to rewind it all…

However they would be showing it again the next evening at 9.30. I was so disappointed. It takes a major feat of organization to get me through to Newcastle on an evening during the week after work and I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it two nights running…

‘These things happen,’ I heard someone say. However it was a brilliant evening and I really enjoyed the whole experience. Even though I didn’t get to see the film it was worth it just to see the architecture alone.

Guided tours of the building are available and the public can also wander around at their leisure if they want so I can’t wait to go back and have a proper look…

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