That’s entertainment is not a history of the building, it’s a complete package of several disciplines’ which will attract local inhabitants, students of theatre history and development, social history of the period and how this addressed itself in theatre attendance. Not only that, but Dr. Talbot also expands his work by using examples within the limits of theatre development at the time. For most shows they consisted of several short plays followed by community singing. Many stars of the day also appeared at the theatre in a wide range of acts from opera to recitations but also included a two nights performance of Paganini, the international violinist in 1833.
The study of the early theatres captures the moment by illustrating the type of acts which trod the boards in its early years, then, gradually, to the demands of society moved forward towards music and even promenade concerts and the involvement of local musicians and minstrels even attracting the Sutherlands from Trentham as Patrons. It is also a fine example how the class-society of Newcastle, a weathy professional town operated and how servants were treated.
This study illustrates the challenges of competition and how that was tied into the social fabric of the town, followed by improvements in transport from the mid-1900s. In fact, it is a complete social history combining theatre, localities, social habits, and class distinction which was an integral part of society for most of the theatres existence.
A5 size 76 pages and loads of photographs includes the price of UK postage
