I really love the Darlington Civic Theatre! It has a very luxurious sort of feel, the decor is so…read moreplush and well luxurious! I've seen some brilliant shows there over the years, and always look forward to going - it makes a really nice evening out. The staff are lovely, too - really friendly. It has a bar for the interval, in fact if I remember rightly it also has a sort of cafe/coffee bar area, so you have plenty of choice. On the downside, I do feel the ice creams and sweets are over-priced, but if you've got children you can't not get them an ice cream in the interval. There is no dedicated parking for the Civic. There are, however, some pay and display car parks just down the road directly opposite the main entrance to the theatre. If you are at an evening show, that's even better, as I think the pay and display car parks are free after 6pm.

Like most people I adore the Civic Theatre, I've heard that it's known as one of the best outside…read morethe West End of London. The performances it attracts are always top line which of course helps. The yearly pantomime is a treat and tends to follow a traditional format suitable for all the family. Easy access the only downside is the parking being a bit of a walk away but people can be dropped off at the side entrance. A good addition was the conservatory which means there is more than one place to arrange to meet people before/during and after a performance. Nice to see that it still has most of the original features including the ghost of an early Manager!

The tour of the sage is woth a visit. Some days its cheaper, so you would want to plan accordingly…read more There are some really good shows at the Sage as well.

I can't attest to the qualityb of performances, the fabulous accoustics or really anything related…read moreto that part. But I love this building. From accross the tyne the reflections on the outside are so nice and the shape and structure are amazing. I loved it from the outside looking in and it was equally as fascinating looking out accross newcastle. Iloved the way the interior seems to float inside it's exterior shell. A modern design classic.

At first I hated this place because it involved the demolition of my two favourite places, the…read moreDovecot arts centre and the Cannon Cinema. But it grew on me. It is big and yellow and was shut down for a year or so because of mis-management. A bit of the wall revolves because of 'art.' The outside is spoilt by metal walkways to save on cleaning costs. There is one big theatre, a smaller auditorium used for stand up gigs, a gym, a cinema and rehearsal rooms, as well as bars and restaurants. It is a little too big for the area but I think the guys have got their act together in terms of publicity so that people in the area who want to go know when stuff's on. It really comes alive during Stockton festival, when all the weird european street performers use it as a base. If you're in the area this is the best place to go for a night out.

I Love this show - its the last friday of every month and they do a couple of special gong shows…read moreeach year - watch out for those in the arc brochure. The setting up stairs is excellent you can either reserve seats for larger groups or just turn up on the night. You have a choice of sitting at a table or sitting in stadium seating up the side. Only complaint I have is that the breaks between acts where you have time to go to the bar are too long - they are supposed to be 15 mins but are always at least 30 mins as the staff try and get people in from the bar area - you can bring your drinks into the show with you. By the end of the night people are getting a little rowdy as a lot of alcohol is consumed. But very good fun.

A great little theatre in the heart of Durham, The Assembly Rooms seats about 200 people. The…read morebuilding itself is lovely, though a little run-down and there isn't any of your traditional interval drinks or ice cream here. The reason I rate it though is because of the performances put on there, they're not productions with huge budgets but what they do have is talented actors. The main company to put on plays here is Durham Student Theatre who have the best student actors in Durham and put on some really innovative, unusual and sometimes controversial plays.

Dropped my wife and disabled daughter off, which was difficult because there is nowhere safe to…read morestop, despite their claims about access. All nearby car parks full or shut, so by the time I got there all the doors were locked and no way to contact anyone. Missed the show, waste of money. If you need to get there by car, just don't bother. Parking in Newcastle is diabolical and they can't even get basics like letting you in right. Disgusted with them. Never again.

What an amazing building…read more It's just like stepping back in time. Luxurious, lavish, grand, welcoming and comfortable. Booked some tickets to see a play (as an aside was a little dull) and sat in the grand circle. Good view, comfy seats with just about enough leg room to keep the circulation going. As with most establishments these days the additional bits they sell we're a little costly. A round of drinks before the show ensured that it was going to be just the one round. A small tube of ice cream at the interval was to be blunt just too expensive. Surely selling more at a lower price would make better financial sense. Getting to and from the theatre was nice easy; within walking distance of the city centre hotels, a free metro ride if you have your tickets to the station not more than 50 metres away any car parking just about everywhere. Looking to book something else for the summer and do dinner before at the wealth of excellent restaurants in this amazing city.

Journal Tyne Theatre - my favourite of the two theatres in Newcastle. Though its rival is seen to…read morebe the Theatre Royal, I can honestly say that I prefer the general atmosphere and architecture of the Journal Tyne Theatre. On my first visit I found it virtually impossible to locate despite having lived in the North East all of my life. When I did eventually find it, he staff were welcoming and cheerful. Last year I saw numerous pantomime performances throughout the North East, but I can honestly say that despite its lack of special effects and its very basic stage, the actors and actresses were more engaging than any of the celebrity endorsed pantomimes. I guess they have to be in order to keep up with the competition and pull in an audience over the christmas season. The actual inside of the theatre is lacking - it goes without saying that it is a very old building, which isn't particularly well maintained. However, it does have a certain charm and for this reason I look forward to the christmas pantomime every year.

This is a lovely old place to visit,The Theatre stands at the bottom of Westgate Road in the city…read morecentre,so is very easy to get to.It's a listed building so it has'nt lost its charm and has lots of original features.There is always a vast variety of acts available and even the annual pantomime so there really is something for every age. There's a good sized bar which is always a bonus. It's not a glitzy place but it's atmosphere more than makes up for anything it might lack in looks.Much nicer than a lot of the newer venues around.

I was delighted to finally make it to the famous Empire one night late in October 2008. It really…read moreis an awesome place and one of the best nights out i have had without moving from venue to venue in ages. The building is gorgeous Victoriana music hall in style but each room is different. The main downstairs hall is ideal for gigs with a high stage and holds I would guess about 500 without any of the upstairs being open. the rest is a bit of a maze of stairways, bars, elegance, but with a indie crowd used to dingy places this was quite OTT. There was different DJs on each dancefloor on at least 3 levels of the building and other side rooms from what I can remember, with my favourite being the one on the 1st floor with a grandiose chandelier. The Saturday night shindig I went to is a regular thing and the people who went were a great mix of students and locals. The smoking area is on the street unfortunately, but I could not care less about that slight downside as it matched expectation and if after reading this I have just raised yours, then goodyou will enjoy it too my friends!

The Empire has been a place of worship for music lovers of the north for many years. Its not a…read morepretty venue, its a sweat pit, but thats exactly what the punters want - to sweat out the week (or mid week for some!) to their music of choice. It has many famous DJs performing to cater for every music genre - house, electro, techno, trance, retro and in more recent years has shown it can hold its own on the indie-rock scene. The recent rock and rave crossover means nights with erol alkan playing are now the norm - but there is something for everyone and anyone who likes to throw shapes to dance music (fridays) and indie (weds and sat - often live bands).

I think that this is the best all round dance, drama and singing education in the area. Very…read moreprofessional indeed. Properly run, not just someone getting as many in as possible. My children have improved in behaviour and confidence since going. Kate is the Principal and very compassionate and Sam also, the Drama tutor. The singing tutor is one of the most professional people I have ever met and is called Mr hassien. I can't recommend highly enough. It alkso works out good value when you consider what some of the smaller classes cost. Here they get all three disciplines.