The Theatre Royal - Haunted History

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear

The Theatre Royal on Grey Street is one of the city's most famous buildings. It opened with a performance of William Shakespeare's 'The Merchant Of Venice' in 1837, but following a performance of 'Macbeth' in 1899, a huge fire gutted the building, leading to its closure for two years. Within the industry, many believe that 'Macbeth' is cursed and to this day refuse to mention its title aloud, instead referring to it as "The Scottish Play". Of course we'll never know if the fire was a result of this curse or just bad luck.

Over the years staff working in the theatre have reported seeing the ghost of a grey lady. She has been spotted on several occasions and is believed to be the ghost of a woman who took her own life in the theatre by throwing herself off of the upper gallery, landing on the seats below.