It’s the iconic Newcastle theatre that was described as “an edifice equal to anything in Australia for architectural beauty and excellence of appointment,” on its 1891 opening.
And the smell of the greasepaint and roar of the crowd is almost palpable in a new project helping to breathe new life into Newcastle’s iconic Victoria Theatre.
Come Backstage! is a new video project, created by a team from the University of NSW that offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the theatre as it was more than 100 years ago, when it hosted its very first production Evangeline.
Using 3D modeling to recreate the theatre, the team have created a 12-minute flyover that showcases the gas-lit footlights, intricate stage machinery, and the fly gantries where brave “flymen” wrangled scenery on and off stage via a rope and pulley system.
Project lead Associate Professor Gillian Arrighi said the video offers a rare glimpse inside the backstage workings of a late 19th century Victorian theatre.
“Over the past 18 months, my team have completed painstaking and meticulous research to bring The Victoria’s historic stagehouse to life in 3D,” she said.
“Our artist hand-painted all of the scenery pieces, as well as the decoration on the proscenium arch, using original sources before rendering them digitally.
“Every digital item has been created for this project.”
The quest to breathe new life into the Victoria Theatre, currently owned by Century Venues, was given a major boost in 2022, thanks to a $4million state government investment into the project.
Speaking at the time of the funding announcement, then Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin said a refurbished Victoria Theatre would further cement Newcastle’s reputation as a cultural hub.
“This is an important cultural infrastructure project for Newcastle that will shape its future as a destination for arts and culture and enhance experiences for audiences and visitors alike,” he said.
More recently the project Remembered and Revisited - The Victoria Theatre Oral History Project, created by Cenutry Venues, Out of the Square Media, and Gavin Patton, has been shortlisted in the Education and Interpretation category of the National Trust Heritage Awards
Head here to view the Come Backstage! Video and Remembered and Revisited project.