Walking with Dionsaurs comes to Metro Radio Arena

Jul 8 2009 by Barbara Hodgson, The Journal

MILLIONS of years on from when they ruled the Earth, they’re back – in force. Dinosaurs are taking over Newcastle this week – the biggest stars ever to appear at Metro Radio Arena.

And they certainly made a noise about it last night at the opening of the all-raging, all-moving theatre spectacular Walking With Dinosaurs.

The first-night audience finally got to witness what all the fuss was about as the much-talked-about £10m show, with its 15 real-size dinosaurs, opened a six-day run. Already a hit in Australia and the US, this is its first UK tour and the question is, does it live up to the hype? Well, from last night’s viewing, having just been uncomfortably close to an angry Tyrannosaurus rex, the answer is a roaring yes. From the start of the atmospheric music, the build-up promised something special. While it’s not pure spectacle – a ‘paleontologist’ is on hand to narrate the story of evolution – it is, of course, the sheer size and scale of those beasties that everyone wants to see.

Based on the award-winning BBC TV series of the same name, this show ups the ante by having the dinosaurs pace, roar, snarl and fight almost at eye level.

For me at least, it took its time to warm up but warm up it did, quite literally by the time of the Jurassic period, with the springing up of lush greenery and trees - on which we watched a 36ft-tall Brachiosaurus snack.