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Theatre by the Lake

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In Person: Lakeside, KESWICK, Cumbria, CA12 5DJ
Phone: 01768 774411

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What's On Highlights

Lark Rise to Candleford
From:26-03-2026
To:18-04-2026
+ More Info +

This is a memory. It’s also a story. The story of a girl called Laura.

Surrounded by golden fields and tinkling brooks, time trickles in the hamlet of Lark Rise. A home for Laura and her loving family, in their snug, thatched cottage. But, with the gentle rhythm of the changing seasons, her heart yearns for something else, something more.

When the long-promised trip over to Candleford finally comes, Laura discovers a world beyond Lark Rise, beyond the pages of her beloved books. A world which moves to a different beat, full of new characters and new opportunities. Striving to find her place, to rewrite her future, a new chapter for Laura begins.

Woven together with original music performed by an ensemble cast, this new version of Lark Rise to Candleford tells a story of cherished memories, finding your wings and the threads that bind us to home.

Theatre by the Lake and Watermill Theatre co-production, in association with Hammerpuzzle Theatre Company
Written by Tamsin Kennard | Based on the book by Flora Thompson | Directed by Bryn Holding

Thursday 26 March – Saturday 18 April 2026
7.30pm; with 2pm matinees on selected dates
Live at Theatre by the Lake (Main House)
Age 8+
This production was developed from an earlier version performed at the Everyman Theatre, Chelteham, in 2022.

CONTENT ADVICE
Please note that the set design incorporates dried vegetation that may affect those with sensitivities or allergies.
Haze is used in this production.

Nell Gwynn
From:09-07-2026
To:01-08-2026
+ More Info +

London, 1660. The theatres are alive, the monarchy’s restored, and women are finally allowed on stage. One woman is about to take it by storm.

Orange-seller, wit, trailblazer, Nell Gwynn is a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. From the chaotic pit of Drury Lane to the polished halls of Charles II’s court, Nell’s rise to fame as one of Britain’s first actresses is equal parts hilarious and defiant. She can dance, she can sing, she can hurl a one-liner sharper than any sword and yes, she might just steal the King’s heart along the way.

Packed with mischief, music and plenty of flair, Nell Gwynn is a riotous celebration of performance and women who won’t behave. With a fierce female-led ensemble at its heart, this rollicking comedy dances to its own beat and keeps the gents on their toes.

Join us for a night of song, satire, and stage-crashing brilliance in this gloriously funny, feminist comedy that asks: why play by the rules when you can write your own?

Theatre by the Lake, Shakespeare North Playhouse and Storyhouse Theatre present
by Jessica Swale | Directed by Bryony Shanahan

Thursday 9 July – Saturday 1 August 2026
7.30pm; with 2pm matinees on selected dates
Live at Theatre by the Lake (Main House) set in the Round
Age 14+

Calendar Girls the musical
From:06-08-2026
To:05-09-2026
+ More Info +

When tragedy strikes, courage blossoms.

The death of a much-loved husband prompts a group of ordinary women in a small Yorkshire Women’s Institute to do something extraordinary: create a nude calendar to raise money for charity.

News spreads fast in their community and none of them expect the emotional and personal repercussions, but gradually the making of the fabulous and funny calendar brings each woman unexpectedly into bloom.

The true story of the Calendar Girls launched a global phenomenon, a million copycat calendars, a record-breaking movie, a West End play and now an awarding-winning musical written by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth.

Packed full of unforgettable songs, every performance continues to prove that there is no such thing as an ordinary woman.

Theatre by the Lake, Stephen Joseph Theatre, New Wolsey Theatre and Octagon Bolton Theatre present
by Tim Firth and Gary Barlow

Thursday 6 August - Saturday 5 September 2026
7.30pm; with 2pm matinees on selected dates
Live at Theatre by the Lake (Main House) set in the Round
Age 14+

A Christmas Carol
From:13-11-2026
To:03-01-2027
+ More Info +

This Christmas, prepare for a festive tale with a ghostly twist.

It’s midnight on Christmas Eve, join us for a haunted Carol service as a spooky choir and the spirits of Christmas race to save the soul of Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is a hard-nosed Victorian businessman from Keswick who has made his fortune in the big city, but is without a song in his heart. Scrooge hates Christmas and everything about it, but things are about to change when his business partner Jacob Marley returns from the grave…

Told in Theatre by the Lake’s signature magical Christmas style, and brought to you by Goblin, the makers of our acclaimed 2023 co-production The Lost Spells, this vibrant new adaptation is great fun for all the family with original songs and music performed live by a cast of talented actor-musicians.

Theatre by the Lake in association with Goblin present
Adapted from the book by Charles Dickens | Written by Matt Borgatti, Music & Lyrics by Will Dollard & Mary Erskine | Directed by Andy Barry

Friday 13 November 2026 – Sunday 3 January 2027
Various times
Live at Theatre by the Lake
Age 6+

To find out what else is happening at Theatre by the Lake, visit their website here.
Transport

Penrith

Parking

The Lakeside car park (operated by Allerdale Borough Council) is situated next to the theatre.

Cafe

Lakeside Café Restaurant | Opening Hours: 9.00am - 9.00pm. Last orders 8.30pm.
Lakeside Café Restaurant is perched between the theatre and Derwentwater. Lofty, light and airy, its large windows give spectacular views across the lake to Cat Bells and beyond. It's the perfect setting for breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake or a stylish dinner before a show whether you are seeing a show or just stopped by on impulse. It's also welcoming to groups and available to hire for your special occasions.

Restaurant

Performance days: 9.00am - 9.00pm. Last orders 8.30pm.

Bar

12 noon until end of performance.

Access Info

For detailed access information please visit the theatre's access page: www.theatrebythelake.com/access

At our home in the Lake District and out across Cumbria, Theatre by the Lake produces and presents nationally acclaimed theatre, made with passion, that is seen by audiences from across the globe.

We believe that theatre has the power to transform lives and we create vital opportunities for Cumbrian artists, young people and communities to come together, be inspired and explore their creativity.

From our origins as ‘The Blue Box’, our theatre was willed into existence by the local community and opened by Dame Judi Dench in 1999. 25 years later, under the co-leadership of Artistic Director, Liz Stevenson and Executive Director, Simon Stephens, we continue to be inspired by our unique place and its extraordinary people.

"Artistically sharp and stunningly situated" New Statesman

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