Who are we?

The Friends of Theatre by the Lake are the theatre’s independent support group and  we have been around under various names almost as long as the idea of a new theatre for Keswick.

We are now over 2,000 strong, one of the largest theatre friends organisations in the country, with members in 49 counties across the U.K. and in seven countries abroad.

Our principal aim is to help the theatre, mainly by donating the bulk of the membership fees, together with recovered ’gift aid’ and income from activities, and in the last ten years we have contributed over £233,000, some of it specifically targeted; for instance, we kitted out the original ‘Green Room’, bought a specialised sprung dance floor for the stage, sponsored Upper and Lower Boxes F, (dedicated “To Absent Friends”), paid for two ‘follow spot’ lights, and in 2002 we sponsored an actor, Roger Delves-Broughton, for the summer season.  Currently we have set aside a considerable sum for capital development.

Prize Draws

We also run the popular 600 Club, a monthly draw, which has produced £49,000 extra to the sum above - a painless way of generating a bit on the side!

Regular Events

And for those within reach of Keswick we run a series of social gatherings, the most regular of which is the monthly Luncheon Club in the winter; a soup and sandwich lunch supplied by the theatre’s café, followed by a speaker. Another favourite is the Quiz Night, a  pub quiz style evening with a terrific buffet supper. We have also had musical evenings, again with a buffet supper, and ‘meet the cast’ receptions.

We run theatre trips to other parts of the country - we have spent four or five days at the Edinburgh Festival and at Pitlochry, weekends at Stratford and in London, and day trips to Newcastle, Manchester and anywhere else that offers a good theatrical night out.

Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5DJ   |   Tel: 017687 74411   |   Site Map