Coronavirus: Theatre by the Lake cancels summer rep season

Theatre by the Lake has cancelled its entire summer season of six productions due to coronavirus.

The Cumbria theatre closed earlier this month, but said in a statement that uncertainty about when it could reopen meant it could not commit to the costs involved in staging its summer repertory season.

Artistic director Liz Stevenson said: “This was an upsetting decision to make but the only option available to us in the current circumstances. The considerable work needed to prepare for our celebrated and complex rep season, together with the significant costs involved, presents too great a risk during a time of such huge upheaval and uncertainty.”

She added: “Our ultimate aim is to ensure that we continue to be Cumbria’s producing theatre. We’re asking ticket holders to donate the cost of their ticket to support the theatre at this time, and are so grateful to the many people who have already done so – especially as we are aware that this is a difficult time for so many of you.”

The season was due to include productions of Boeing Boeing and Patrick Hamilton’s Rope, as well as four world premieres by playwrights Carmen Nasr, Kieran Knowles, Laura Lomas and Joseph Wilde.