THEATRE by the Lake's summer season has been announced with another six terrific plays billed.

Performed in repertory by a resident company of 12 actors, the season opens on May 23 in the Main House with The 39 Steps, a fantastically funny spoof of Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller, a new production of the popular West End hit.

This is followed from June 6 by Abigail’s Party, a painfully funny dissection of 1970s suburbia by award-winning director, playwright and film-maker Mike Leigh.

The final Main House production staged from July 25 is a witty, sparkling comedy from Noel Coward - Fallen Angels, based on best friends Julia and Jane who nervously await the arrival of a mutual ex-lover.

Running in the Keswick theatre's Studio are three equally diverse plays. First up from May 23 is Suddenly Last Summer by Tennessee Williams, writer of A Streetcar Named Desire. It tells of a riveting battle of wills played out in the steaming pressure cooker of New Orleans.

The second production in the Studio is the world première of a brand new play, The Lady of the Lake, by Benjamin Askew, opening on June 13. Set in Cumbria in the final days of King Arthur, the gripping tale follows the scheming of everyone who would take the throne for themselves.

Completing the cracking summer season line-up, which runs until November, is a psychological thriller - Enlightenment by Shelagh Stephenson, opening on August 1. When 20-year-old Adam goes missing overseas, his parents are distraught. But six months later someone who looks uncannily like their son reappears, clutching his passport.

Well-known for its five star summer productions Theatre by the Lake also stages a first class festive show, rounding off this year with the much-loved Christmas classic The Snow Queen.

The 2015 programme also includes two shows produced in collaboration with other theatre companies. The first is a restaging from November 19-28 of one of the most talked about shows in the Keswick theatre’s history, Kay Adshead's powerful The Bogus Woman. Original performer Krissi Bohn – who played taxi-driver Lloyd's daughter Jenna in Coronation Street - returns to reprise what was described as her “vividly realised and blistering” performance.

The second is a special Christmas show for four to seven year olds. Produced in collaboration with children’s theatre company Theatre Hullabaloo, Bear and Butterfly follows the fortunes of two unusual best friends and is written by award-winning playwright Annie McCourt.

As well as Theatre by the Lake’s own shows, the rest of the year promises a huge range of drama, music, comedy and talks from visiting companies and artists. Favourites such as mountaineer Doug Scott, Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers and Roots in Cumbria return, joined by others ranging from folks stars The Unthanks to a ballet version of Cinderella.

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