A FULL house witnessed the triumphant return of Jim Cartwright's 'Two' at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.

'Two' was the first production to be staged in the Studio 15 years ago and a capacity crowd eagerly watched its homecoming.

The production centres around a northern pub and analyses the behaviour of several typical pub-goers - from the 'Jack the lad' figure right through to the frustrated married woman with a sappy husband - all played by Matt Addis and Janine Birkett.

Cartwright's ability to scratch below the emotional surface and tackle deeper, darker issues such as domestic violence adds a weighty substance to the play.

This is exemplified by the play's central characters, the landlord and landlady, who, it emerges, are hiding a personal tragedy that culminates in an emotional climax.

Both Addis and Birkett seamlessly shift between the huge variety of characters, displaying a wide spectrum of acting talents ranging from comedy to emotional tragedy.

It is testament to the actors' abilities that with minimal use of props they still manage to give the impression of being in a fully-stocked, bustling pub.

But it is the lack of props that is this play's main virtue - by stripping the stage almost bare it allows for the personalities of the characters to stand alone and draw total focus.

The production, which shows until Tuesday, April 14, comes highly recommended. 

For more information visit www.theatrebythelake.com