Theatre... and all that jazz
Last updated 11:22, Thursday, 03 April 2008
A CLASSIC black comedy set in 1940s America and a harrowing political piece about an African woman seeking asylum in England are just two of the plays chosen for this year’s summer season at the Theatre by the Lake.
Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesserling and The Bogus Woman by Kay Adshead are two of the six plays that will run to November, performed in the main house or the newly extended studio.
The packed programme, announced this week, also features Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of errors, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Caretaker, by Nobel prize winner Harold Pinter.
The Lonesome West, by Martin McDonagh, centred on a small community on the west coast of Ireland. Described as Father Ted meets Quentin Tarantino, the play should appeal to anyone with a dark sense of humour. Also showing is The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett, based on his true life experience of Miss Shepherd, a woman who lived in her battered van on Bennett’s driveway for 15 years.
A special late night extra will also take place after certain performances of the Importance of Being Earnest. In Extremis, by Neil Bartlett, uses a palm reading before Oscar Wilde’s trial as its intriguing starting point.
Artistic Director Ian Forrest explained this year’s choices: “As always, we've tried to come up with a summer repertoire programme of plays at Theatre by the Lake which genuinely offers something for everyone, whether you want an evening of laughter or something a bit more thought-provoking.
“These are seven great plays by writers old and new, and make theatre-going this summer something to cherish.”
Booking for the summer season opened this week, and to coincide with this Theatre by the Lake has also released some extra jazz festival tickets for the 17th Jennings Keswick Jazz Festival, which takes place at the theatre and around the town from Wednesday, May 7 to Sunday, May 11.
Nineteen venues play host to the brightest stars from the jazz world, including Americans Duke Heitger, Randy Sandke, Jeff Barnhart and Jim Fryer, plus some of Europe’s most exciting young bands – Norway’s Jazzin’ Babies, Germany’s Echoes of Swing and the Gallic Red Hot Reedwarmers. Britain’s top jazz musicians, Alan Barnes, Keith Nichols, Roy Williams and Spats Langham, also feature in the line-up.
For information or to book visit www.theatrebythelakes.com or phone 017687 74411.
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