A KESWICK theatre is looking forward to welcoming audiences back into its auditorium this week - after being forced to close for more than 18 months as a result of the pandemic.

Theatre by the Lake is delighted to be staging Home, I'm Darling, which it describes as a "blistering comedy".

It is a co-production with Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough and The Octagon, Bolton and runs from October 6 to 30 in Keswick.

The show opened in July in Scarborough to ecstatic audience reception and is directed by TBTL’s artistic director, Liz Stevenson (who directed TBTL favourite productions, The Secret Garden and Handbagged – shows which received widespread critical and audience acclaim).

The satirical play by Laura Wade focuses on what appears to be a picture perfect couple.

A spokesman said: "Sweet peas in the garden; homemade lemon curd in the kitchen; conjugal joy in the bedroom. Judy and Johnny seem to be the perfect couple – quite sickeningly happy, in fact.

"But is their marriage everything it seems? Are there cracks in their domestic bliss? And where do they go when the manners and morals of the 1950s don’t quite suit them?

"Laura Wade’s blistering satire takes a timely scalpel to gender roles in modern Britain through the eyes of a 21st-century couple slowly discovering that nostalgia ain’t what it used to be."

The production has clocked five star reviews from the Yorkshire Post who called it “seriously funny” and Theatre Weekly "full of vivacity, energy and brilliance".

To ensure that audiences feel comfortable returning to the theatre, there are options on what type of performance you’d like to attend, from full capacity performances, to socially distanced performances that might flex up to full capacity at a later point, to guaranteed socially distanced performances.

The theatre has also catered for those for whom an in-person visit to the theatre is too soon by announcing a digital on-demand version of Home I’m Darling available to book now and viewable on-demand from October 23 to 30.

TBTL is proud to be See it Safely approved by Official London Theatre and have received the Visit Britain ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard mark.

Strict Covid precautions will be in place to ensure the safety of audiences with enhanced cleaning, ventilation, safe queueing systems in place and reduced touchpoints.

Audiences can also book with confidence knowing that the theatre allows maximum flexibility to exchange or refund your ticket(s) up to 24 hours before the performance. Full details can be found here.