Theatre celebrates 25 years with exhibition

Dame Judi Dench and her late husband Michael Williams were the first patrons of the theatre

A theatre is celebrating its 25th birthday with a photography exhibition featuring 25 portraits of people who have nurtured its success, including Dame Judi Dench.

Cumbria's Theatre by the Lake commissioned local photographer Amy Bateman to capture a selection of its collaborators for its We Are 25 exhibition.

Lord Melvyn Bragg features with key creatives, volunteers and supporters alongside Dame Judi who was the first official patron of the theatre and is its sitting president.

Liz Stevenson and Simon Stephens, joint chief executive officers of the Keswick theatre, said they "wanted to tell the human story of Theatre by the Lake and its intangible heritage through 25 personal connections".

Amy Bateman said it was a career highlight photographing Dame Judi

The theatre was created after a touring company, called the Blue Box, settled in the Lakeside car park on Derwentwater in 1975.

After years of campaigning, the project to build the theatre began in 1991, before being opened by Dame Judi in 1999

Ms Bateman said photographing the Academy Award winner will "go down as one of my career highlights", adding: "It can't not, can it?"

Lord Melvyn Bragg features in the exhibition as a patron of the theatre

Dame Judi and her late husband Michael Williams were the original patrons of the theatre and so she and Ms Bateman decided to include a photograph of him in her portrait.

Cumbrian Lord Melvyn Bragg is also featured in the exhibition as a patron for the theatre and president of the Words by the Water book festival held at the venue.

Solomon Ng supported the first relaxed performance at the theatre, the first of its kind in the UK

Louie Whitemore has designed several productions and exhibitions for the theatre

We Are 25 documents the theatre's work platforming Cumbrian stories, but also spotlights young people, emerging writers and artists as it looks ahead to its future.

Also included in the exhibition are theatre director Kash Arshad, Ullswater set and costume designer Louie Whitemore, associate artist Melina Barnett, first-time playwright Julie Carter and Solomon Ng, who supported the first relaxed performance at the theatre which was the first of its kind in the UK.

Kash Arshad is a director who has worked at Theatre by the Lake numerous times

"I feel really honoured that I was asked to photograph these 25 people," said Ms Bateman.

"It's an absolute privilege to get to the bottom of these stories, to be able to showcase these people who make up the fabric of this incredible building."

As it looks to the future, the theatre wants to reach out to younger and more diverse audiences through discounted ticket prices for under 26s and by taking shows on tours throughout the county.

Julie Carter was supported to write her first play through Theatre by the Lake's development programme

Melina Barnett is an associate artist at the theatre working with communities and nature