COMEDY, farce, drama and romance feature in a terrific line-up as Theatre by the Lake faces its toughest year yet.

Following the opening of its Christmas cracker, Tom’s Midnight Garden, the Keswick theatre has announced the programme for 2011.

Spring brings a co-production between The Dukes, at Lancaster, and Theatre by the Lake: Cumbrian writer Zosia Wand’s Quicksand; the prestigious Words by the Water festival of talks and readings takes place from March 4 and Arthur Miller’s award-winning classic A View from the Bridge, is staged from April 2-23.

Running from May 28 is what promises to be a bumper summer season.

Included will be Noises Off by Michael Frayn (back by popular demand), one of Noel Coward’s best-loved plays Hay Fever, and the theatre hosts the world première of Keep Smiling Through by Lisa Evans, a brand new comedy with music set in 1940s war-time Keswick.

Also in the mix will be Dumb Show by Joe Penhall, brimming with shady bank deals, tabloid press entrapment and the pitfalls of celebrity, as well as the inspiring and moving drama about three men trapped in the nightmare situation of being held hostage - Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness.

The entralling David Hare play of love, lust and betrayal The Blue Room - a modern reworking of Schnitzler’s La Ronde - completes the picture.

The Keswick theatre is among a raft of Arts Council England’s Regular Funded Organisations (RFOs), which have been hit by a 7 per cent (6.9) reduction in funding for 2011/2012, cutting its grant by £35,560 to £479,808.

Since it opened in 1999, the £6.25 million venue has created more than 100 full-time jobs and has indirectly facilitated the creation of a further 200 jobs.

Executive director Patric Gilchrist said it was a big hit to take but rather than cutting back would be looking at ways to increase its earned income.

He added: “Theatre by the Lake, in common with arts organisations throughout the country, faces a challenging future as investment of public funds reduces.

"However, our great strength is the exceptional support of our audiences which have grown and grown over the past 11 years.

“Despite the economic climate, we look to 2011 with confidence.”

Meanwhile, Tom’s Midnight Garden is a tale of growing up and learning truths from experience, friendship and adventure and artistic director Ian Forrest said they had chosen the play because of its special appeal as a story on many different levels.  He added: “Young people will identify with Tom’s boredom and frustration at being separated from his brother and with his irritation with well-meaning adults. Some will be intrigued by the adventure of the time-travel element of the story and others will relish the games and escapades Tom and Hatty enjoy in the garden together.”

With the winning combination of Ian and Martin Johns as designer, there will be more than 60 performances during the seven-week run until January 15.

Box office on 017687-74411.