Each year, Theatre by the Lake continues to build its reputation for great entertainment, both home produced or staged by touring companies.

The Keswick theatre was recently named a North West winner for 2004 in the Culture Northwest Star Turn awards, created to spotlight the hidden achievements of the cultural sector so others can be inspired by their success.

A new and exciting season starts on February 2 (1.30pm and 7.30pm) with the return of leading international company Thtre Sans Frontires with a production of El Sombrero de Tres Picos (The Three Cornered Hat).

Based on Pedro de Alarcn's 19th century novel, which later provided the inspiration for Manuel de Falla's ballet The Three Cornered Hat, El Sombrero de Tres Picos is a satirical tale of love, lust and rural infidelity, and will be performed entirely in Spanish with live music by an international cast from Argentina, Spain, Tenerife and the UK.

I'm informed that El Sombrero de Tres Picos is suitable for those aged 15 years and over and is a gem of a story full of lively characters and funny situations. Thtre Sans Frontires has established a reputation for effort-lessly transforming its audiences into multi-linguists through "our highly physical and visual style".

The first week of the new season also features an inspirational talk by the blind adventurer Miles Hilton-Barber on February 3.

He will talk about his remarkable experiences on expeditions to Antarctica, the Himalayas and the Sahara.

On February 4 (7.30pm), Alan Price will take the audience through his rock and roll and blues years from The Animals to The Price of Fame, featuring classic numbers such as House Of The Rising Sun, Bring It On Home To Me and I Put A Spell On You.

Just over five years down the line since the multi-million pound theatre opened its doors, executive director Patric Gilchrist tells me that they plan for the future with more confidence: "In the early days we couldn't be certain of survival for more than a few months," said Patric.

"Our subsidy was a fraction of that of comparable theatres and the potential for audiences and earned income was uncertain.

"However, during the last few months, we have been able to look forward and plan with greater certainty than in the past.

"Our strategy is for the long term and we're looking at how we can ensure the continuing health and development of our core activities, as a creator of home-produced theatre and as a driving force in arts development through the New Directions programme."

The theatre's programme of events for February to May features more than 200 performances.

Centre stage at Easter will be a production of John Godber's comedy April in Paris, running from March 18 to April 9.

Meanwhile, the summer season looks like another cracking selection of theatre, with six plays, including Dick Barton: Special Agent, by Phil Willmott, a comedy spoof of the popular 1940s radio series; Gaslight, by Patrick Hamilton, an atmospheric crime story with a psychological twist; and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons), by Christopher Hampton, a gripping drama of love and betrayal, all in the main house.

In the Studio, productions will be Playhouse Creatures, by April De Angelis, a colourful, moving, funny and feisty story of women living on the edge; Dead Funny, by Terry Johnson, an hilarious adult comedy; and A Number, by Caryl Churchill, a brilliant and disturbing new play about human cloning.

And to finish the year, the theatre has announced its Christmas production - Alan Bennett's warm and funny adaptation of The Wind in the Willows.

For tickets and brochures contact the box office on 017687-74411 or online at www.theatrebythelake.com (link below).