CumbriaFest celebrates Cumbrian talent

CumbriaFest returns to Keswick's Theatre by the Lake (October 29-November 2) with a celebration of creativity, connection and Cumbrian voices.

The programme is a mix of premieres, works-in-progress, scratch nights, workshops and social gatherings, nurturing the creative process from first spark to fully-fledged productions.

New work includes The Other Neville by Cumbrian writer Imogen Greenwood, a one-woman show that reimagines the life and legacy of netball legend Tracey Neville, and the premiere of Breakages by Christine Entwisle, a comic short about the fragile things we hold and lose.

Works in development shine a spotlight on place and identity, from Hefted by Eireann Devlin, set on an isolated Cumbrian sheep farm, to Patience by Nina Berry, which traces three centuries of love, loss and resilience along the Cumbrian coast. U EXIT NOW by Daneka Etchells blends English and Cumbrian dialect to tell a contemporary story of community, conflict and change.

New writing takes centre stage at the Inciting Incidents Scratch Night, where five Cumbrian voices – Sophia Atcha, Lekhani Chirwa, Karen Featherstone, Grace Kirkby and Hannah Stratton – share opening scenes, inviting audiences to help shape what comes next.

Creative conversations continue with panels and workshops, including Just Write with Keswick-based writer Julie Carter, a reflective lakeside writing session on the shores of Derwentwater, and the Inciting Incidents Workshop with Ola Animashawun, offering practical tools to capture the first spark of a story.

Beyond the rehearsal room and stage CumbriaFest invites audiences to gather, feast and connect. There is a spoken-word night, a comedy club night, and the Lakeside Cafe becomes a hub In the Soup, at which audiences can enjoy bowls of something warm with creative episodes on the side...

More info and tickets here