FEBRUARY 2020

‘The most beautifully located and friendly

theatre in Britain’

‘Artistically sharp and stunningly situated’

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This pack contains background information, a job description and person specification.

The application process can be found on page 11 of this pack.

If you would like to receive this pack in other formats, including large print, please contact: angela.wilson@theatrebythelake.com

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Situated by Derwentwater on the edge of Keswick, amid the magnificent northern fells of the Lake District, Theatre by the Lake (TBTL) enjoys an unparalleled location. The only year-round professional producing theatre in Cumbria, TBTL has established itself as an important part of the English regional theatre scene since it opened in 1999, consistently delivering a year round programme of home-produced and visiting work, and establishing itself as a major attraction for both Cumbrian residents and visitors to the Lake District. Theatre by the Lake is the trading name of Cumbria Theatre Trust, a company limited by guarantee and registered charity. Our Executive Director is James Cobbold and our Artistic Director is Liz Stevenson.

Theatre by the Lake as an exemplary producing theatre with regional and national impact, inspired by the Lake District and its rich cultural heritage.

From our unique rural location, we will produce excellent, ambitious, inspiring theatre, providing a creative hub for the communities of Cumbria, whilst attracting visitors to the region.

TBTL has two stages, a 400-seat Main House and a 100-seat Studio. Currently it presents up to nine of its own productions of classic, contemporary and new plays each year, with six plays being performed in repertoire from May to November by a resident company. Its Christmas shows have become firm favourites with family audiences, and the Spring Programme regularly includes a Main House production as well as a Studio production that subsequently tours to community venues in Cumbria. In 2019 we celebrated our 20th anniversary, having opened in August 1999. Theatre by the Lake was willed into existence by local enthusiasts seeking a permanent building to replace an ingenious mobile theatre known as the Blue Box. Theatre by the Lake is supported by a loyal band of volunteers who sell programmes and refreshments and show theatregoers to their seats. The Friends of Theatre by the Lake have donated more than £500,000 since the theatre opened and continue to fundraise enthusiastically. The theatre has initiated pioneering education work and programmes for people with dementia; in 2016, it was named dementia friendly organisation of the year in its category by the Alzheimer’s Society.

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The coming year at TBTL promises an abundance of exciting and innovative work. Our Spring programme of in-house shows kicks off with the Wise Children production of Malory Towers, adapted and directed by Emma Rice and co-presented with David Pugh, and our Studio Spring show is One Side Lies the Sea, a co-production with Pentabus. Our 2020 Summer Season main house shows are: Boeing Boeing by Marc Camoletti, directed by Nick Bagnall Rope by Patrick Hamilton, directed by Liz Stevenson The Climbers by Carmen Nasr (world premiere), directed by Guy Jones Alongside, in our Studio theatre, we will be presenting three further world premieres: Wilt by Kieran Knowles, directed by Liz Stevenson These Walls by Laura Lomas, directed by Holly Race Roughan Drown Your Empty Selves by Joseph Wilde, directed by Kash Arshad Our 2020 year will end with a production of Mary Norton’s The Borrowers adapted by Theresa Heskins. Our recent Christmas production of A Christmas Carol, adapted by Patrick Barlow, was one of the most successful Christmas shows ever at TBTL. It received glowing audience feedback and was seen by 22,892 people including thousands of school children. A Christmas Carol Written by Charles Dickens Adapted by Patrick Barlow

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Directed by Gemma Fairlie Designed by Hannah Wolfe

Our 2019 Summer Season was seen by over 45,000 people, and our Spring, Summer and Christmas shows in 2019 were collectively seen by over 75,000 people. TBTL aims for the highest standards of production and design. The theatre has been shortlisted several times for the UK Theatre Awards for Most Welcoming Theatre, winning the North-West Regional Award five years in a row. In addition to around 400 performances annually of home-produced work, the theatre hosts a variety of festivals and visiting companies, comprising a further 300 performances and events and contributing to a seven day a week operation for 50 weeks of the year. Facilities within TBTL include a rehearsal room as well as offices, dressing rooms and green room. In addition, the Lakeside café/restaurant on the site adjacent to TBTL provides enhanced services for theatre customers and visitors and helps to support the theatre’s long-term financial resilience Information on TBTL’s business objectives, governance and finance can be found in the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year to 31 March 2018, which can be accessed via www.theatrebythelake.com/where-your-money-goes ‘I hope the good citizens of Keswick and the surrounding area realise just how lucky they are in having this wonderful theatre with all of its talented staff on their doorstep.’ TripAdvisor, January 2017.

Theatre by the Lake is proud to serve and to be part of the community in Cumbria.

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‘I walked with my brother at my side, from Kendal to Grasmere, eighteen miles, and afterwards from Grasmere to Keswick, fifteen miles, through the most delightful country that was ever seen.’ Letter from Dorothy Wordsworth, 1794.

Keswick today is a bustling market town of 4,800 people. It sits at the head of Derwentwater and below the great fell of Skiddaw at the northern end of the Lake District National Park, which has recently been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Cumbria is England’s second largest county in size but with a population of just 500,000. At Keswick’s heart is a fine square, the scene of markets on Thursdays and Saturdays, with its distinctive Moot Hall. Although Keswick welcomes thousands of tourists each year who come to tour, walk and climb, it manages to maintain a vibrant community life. People know each other, work together and relax together. Theatre by the Lake, which opened in 1999, is the town’s biggest employer. Keswick is a Fairtrade town, boasts a large number of groups and societies for adults and young people plus tennis, rugby, football, croquet, cricket, badminton, bowls, golf and archery clubs. It also has a fine leisure pool. Many of Keswick’s shops are locally owned and run. There are also two supermarkets, one owned by the Co-op, the other by Booths, a northern chain noted for the quality of its food. Keswick has a small community hospital with a minor injuries clinic; the nearest major hospitals are at Carlisle and Whitehaven. The Alhambra is a delightful 105-year-old, 246-seat cinema which shows new films plus NT Live productions and opera/ballet. There is a satisfying selection of restaurants, from Thai to Tuscan, and many pubs, including one famed for its huge cow pie.

‘No theatre can match this Lake District powerhouse when it comes to combining an idyllic setting and top-grade programming’.

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Keswick is 20 minutes by car and 40 minutes by hourly bus (fine views of Blencathra from the top deck) from Penrith, which is on the main West Coast rail line and adjacent to the M6. Journey times by train: Penrith-London: 3h Penrith-Manchester: 1h 40m Penrith-Manchester Airport:2h Penrith-Glasgow or Edinburgh: 1h 30m Penrith-Newcastle: 2h via Carlisle Journey times by car: London: 5h 15m Manchester: 2h Newcastle: 2h Edinburgh: 2h 15m Glasgow: 2h 10m

Buses serve neighbouring villages, the towns of the west coast (Maryport, Workington, Whitehaven) and Carlisle. The service to Lancaster calls at Grasmere, Ambleside, Windermere (for trains to the West Coast main line at Oxenholme) and Kendal.

Property prices in Keswick and the National Park tend to be high but are lower in towns and villages elsewhere. Cumbria offers some of the easiest and most scenic commuting in the country. Approximate prices for a three-bedroom semi (February 2017) – please note prices will be significantly cheaper if renting a room in a shared house or renting a smaller property:

Location Buying Renting

Keswick £200,000 - £400,000 £580 - £750 pcm

Cockermouth £150,000 - £240,000 £575 - £700 pcm

Penrith £145,000 - £280,000 £475 - £700 pcm

Kendal £160,000 - £300,000 £450 - £700 pcm

Wigton £72,000 - £210,000 £400 - £750 pcm

Brampton £135,000 - £200,000 £425 - £610 pcm

(pop. 15,000) is a bustling regional, commercial and agricultural centre with

a wide range of shops including M&S Food, Booths, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Aldi.

(pop. 5,300) is a compact market town 20 miles north of Keswick on the

Solway plain and close to the coast.

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(pop. 28,000), a large local centre with a wide range of shops, is 30 miles

south of Keswick – but a summertime commute through the heart of the Lakes can be slow.

(pop. 4,600) is an attractive small town 40 miles north-east of Keswick via

the M6 and close to Carlisle, Cumbria’s only city, and to Hadrian’s Wall.

(pop. 2,600) is a busy tourist centre 17 miles south of Keswick in the

heart of the Lake District.

(pop. 8,700) is an elegant Georgian town (the birthplace of

Wordsworth) 12 miles north-west of Keswick. The Kirkgate is its lively arts and entertainment centre.

The northern lakes area provides some of the finest walking and climbing country in Britain. The 3,000ft peaks of Skiddaw and Helvellyn, and Great Gable (just a few feet lower), are close by. Cat Bells, a double-humped fell on the west side of the lake is the first many local and visiting children climb and features in the famed stories of Beatrix Potter, as do the scenic valleys of Newlands and Borrowdale. Derwentwater is a popular lake for sailing, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, paddle boarding – and even swimming (TBTL has a keen group of wild swimmers!). The M6 at Penrith provides a fast route to the Scottish Borders and the Highlands: Fort William is just four and a half hours away by car. Cumbria has many attractions other than lakes and mountains. Kendal is home to the Brewery Arts Centre offering theatre, dance, exhibitions, cinemas, music, workshops, youth drama and dance. Also in Kendal, The Abbot Hall Art Gallery is one of the best small galleries in the country, displaying its own collection and mounting regular exhibitions. Blackwell, just south of Bowness-on-Windermere, is a beautifully renovated Arts and Crafts house designed by MH Baillie Scott for a Manchester brewing family in the early 20th century. Brantwood, on the east side of Coniston, was the home of John Ruskin for 28 years and can be reached by a trip on Gondola, a gracious Victorian steam launch owned by the National Trust. The trust also owns large tracts of land in the Lake District and several properties open to the public including Wordsworth’s birthplace in Cockermouth and Allan Bank in Grasmere. The Wordsworth Trust maintains Dove Cottage, the home of Wordsworth and his family, and a museum at Grasmere.

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To provide sound, lighting and other technical services in support of performances, festivals and events at Theatre by the Lake and occasionally at other venues.

1. To undertake the rigging, focusing, plotting and operation of lighting equipment;

2. To undertake the rigging, programming and operation of all sound equipment and associated systems;

3. To undertake the rigging, operation, focussing and programming of video and cinema equipment;

4. To undertake maintenance of production and technical equipment including the hearing enhancement systems and AV equipment;

5. To assist with stage work, including get-ins, get-outs, rigging and operation of flying equipment;

6. To provide technical support for incoming companies, festivals, education and outreach projects and other events, including the design of lighting and sound for one night shows and local societies when required;

7. To provide technical support for resident and freelance creative staff;

8. To assist with the technical maintenance of the building;

9. To represent the theatre’s best interests with business contacts and the public;

10. To work in accordance with the theatre’s Health & Safety policy and current legislation pertaining to the safe operation of theatre activities;

11. To undertake any other duties as required;

Technical Manager

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• Degree in a relevant discipline and/or similar relevant qualification in Technical Theatre.

• Experience of working in a professional producing or touring theatre at Assistant Technician level or above

• Proven abilities in:

Rigging, programming and operating lighting systems, including ETC Eos series consoles

Rigging, programming and operating sound systems, including Qlab

Rigging, programming and operating video and projection equipment

Simultaneous operation of lighting and sound systems

• Ability to problem solve using a calm and logical approach, even when under pressure

• Good knowledge of mixing live sound

• Excellent computer literacy

• High aptitude for learning and retaining detailed information

• Motivated individual able to work on their own initiative

• Excellent eye for detail and the ability to maintain high standards in the workplace

• Excellent team player

• Well presented with a professional attitude and appearance.

• Electrical qualification

• First Aid qualification

• PAT testing qualification and/or experience of PAT testing

• Experience of:

Working with rigging, motorised hoists and flying using a counterweight system

Facilitating and supporting amateur dramatics companies

Working with young people

Building maintenance

• Full, clean driving licence

• Proven abilities in lighting and/or sound design

• Awareness of health and safety issues

• A keen interest in the development of lighting and sound systems and products in the industry

• A good knowledge of industry Companies and Associations.

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If you would like a confidential and informal discussion about either position before applying, please contact Andrew Lindsay on 017687 72282 ext 261, or email andrew.lindsay@theatrebythelake.com.

To apply for this post, email your CV accompanied by the completed Additional Details and Access/Equal Opportunities forms (available from our website: www.theatrebythelake.com/jobs ) to jobs@theatrebythelake.com or post to: Angela Wilson, HR & Admin Manager Theatre by the Lake Lakeside Keswick Cumbria CA12 5DJ

Please note that CVs sent alone, without the completed Additional Details form cannot be considered.

We would be grateful if you could also complete and return our access/ equal opportunities form, which can also be found on our website as above. When your application is received, this form is removed and is not used during the shortlisting process.

The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 6th March 2020.

Interviews will take place on Monday 16th March and will be conducted by Andrew Lindsay (Technical Manager) and Philip Geller (Production Manager). Candidates invited for interview will be contacted by Tuesday 10th March 2020

This role is available for an immediate start.

£21,165 per annum.

This is an annualised hours contract of 2,236 hours per annum, or an average of 43 hours per week (pro rata if less than a full year). Hours worked will be reviewed annually on 31st March.

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Annual leave is 31 days paid holiday in each financial year, plus Christmas Day. This allowance takes account of weeks which include statutory holidays, for which no additional allowance or payment will be made.

The post will be offered subject to the following: References satisfactory to Theatre by the Lake. A minimum six month probationary period (full-time position). Evidence of right to work in the UK as defined by the Home Office.

Standard terms and conditions apply to staff of Cumbria Theatre Trust (Theatre by the Lake). These will form part of a formal contract of employment.

The Company operates an Occupational Defined Contribution Scheme, provided by NOW: Pensions.

Theatre by the Lake is committed to the development of positive policies to promote equal opportunities regardless of sex, marital status, colour, race, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or responsibilities to dependants. The principal criteria for selecting a person for a particular job shall be a person’s ability and the job’s requirements. All disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for short-listing will be offered an interview.

FEBRUARY 2020

This diagram summarises the current senior staff structure in terms of line management (but not necessarily seniority).