Made with Xara Web Designer Keswick Amateur Operatic Society In the autumn of 1971 a meeting was called at Lairthwaite School (later to become part of the new Keswick School) to discuss the formation of an amateur operatic society in Keswick. The meeting resulted in a decision to found such a Society and to present, as the first production, Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘HMS Pinafore’. Despite the enthusiasm of the members, the new Society was only able to present a concert version of the opera in the Queen’s Hall, Lairthwaite School, since there were not enough male members to cast a full production. The group of twenty- one members were happy to co-operate with another small group in Cockermouth, The Cumbrian Operatic Workshop, in the production of an original work, ‘Song of Bethlehem’ with words by Colin Fleming and musical score by Martin Bott, the Society’s first Musical Director. Thus began a series of five successful collaborations in writing musical works between Colin and Martin performed by the Society. All were, indeed, world premieres ! Although ‘Song of Bethlehem’ was a great success and succeeded in attracting more members, the fledging Society still did not have enough male members to stage a production themselves. This situation was resolved however when Colin and Martin asked the Society to produce another original work, ‘Samson’, based on Milton’s poem ‘Samson Agonistes’ and presented with the help of The Keswick Theatre Club. The production resulted in yet more members joining the Society. The Society became known as a ‘Do it Yourself’ Society, designing and constructing their own sets and making their own costumes. The size restrictions of the Queen’s Hall stage made hiring sets difficult. With an increase in membership, the Society opted to present another Fleming and Bott number, 'The Magic Rocking Chair’, for the first production in ‘The Century Theatre’, the once-mobile Theatre sited on the Lakeside car park. This ‘fantasy in three acts’ was the Society’s first production of its very own and proved to be the Society’s greatest success yet. Having gained a sufficient number of male singers, the Society decided to produce a Gilbert & Sullivan opera, 'The Gondoliers’, in 1977. This was the second production in the ‘Century Theatre’ in one year. The Society now became regular users of the ‘Century Theatre’ for productions and, since we were to perform ahead of the professional ‘Summer Season’, the members had several weeks to make the sets for the productions. For many members, this aspect of the Society’s activities was regarded in terms of enjoyment as equal to appearing on the stage ! The ‘Century Theatre’, known affectionately as 'The Blue Box Theatre’, had by its very presence over a long period stimulated local opinion in favour of building a new theatre in Keswick to serve the town and the region. The Amateur Operatic Society and individual members were involved in promoting the idea, and produced ‘A New Opera for a New Theatre', 'The Queen of Thieves', as a fundraiser. Again, this work was another collaboration between Martin Bott and Colin Fleming. The Society produced a total of seventeen shows in ‘The Blue Box’. Other venues for performances were Braithwaite Institute, with the Society’s second production of 'The Merry Widow' in 1994 (when the ‘Blue Box’ was being refurbished), and again in 1997 and at the Rawnsley Centre in 1998 and 1999, in the interregnum between the departure of ‘The Century Theatre’ to Snibston and the opening of ‘Theatre by the Lake’. To date, the Society has presented twelve productions in the new theatre. As the years passed by the Society went from strength to strength, presenting a wide variety of shows ranging from Gilbert & Sullivan operas through pre and post war musicals. The Society’s desire to construct their own sets and design their own costumes remained a priority. The campaign to build a new theatre in Keswick, with its setbacks and successes, is another story. But, the Society's fund- raising efforts in bringing about the creation of a new theatre has been recognised at ‘Theatre by the Lake’ in the naming of a dressing room, 'The Keswick Amateur Operatic Society Room’. The Society now performs in the ‘Theatre by the Lake’, with its vastly superior facilities – but we still remember with affection our productions in the Queen’s Hall, the Braithwaite Institute and ‘The Century Theatre’. In 1992 the Society celebrated its twenty-first anniversary, when the remaining six active Founder Members were presented with commemorative coasters. Now in its thirty-eighth year, the Society, which is proud to present ‘amateur shows in a professional manner’, to their best of their ability, looks forward to even more successes, creating enjoyment for both audiences and players in the second millennium. Brian Wilkinson July 2000