The Old Laundry Theatre is a 260 seat theatre-in-the-round, 190 thrust format theatre situated in Bowness-on-Windermere, and a thriving cultural hub for residents and visitors to the Lake District. Over the past three decades, the Old Laundry has welcomed a host of famous names from Alan Carr and Bill Bailey to Victoria Wood and Griff Rhys-Jones. Husband and wife Roger Glossop and Charlotte Scott name one of the country’s most famous playwrights as the inspiration behind the theatre’s creation: “We wouldn’t be where we are now without Alan Ayckbourn’s support, he gave us the confidence to open the theatre and its success is down to him”.
Over the years the Theatre has been supported by Trustees including Victoria Wood, Griff Rhys Jones, Alan Rickman and Alan Ayckbourn, who were all instrumental in bringing the most prestigious theatre companies and artists to Cumbria to perform in the intimate venue.
The theatre regularly hosts Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s latest play on its world premier tour straight from Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre. Classical music, folk music, comedy and film are also part of the annual programme of events creating a lively and professional season.
Find out more about how a Theatre was created from an old laundry.
