Kelli is getting ready for her hot blind date with her perfect man and a lesbian shows up at the door. What starts off as a comedically awkward misencounter turns into a heartfelt conversation exploring what it is to be a woman and navigating relationships in a modern world.
RESET!
13 MAY | 7PM | RONDO THEATRE | £5 / £3
As a performance ends, the stage remains empty, lifeless and without purpose until the next show begins. The same is true for our actors, our dancers and our performers.
No lines to run, no choreography to learn and no audience to amuse.
How does one exist in this space?
Written and presented by Paddy King, with support from András Gönczöl - Creative Assistant.
BERTIE HODD: DAD JOKES
13 MAY | 9PM | RONDO THEATRE | £5
Chuck the sudoku and the gender binary aside and join award-winning drag-king Dad for a queer reparenting extravaganza, fusing clown, drag and cabaret. Through the lens of toast, cycling jokes and Radio 4, Dad Jokes takes you on a coming-of-middle-age story about one regular dad's attempt to understand his queer child. Expect lectures in lesbianism, hymns on housework and a much needed visit from Mummy.
Bertie Hodd is a multi-skilled hyper-hyphenated performer and live artist working across comedy, drag, theatre, clowning, directing and producing. Bertie likes to make work that is inherently stupid and surprisingly resonant and always, full of heart.
Writer & Performer - Bertie Hodd
Dramaturgy - Rosa Garland, Riss Obolensky, Annie North & Maddie Ross
COMEDYDOUBLEBILL:
14 MAY | 7PM | RONDO THEATRE | £5 / £3
Thank God It’s Not You
How many bad dates have you been on? You will be saying thank god it’s not me when you hear my horror stories!
Written by Olivia Baglow and Verity Manley
Directed and performed by Olivia Baglow
When I Kissed the Teacher
A story about a student teacher affair and the experience of being in that relationship. A lighthearted story with darker undertones. Created and Performed by Fenella Parkinson
BURN AND TURN
15 MAY | 7PM | RONDO THEATRE | £5 / £3
Struggling writer Hayden reunites with his old university friend and former writing partner, Alex, for a long-overdue catch-up. What begins as a friendly reunion soon becomes a tense battle of wits, where buried secrets and old resentments rise to the surface. As the night unfolds, wounds reopen, betrayals emerge, and the lines between right and wrong blur. Faced with painful truths, Hayden and Alex must confront the weight of their past and the choices that shaped them. In the end, they must decide whether their friendship can be salvaged—or if some debts are destined to remain unpaid forever.
Written by Alex Black and Hayden Betts. Presented by Bett on Black Productions
16 MAY | 7PM | RONDO THEATRE | £9 / £7
Party Pooper
Cupcakes and closure. Rob is the man! An expert in relationships… except his own. What will he do when he finds himself hosting his ex’s birthday party?
Created and presented by Ross Corbett. Supported by EMERGE. Many thanks to Charlie Day.
UTI
Oh look, another woman making a show about their vagina! Follow Shaunna through a fever dream of fannies, thrush and freaky nurses, with just a hint of oversharing.
Created and presented by Shaunna Monks. Directed by Eloise Grieve.
Talking Beds: Tales of a Chaotic Northern Poof! It’s back!!! In this autobiographical one-man show, Harry Bolton unapologetically lays his heart on his sleeve and his knickers on the floor.
Created and presented by Harry Bolton.
2pm The Space Between
THIRD SPACE 2025: THE ANNUAL DANCE DEGREE SHOWS
13 - 15 MAY | FROM 2PM EACH DAY UNIVERSITY THEATRE, NEWTON PARK CAMPUS ALL EVENTS FREE TO ATTEND, NO BOOKING REQUIRED
Welcome to Third Space 2025. This three-day event is a celebration of the rich imaginations of this year’s graduating dance artists from BA Dance at Bath Spa University. Third Space offers an opportunity for audiences to experience a range of new works including solo performance, ensemble work, and live performance which interact with cutting-edge digital technologies. In addition to the final year thesis works this year’s programme also includes a newly commissioned piece by Kay Crook and work from our BSU dance alumni.
A solo choreographed and performed by Claudine Antaki
A moment stretches, a movement lingers, and the edges of time seem to blur. This piece explores the quiet pull of attention—how focusing on something small can shift everything around it. As patterns unfold and dissolve, a sense of ease emerges, inviting the mind to drift, to settle, to simply be.
2.45pm Roya
Choreographed and performed by Fatemeh Sherafat Vaziri in collaboration with Issy Buckle, Brooke Morley, Becca Chudley and Clodagh Phillips
Do you want to dive into the realm of dreams where your current day-to-day life collides with your deep memories? This piece invites you into a performance that captures and explores the surreal, distorted elements of dream worlds.
3.30pm Cadence of Memory
Directed and performed by Rosie Greenwood in collaboration with Amber Smith, Heather White, Olivia Demetriou and Olivia Windus
The body holds what the mind was taught to overlook. Memories resurface, no longer shaped by deception. What once felt like love is seen for what it was.
A journey through shifting stages of self—enduring, encountering, and unravelling the grip of narcissism.
This is a reckoning. A reclamation. A liberation. This dance-theatre work explores themes of narcissistic abuse intended for adult audiences.Viewer discretion is advised.
4.15pm Tracks of Strangers
Choreographed, directed and performed by Kathryn Scott. Co-created by Izzy Partridge, Esme DunnCrowley, Beau Norris and Mia Neri.
Sonder: The profound feeling of realising that each random passer-by has a life as vivid and complex as your own – John Koenig.
This dance investigates Koenig’s neologism, exploring the pivotal moment where sonder can be experienced, transforming the setting of an underground train into an isolated reality where interconnection is crucial. The choreography encourages the acknowledgement of the unseen lives that continually surround us, and the effervescent possibility of interweaving people’s stories.
2pm Year 1 Performance Project
Choreographed by Kay Crook (Chhaya Collective)
This newly commissioned work is inspired by the repertoire of the Chhaya Collective. The first years worked with choreographer Kay Crook over an intensive period as part of their first Performance Project module.
2.30pm Sotto Voce
Choreographed and performed by Megan Lages in collaboration with Esme Dunn-Crowley, Sophia Buhl, Lily Spears and Claudine Antaki
Silence is survival. Trapped in a world of violence and control, the women of the Italian Mafia have no way out. Used, discarded and unseen, they live on the edge of fear, bounded by Ometrà – a silence they dare not break. Step inside their world – where every move is a risk, and every breath could be their last.
3.15pm Hidden in Plain Sight
Choreographed and performed by Mia Southby in collaboration with Gracie Longshaw and Grace Hooper. Is there another explanation for the behaviours we see in some young women today?
4.00pm Worn to Waste
Choreographed, directed and performed by Lucy Davis in collaboration with Rosie Greenwood, Heather White, and Katie Lane
How long can we continue to weave a world built on fast fashion before the fabric of our environment begins to unravel? Worn to Waste follows the destructive cycle of fast fashion, where the hunger for more leads to a constant churn of waste and pollution. This work serves as a powerful reminder of the need to be conscious of our role in this continuance and to change our consumer habits.
SparkFest hosts a huge range of live performances, but did you know....?
SparkFest is the largest and most ambitious project produced by Bath Spa Productions.
This five week-long, annual festival celebrates the breadth of creative work emerging from the students, staff and alumni of Bath School of Music and Performing Arts. SparkFest acts as both a celebration and a springboard for the artistic talent of all who participate.
SparkFest's ethos is to promote connection throughout our community, across disciplines, locations and generations, whilst also championing creativity's cruciality in the maintenance of wellbeing. These guiding principles manifest through all of our work, driven by our commitment to the development and nurturing of new talent, including early career creatives, practitioners and researchers.
Therefore, throughout SparkFest we complement our performance events with a range of workshops, panel events and talks, offering experiences that bring our communities together, enhance the skills of early career professionals and stimulate both debates and new knowledge.
Examples of these, and how you can get involved, are on the next page...
Our suite of Artist Development & Support initiatives designed to carry creative ideas onward into your professional journeys:
BATH SPA RESIDENCIES
Paid opportunities for recent graduates and alumni to immerse themselves in live projects. With dedicated time, space and one-to-one mentorship, residents can experiment boldly, refine their practice and forge new directions within a professional environment.
INDUSTRY WORKSHOPS & TALKS
A dynamic programme of masterclasses, workshops and panel discussions led by seasoned industry professionals These sessions aim to equip participants and early-stage creatives with practical tools, vital networks and the confidence to navigate their careers with clarity. View the full programme of workshops and talks at www.sparkfest.co.uk
SPARKFEST RISING
Our work-in-progress showcase invites emerging artists to test new ideas live. Presented in partnership with EMERGE, SparkFest Rising offers fresh collaborations and helps shape early-stage projects, with a platform to share new ideas to a fresh new audience.
Find out more at www.sparkfest.co.uk
EMERGE
More than a studio, EMERGE is a vibrant, multidisciplinary creative hub for Bath Spa University alumni. Offering workspace, resources and a community of peers, it’s both the birthplace of many SparkFest projects and a yearround catalyst for new artistic ventures. For more info, search ‘EMERGE at Bath Spa’
NEWSPARKS
An artist-funding initiative powered by the generosity of our audiences. A portion of every ticket sale feeds into a grants pot, open to recent graduates to support rehearsal costs, equipment hire or research and development for their next creative endeavour.
Find out more at www.sparkfest.co.uk/newsparks
THESE BEAUTIFUL THINGS 001
2 MAY | 7PM | BURDALL’S YARD | FREE
An exhibition/performance of Visual- Music from graduating Commercial Music students. Work will include painting, film, mixed media, installations and augmented live performances.
A DEBT FOR ODETTE
16 MAY | 7PM
17 MAY | 2PM
MAIN HOUSE, NEWTON PARK CAMPUS | £5 / £3
It's a miserable evening when an intimate guest list of London’s wealthy and beautiful socialites arrive for a party. Our not-so-secretly hated host Odette keeps this party private by storing the guests' phones away until a timed lock releases them. Drinks are flowing, and conversations are getting heated. It all stands still when our host Odette is found dead. Until the phones are released, the group must stay and figure out how a murderer landed an invite. This is a party you’ll be dying to watch.
A Whodunnit written by Verity Francesca
Directed by Eva Mils
Produced by Forgone Conclusion
Music Composed by Jack Elston
HOT MESS
16 MAY | 7PM | BURDALL’S YARD | £5 / £3
Hot mess, written by Ella Hickson and performed by TYC Productions is a play that presents love, loneliness and courage in no other way than relatable. That complicated feeling of outgrowing childhood makes you question whether you hold on or if it’s time to let go. Twitch and Polo, born twins but only one heart. The two couldn't be any more different. Polo struggles to love and Twitch struggles to feel anything but. Watch the dynamic of the four friends in this dark, uncomfortable yet witty show.
Written by Ella Hickson.
Created by TYC Productions.
OCEAN OF STORMS
19 MAY | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Ocean of Storms weaves together disjointed and interconnected dialogue creating a visually provocative piece of theatre that explores ideas of space home proximity and intimacy
Lone figures and disembodied voices fill the space acting as witnesses, listening in, and trying to make sense of a disconnected world…
searching for a small girl lost in a city guiding an astronaut back home observing a world that feels increasingly fragmented
Written by Stan's Cafe Performed by Second-Year Drama Students
In collaboration with Bath Medical Museum, this event will feature a series of short talks exploring the many ways we sense and experience water. Through soundscapes, scents, and tastings the audience will discover how geography and environmental conditions shape water’s sensory qualities. The event will also explore the health benefits of water and geothermal spas.
Created by Lori Bystrom.
Presented by Roger Rolls (Bath Medical Museum), Mathew Jones (Wessex Water), Tracey Lewarne (Senior Lecturer in Human Nutrition), Natasha Child (BSU alumni - MA Environmental Humanities), Joolz Thornton (BSU alumni- Creative Music Technology).
Sounds recorded/created by Natasha Child and Joolz Thornton
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
20 MAY | 7PM | AN.G01, NEWTON PARK CAMPUS | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Music, dance and poetry students collaborate to produce new work around the theme of supply and demand in global food systems. Reflecting on aspects of growth, consumption, process and environmental contexts, the work explores our relationship to future food solutions and the challenges we face. The project has been developed by second year students exploring current research in food futures to develop their creative practice in an interdisciplinary way.
ALLES IST GUT
20 MAY | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
A dazzling nightmare in cabaret form, Alles Ist Gut dissects femininity and masculinity with dark humour, grotesque spectacle, and unsettling intimacy.
Inspired by Woyzeck, this bold reimagining blends satire and surrealism to expose the absurdity of gender expectations, the dangers of toxic masculinity, and the violence lurking beneath “all is well”.
The audience becomes both spectator and participant in a world where power shifts unpredictably, laughter turns to unease, and the lines between performance and reality blur. A provocative, immersive experience that demands: if alles ist gut, why does it feel so wrong?
Devised and performed by Second-Year Drama Students. Inspired by Woyzeck by Georg Büchner
An evening of musical performance featuring students from BSU Creative Music Technology course. Expect extended sonics and genre bending as we present a glimpse into the future of live electronic performance.
Created and presented by Students of Creative Music Technology
THREE SISTERS
21 MAY | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
This post-dramatic, post-truth retelling of Chekhov’s classic takes a wry look at a canonical text and asks how and why we should be performing these characters anyway. In an era dominated by events in Ukraine, we consider the best way to approach a Russian play. Can we say anything useful, has it all been said before, or are we being too careful? Reflecting on women in war and the pity exploited by the media, we may or may not also tell the story of some imaginary sisters created by a dead white man.
After Chekhov - Presented by Second Year Drama Students
CHIMES VARIETY NIGHT
22 MAY | 6PM | BURDALL'S YARD | £5 / £3
Chimes presents the best of local talent! Expect everything from spoken word to theatre to music and so much more! This will be a night of celebration for performance artists of all kinds so come along, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
Created and presented by Chimes Spoken Word Poetry Team. We will be joined by various performers & companies, please check the SparkFest website or @chimes.poetry.night on Instagram for performer announcements.
WELDON RISING
22 MAY | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED Is there any humanity at the end of the world?
Weldon rising enters the apocalyptic world of 90’s New York. A harrowing heat wave hits Brooklyn. The world is crumbling, and so it appears that are the lives of four alienated people after witnessing a murder. Melting bodies stick to one another seeking the courage to exist. In the shadow of violence, queer resistance refuses to be silenced.
FRANKENSTEIN(SHORTVERSION)
22 MAY | 9PM | BURDALL’S YARD | £5 / £3
“It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils.”
A tale to curdle the blood and quicken the beatings of the heart. This adaptation by Thomas Baxter sets out to be as close as possible to Mary Shelly's original book. We will journey to some of the most famous scenes of the novel, witness the realisation of Victor Frankenstein as the creature he has created turns from his insatiable dream to a terror that will haunt him forever.
Created by Thomas Baxter. Presented by Thomas Baxter and Josh Moore Company: Pretender Productions
EARTH WORKS
23 MAY | 6PM | NEWTON PARK CAMPUS, MEETING POINT SENT TO TICKET HOLDERS, FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Students from MA Dance, Music and Fine Art collaborate in response to the beautiful grounds of the Newton Park Campus to bring you a series of new sited performances. This promenade event features student work exploring elements of site, sound, rhythm and aesthetics that are found in nature, alongside a cocreated work with professional choreographer Sivan Rubinstein.
LAZY ON THE LAWN
Join us on the back lawn of the Holburne Museum for an exciting gathering of music and performance delights. It's an afternoon of vibrant tunes and family fun, guaranteed to captivate all who wander through the garden. SparkFest promises an exhilarating afternoon of free music and entertainment set amidst Bath's historic pleasure gardens, so grab your picnic gear and get ready for an afternoon of delightful mellow music.
BLUNDERBUSS
24 MAY | 7PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | £8.50 / £5
Why play it safe on a Saturday night? Why accept the predictable when you could embrace the absurd? Why settle for ordinary when you could have Blunderbuss?
Running Duck Productions presents a sketch show that doesn’t just break the rules, it forgets they ever existed. This is comedy in its most witty, relentless and down-right weird form. Will it challenge your expectations? Yes. Will it make you laugh? Almost certainly. Will it change the course of history? Look, let’s not rule it out. The stage is set, the chaos is pending. Step forward, take a deep breath, and brace yourselves.
Presented by Running Duck Productions with additional direction by Ethan Salvidge - runningduckproductions.co.uk
THE 39 STEPS
24 MAY | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Richard Hannay, a seemingly ordinary man, finds himself entangled in a thrilling spy chase. Framed for a murder he didn’t commit, he is pursued by both police and a shadowy organisation of spies. A suspenseful thriller filled with, daring escapes, romantic encounters and ghastly murders.
Written
by Patrick Barlow, Alfred Hitchcock. Presented by Third Year Drama Students.
SUZI
MACGREGOR & LIVE BAND (FEAT. THE ACTORS' CHOIR)
24 MAY | 8PM | BURDALL'S YARD | £7 / £3
Suzi MacGregor is a Bristol-based vocalist & multiinstrumentalist with a knack for classic songcraft, imbuing her music with a sense of timelessness. She blends the ambitious folk melodies of Laurel Canyon with a more modern pop sensibility, spaciously delivered with gospel-infused grooves. This evening she will be joined by her band, and The Actors' Choir from BSU where she is a Teaching Fellow in Singing. Expect an evening full of soulful music - songs that are full of stories and places, quiet corners and elegant fury. Suzi’s debut album ‘Peregrina’ is due later this year on Bristol's DIY alt/folk label Cuculi Records.
By Suzi
MacGregor, BSU Teaching Fellow, featuring the Actors' Choir. Photo by James Koch (The Gallimaufry)
SPARKFEST RISING
24 MAY | 9PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
An evening of new writing, emerging developments, and explorative ideas across creative disciplines. The evening will present work-in-progress sharings as artists generate creative ideas and test new work. It's all about creativity in action, sparking developing ideas!
For full event details, head to www.sparkfest.co.uk
LEAVINGISHARD
25 MAY | 7PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | £8 / £6
A one-woman feminist play, dealing with domestic abuse. Drawing inspiration from a real tragedy in Sweden, where the play is set.
Thea, excited to graduate and start to live her own life. Dancing, partying, imagining her dream dress, cute boys, whilst dealing with family and society’s expectations. But her relationship with her boyfriend reveals a more dark part of life.
How do you fix something that’s broken? Love shouldn’t hurt. But…
Leaving is hard.
The play invites a space for conversation about domestic abuse. We need to address it, with our sons, our daughters, our friends, our parents, with everyone.
Created and Performed by Siri Bolin. Assistant Director, Owen Damsell. Soundscape and Music by Anna Ryan.
SITCOM SCREENING
25 MAY | 9PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Join us for an evening of short sitcoms from graduating students of BA Acting. The final year students have been tasked with exploring the collaborative process of creating original material for their Sitcom projects and interpreting text for short extracts of recorded media.
GHOST OF YOU
TAKING PLACE AT
26 MAY | 7PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
They’re not gone. Denial. Leave me alone. Anger. If you come back, I’ll do better. Bargaining. What’s the point? Depression. You’ll be ok. Acceptance.
Inspired by the song by 5 Seconds of Summer, Ghost Of You explores the 5 stages of grief following the lives of Milo Archibald and Geneive Wilson. What do you do when the only thing you have left is your grief?
Written by Demelza Burton. Presented by Joe Peterson and Amye Nicole Sullivan.
LUCKY AND SHAFT: THE DEATH OF DENNIS BASH
27 MAY | 9PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
Lucky Lawrence thought he had seen it all. Until he saw his boss lying dead in a dirty alleyway. Now, forced to team up with the naïve Wallace Shaft for their biggest case yet, the unlikely pair will have to put aside their differences and find out who committed such a heinous crime. As the evidence piles up and time runs out, will they be able to work together to solve the puzzle, or will the twists and turns of this gruesome case tear the two apart?
Silly and bizarre, Lucky and Shaft: The Death of Dennis Bash follows two incompetent detectives as they scramble through a twisted murder case. Their collective stupidity accidentally leading them in the right direction.
Created and presented by George Marshall, Kobe Lynam &
DANCE AND VOICE
28 MAY | 7PM | THE EGG THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
A contemporary concert of dance and voice that features Kaleb Alvarez-Nava from Mexico City in a solo performance and a unique collaboration of MA students Eliora Huang, Chenxi Li and Baolin Xie that fuses acapella voice and improvised dance.
Presented by Music students at Bath Spa University
THE EGG THEATRE
I THINK I HATE ACTORS
28 MAY | 9PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
Roo Sutcliffe studied all her life to become an actor. She went to prestigious drama schools and was taught by renowned practitioners. Her conclusion? Actors are awful. All of them. So, in an act of ironic ire, Roo has used what’s she learnt to produce a piece of theatre about hating theatre. To use her acting prowess to make all actors very cross. She will loudly, boldly and unapologetically call out all the absurdities of the industry. But importantly, she will call it out using her diaphragm.
Created and presented by Roo Sutcliffe
SCRIPTUP
29 MAY | 6PM
An event celebrating new theatre writing.
ProducerWorks presents an explosion of brand-new theatre scripts. We have given writers the space to explore their creative ideas and a platform for their voice to be heard. This evening of original works promises to be an exciting and dynamic event as we watch the creatives of tomorrow’s voices rise up!
ANNE
30 MAY | 7PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
She is being haunted. The lady with no head simply won’t leave her alone. He has had enough of it. These women and their silly delusions, am I right? But perhaps the lady with no head is trying to tell her something. Maybe the dreams and visions that seem to take up more and more of her reality aren’t something to be disregarded. What if; ‘history repeats itself’ is a phrase that should be taken literally?
Created by Madeleine-Grace Brown
Presented by Wax Wings Theatre Company
Directed by Amye Nicole Sullivan
Produced by Eva O'Reilly
THE HOUSE OF BERNADA ALBA
26 MAY | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Written by Spanish playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, the House of Bernarda Alba is an all woman play following strong characters who endure numerous strife, collide and collude in the most unexpected of ways. As five women come into themselves for the first time, they push the boundaries that their Mother has built.
Haunted by their muddied past, this tight-knit family grows colder and distant, only days into their father’s mourning. Lust, love, loss, these walls have bared witness to it all, but as the summer scorches on the tension rises alongside the weather.
Writen
by Federico García
Lorca, Rona Munro
Edition/ rights: Concord Theatricals
Presented by BA Drama Students - full credits available online
THE WILD MUSE EXHIBITION
27 MAY - 30 MAY | VARIOUS TIMES | NEWTON PARK CAMPUS, COMMONS ATRIUM | FREE, NO BOOKING REQUIRED
This exhibition showcases the work of Wildlife Conservation students on the Wild Muse and Wildlife Photography modules. Varied work responding to themes of nature, wildlife and conservation will be on display. Open access in Commons Atrium, all welcome.
SUMMER SERENADE
27 MAY | 7PM | ST SWITHIN'S WALCOT | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Celebrate the joys of summer as we present a delightful array of classical performances in a relaxed, unplugged setting. Enjoy the captivating sounds of piano, clarinet and voice all within a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Presented by Music students at Bath Spa University
S TO INSPIRATION
28 MAY | 11AM | MICHAEL TIPPETT CENTRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Join us for an immersive piano concert intended to spark creativity in young minds, featuring a mix of classical music, video game tunes, and anime themes. Enjoy immersive lighting, visual projections, puzzles, and a chance to explore the inside of a concert grand piano, all in a relaxed and casual setting at Bath Spa campus.
Presented by Music students at Bath Spa University
Wings and Whispers present a night of folk music inspired by the natural world… and a little bit of magic. Join the harp, voice, whistle and guitar for a journey through folk music from across the UK and America.
Presented by Music students at Bath Spa University
HANG MEN
29 MAY | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Hangmen, a Martin McDonagh play, is a darkly comic thriller set in 1965, just after the abolition of the death penalty in Britain. The play follows Harry Wade, a former executioner who now runs a pub, as he grapples with his fading relevance. When a mysterious stranger arrives, unsettling secrets and simmering tensions bubble to the surface. Known for his sharp wit and masterful storytelling, McDonagh crafts a gripping tale that blends humour with unease, exploring justice, morality, and ego.
Written by Martin Mcdonagh
Presented by Third-Year Bath Spa University Students
We are three female artists embracing our own sound and expressing our own identity through the music that we sing. With a tipple in hand, lounge on a bean bag and immerse yourself in an intimate session of acoustic covers and original compositions.
Presented by Music students at Bath Spa University
Join Tom, Matt & Louie for a night of explosive Jazz, Funk & Rock as they bring a mix of high-energy hits, deep grooves, and blazing solos! The night will open with Louie’s rich vocals, who will be taking a step into the rock genre after departing from his classical background. Next up is Matt who is doing a whistle stop tour of many genres with a heavy drum focus. He will be exploring the ideas of fast funk fusion with a blend of rock and alternative metal. Tom is finishing the night off with a blend of Jazz and Funk accompanied by a horn section to create an undeniably funky sound.
Presented by Music students at Bath Spa University
TOM DONOVAN, MATT ALECOCK-SMITH AND LOUIE
ARE YOU A CREATIVE ARTIST GRADUATING THIS YEAR?
WE’RE HERE TO HELP...
e run alongside our nces each year.
This opens up r funding to support
ummer - follow Bath r call outs and ng artists:
To help you with your career journey and development, the Bath Spa Grad Support Unit offers dedicated support for up to 15 months after graduation. Registering for an account means you’ll be the first to know about available support and initiatives including funding and freelance opportunities, graduate schemes, internships, coaching, and more - all to help you build your professional identity, develop your creative portfolio, and bridge the gap between university and industry.
We’d also encourage our music and performing arts graduates to take part in the Graduate Outcomes Survey, an annual survey to all UK graduates 15 months after course completion. The survey is a way to celebrate your creative success, provides your course with valuable insight into graduate career destinations, and supports the future development of Bath Spa’s programmes for current and future students. The survey will be emailed to you in September 2025 if you graduated in 2024, or September 2026 if you are graduating in 2025.
PARIS + JULIET
ALSO TAKING PLACE AT
30 MAY | 9PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
Hot take: Juliet is selfish and Romeo is a d**k.
Paris was supposed to be with Juliet. Paris is the real romantic hero. Paris is the most eligible bachelor in Verona.
In the follow up to his sell out, award nominated hit Rock Bottom, Charlie Day’s new solo show follows Paris as he journeys through sexy dances, big musical numbers and dead girlfriends. See the tragicomic story of Romeo and Juliet through the completely unbiased eyes of Juliet’s lost lover. Expect to be wooed, wowed and maybe a bit wounded.
This is Paris, not France.
Y31 MAY | 11AM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
Speedy is a puppet drama for families and children (7 years and under). It uses story telling and music to share the tale of a family feud and snail racing. What is the family secret? Will Speedy win the Championship? And can the brothers resolve their argument?
Debdo Adventures invites you to sing along and join in the
Presented by Debdo Adventures
Written and Produced by Debbie Clayton
Music by Tim Clayton
Directed by Sarah Clayton
ENGLAND AND SON
31 MAY | 1PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
A darkly funny and provocative tale of stolen youth, addiction and empire, told through the lens of a small boy who just wants his dad to smile at him and ruffle his hair.
Performed by Third Year BA Acting Student Dan Durant and directed by MA Directing student Laurie Nelson, Ed Edwards’ bold and hard-hitting one-man show promises to be a unforgettable journey through a man’s life, dealing with themes of crime, colonialism and family.
Written by Ed Edwards
Presented by Dan Durant and Laurie Nelson
THE EGG THEATRE
THE COST OF COURAGE
31 MAY | 4PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
A world where hope is a long-lost friend. The Cost of Courage is an actor-muso show about Hal, a smithy’s son who undertakes a treacherous journey to save his home from a great evil. Join us as he travels through the deep dark woods, the great lake and atop the tallest mountain. Will he win and break the spell, or fail and lose what matters most?
Created by Hector Nelson Smith and Chandler Sellwood
Presented by Hector Nelson Smith, Chandler Sellwood, Katie Sandilands, Joe Manasse & Annie Skinner
Songs written by Chandler Sellwood
THEEFFECT
31 MAY | 6:30PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
When Tristan and Connie volunteer for a clinical drug trial they instantly form a connection which sends the whole trial into a tailspin. A story about lust, confusion, and what lengths people will go to keep hold of the people they love.
Written by Lucy Prebble
Presented by Zac Whittaker, Maya Rose Lister, Harry Pitt, Abigail Battson, Emma Sheppard.
Music composed by Louis Spanton.
WE KNOW NOW SNOWMEN EXIST
31 MAY | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Five women. Five lives. Five distinct personalities harbouring deep-seated ghosts. What begins as an adventurous hike for charity soon turns into a death sentence for our female leads in Michael Spencer’s play, based on the mysterious Dyatlov Pass incident of 1959. Join Rachel, Hayley, Lisa, Chloe and Zoe in their final days spent confined to a tent; the only haven amidst dangerous circumstances.
FIVE LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE
1 JUNE | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Hello fellow widows, and welcome to 1956 where the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein gather for their annual quiche breakfast! But with their lives at threat, secrets unravel, and the true nature of their sisterhood is revealed. 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche is a satirical comedy that playfully explores identity, community, and the power of the EGG. Join Bath Spa University’s Third Year Drama students for an evening of laughter, surprises, and a taste of something truly forbidden. Will you dare to take a bite?
Written by Andrew Hobgood and Evan Linder Presented by Third-Year Drama Students, an ensemble led piece
SCENES WITH GIRLS
2 JUNE | 7:30PM | UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Tosh and Lou. Lou and Tosh.
One word, inseparable.
They're joined at the hip, each other's ride or die, etc. etc. Boys come and go, but friendship is for life! They're not the basic Lacoste Touch of Pink girls. And so what? The narrative is theirs. Love and each other is all they need! But the course of friendship never did run smooth.
Twenty-two episodes filled with talks of boys, sex, love and friendship.
A curated evening celebrating the highly original creative and technical work of the final year BA (Hons) Creative Music Technology Students at Bath Spa University.
Expect a diverse range of produced music, sound and composition, alongside multimedia screenings and small-scale installations. Audio post production for film, game sound and sonic performance.
Created and presented by Third Year Creative Music Technology Students
GOINGSOLO
6 JUNE | 4:30PM
7 JUNE | FROM 9:30AM UNIVERSITY THEATRE | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Are you on the eye out for exciting new work written by the future voices of our world?
Going Solo is the perfect sample into a diverse menu of oneperson short plays - written, directed and performed by Bath Spa University’s Third-Year Drama students.
Wet your appetite with a taste of joy, self-reflection, love, and tragedy. Seventeen fresh stories. Seventeen emerging playwrights and directors. A recent, riveting flavour of aspiring artists taking the spotlight—from the page to the stage. This is where you want to be.
THE BARNACLE MAN
ANOTHER WEEK OF EVENTS AT
1 JUNE | 12:30PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
“a hermit's life, forever long, looking for his next shell. A borrowed home, he’s all alone safe within his shell.”
When young, excitable and animal-loving Toby meets reserved and mysterious Bertie, They go on an unforgettable adventure below the waves. Meeting charismatic dolphins, glowing jellyfish and even the odd musical octopus. Learning about friendship, self-belief and belonging along the way.
A beautifully told tale of self-acceptance and embracing life's next adventure.
Created by Susie Beare; Presented by Fysdunctional Theatre Co. Actors: Josie Mae-Ross as 'Toby', Peter Holmes as 'Bertie', Phoebe Harris as 'Mum' and 'Katy', Stephanie Barnett as 'Kim' and 'Blue'. Designed by Josh Nicoll and Susie Beare, Music composed and performed by Alex Dover.
EVERY BRILLIANT THING
1 JUNE | 3:30PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
A young boy creates a list of brilliant things in life to attempt to help his mother, who struggles with depression. As the list grows, it highlights the beauty and joy found in everyday moments, from ice cream to the color yellow. It is a heartwarming and thoughtprovoking play that delves into the complexities of mental health and the human experience. It invites audiences to reflect on the importance of connection and the power of love in overcoming life's challenges and ultimately celebrates resilience and the little things that make life worth living.
Written by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe. Presented by Sam Vernon
THE DIVINE FEMININE
1 JUNE | 8PM | THE EGG THEATRE | £5 / £3
The Heels Dance Society presents The Divine Feminine! This society was made to empower and create a safe space for women. Here they have the space to find their inner goddess, falling in love with themselves through exploring sensual and empowering movements in an environment that’s judgement free and supportive. This showcase explores the female experience in society starting with the innocence of childhood being robbed by the sexualisation of women’s body’s, leading to feminine rage. A core theme of this piece is the power of coming together instead of being forced against each other in comparison.
Created by Holly Looker; Presented by The Heels Dance Society; Choreography by Holly Looker; Assistant Choreographer, Jess Macaulay; Music supervisor, Keya Usman; Director, Holly Looker; Assistant Director, Jess Macaulay
THE EGG THEATRE
WOMEN, BEWARE THE DEVIL
5 JUNE | 7PM
6 JUNE | 7PM
7 JUNE | 2PM
THE EGG THEATRE | £8 / £5
England, 1640. A war is brewing. Rumours are flying. A household is in crisis. And the Devil’s having some fun.
Lady Elizabeth will stop at nothing to secure her family’s legacy and ancestral home. When that legacy is threatened, she adopts the help from a young servant who is whispered to be a witch. But bargains made in the shadows come at a cost, as the web of lies tightens…
Embark on a world of power, passion and betrayal in Women, Beware the Devil – a gripping tale full of treachery and trickery.
Presented by Bath Spa Productions; a collaboration between graduating Acting and Theatre, Festival and Event Production students, directed by Emma Earl.
This production contains death, violence (including sexual violence), self-harm, guns, scenes of a sexual nature, strong language and the use of blood.
Copyright by Lulu Raczka, copyright agent: Jessica Stewart of Independent Talent Group Ltd, 40 Whitfield Street, London W1T 2RH.
A WEEKEND AT...
AUDIO DRAMA SHARING
7 JUNE | 4PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Embark on a journey with these four new audio dramas, brought to you by a selection of third-year BA Acting students for their ‘Acting For Microphone’ module.
We will present the following Audio Dramas: Mother figure reimagined Welcome to our Village, Please Invade Carefully Memory of Water
Frederick J Prescott
SPILLING THE ESPRESSO ON INTERSECTIONALITY
7 JUNE | 7:30PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | £5 / £3
Intersectionality. A big word accompanied by sterile dictionary definitions that eliminate lived experience. Identity. How does one's core sit in an everchanging world?
Unpicking what it looks like when nationality, queerness, and a creative mind begin to entwine and dissect one another. Reflecting on how despite growing up in one country, your food and traditions were an untold story. Also how many signs did it take before I realised I was a lesbian?!
Weaving spoken word with theatre, this is a story filled with heart, humour, and theorising.
Created by Manganaro. Presented by Final Year Creative Writing Student.
CASTLE OF CARDS
7 JUNE | 9PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | £5 / £3
Come along to a 45-minute crash course on the Carpathia’s surliest nation! The year is 2025. The Hungarian national team is stacked with fresh talent. Sziget Festival announces Justice as headliners. For András the emigrant, being Hungarian maybe isn’t so bad after all. But then, in a wholly unsurprising twist, the Glorious Leader bans Pride Parades. And gender theory. And press freedom. Disheartened, András turns to three unlikely heroes for guidance; long-dead author Mihály Babits, the rap group Bëlga, and footballer Dominik Szoboszlai.
Directed by Rhys Myhill (Greedy Pig Theatre Company). Written and performed by András Gönczöl (Natural Theatre Company).
WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB
DANCE TRIPLE BILL:
TOUCH ME, PHANTASM & I LOVE MY JOB... NO REALLY
8 JUNE | 3:30PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | £5 / £3
Join a selection of BSU Dance graduates for an exciting triple bill of dance works.
Touch Me - Live Performance
Presented by Ruisi Rose Zhang. An open and immersive installation. This interactive performance welcomes you into a world of touch: we invite curiosity in this vibrant and mysterious world.
How does one engage with others? How do you become intimate with someone? How will you guard your inner and physical boundaries? Join us as we look to explore these questions through movement and a variety of methods of touch.
Phantasm - Screendance
Presented by Lior Hutchings and Kat Willrett. Enter, if you dare! Artistic duo Lior Borochov Hutchings and Kat Willrett invite you to witness their world of the weird and wonderful, bizarre and bemusing in this surreal dance work. Watch fantastical scenes unfold through the eyes of peculiar characters, set against the gritty backdrop of urban Berlin.
Bursting with movement, music and striking visuals, “Phantasm” leans into theatrical absurdity and queer aesthetics to explore the tensions between monotony and whimsy, and the notion of existing as an “other”. Taboos within ourselves, feelings of alienation - curious, unapologetic and oftentimes humorous, this work breaks boundaries and basks in its weirdness. With fantastical characters and poetic visuals, “Phatasm” explores otherness, alienation and taboos. Curious, unapologetic and oftentimes humorous, this work breaks boundaries and basks in its weirdness.
I Love My Job... No Really - Screendance
Presented by Lucy Hopkins and Neel Patel. I love my job… no, really. I love it. I love making coffee, I love chatting with customers, I love running around for 9 hours straight. I love getting home, and wondering what I’m doing with my life. I love having no time for myself, I love having no mental energy left to be creative. I love applying for projects and auditions, and only receiving rejections, or better yet, radio silence. I love that the government has stripped away funding for the arts, and the debt I’ve put myself into to pursue two degrees in dance. I love my job.
BREAKTHROUGH: DIGITAL/LIVE DANCE VARIETY EVENT
EVEN MORE AT...
8 JUNE | 5:30PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Featuring a selection of Bath Spa University BA, MA and PhD dance students and graduates, BREAKTHROUGH promises to be an exciting evening of live and digital dance pieces. This event celebrates the breadth of talent and creativity emerging from the dance department at BSU.
again, again - Callum Anderson & Louis Green Funded by the Dancing Otherwise Network, again, again is bought to you by postgraduate researchers Callum Anderson and Louis Green. This work shares a mid-process insight into Callum and Louis’ current research endeavour, investigating how both digital and dance spaces serve as safe meeting places for queer individuals.
The Fifth Face - Madhura Gokarn
There is the face we show, the face we hide, the face we create, and the face we fear. But what lies beyond them all? The Fifth Face explores the unseen, the unspoken, and the in-between—a dance of masks, mirrors, and moments where identity fractures and reforms. Blending movement with mime, this performance unveils the delicate balance between protection and pretense, asking: When all the filters fade, what remains?
About the journey of my life - Ray Su
This film is the result of four consecutive years of chasing and unfair treatment that I have experienced. Decided to return to my hometown, which I had left for ten years, to heal my inner wounds. When there was no audience, it made me stand in nature, when there was no dance, it made me stand in front of the camera.
Party - Ray Su
Surrounded by love - Ray Su
This story is about the pain and helplessness of women living with domestic violence. It comes from the director's real life experience of feeling the heaviness of a love. So by expressing this emotion through a dance film, we also want to give women the strength to be brave and protect ourselves in the face of pain. find belonging, separation and transformation within a group.
As we continue to grow, family and friends continue to leave. Gatherings are a sign of our good and regrettable times. It's worth making sure that leaving isn't scary, forgetting is. You have given me stories that I will always treasure deep inside.Please don't forget.onging, separation and transformation within a group.
Gather. Combine. Leave - Inton
Combine game mechanics with contemporary dance. This piece explores the theme of how individuals find belonging, separation and transformation within a group.
Sorry, I Zoned Out - Divija Melally
A screendance about how we have the ability as human beings to escape the present, even for a moment, and live in our minds, trying to envision better or worse scenarios. The film alternates between two abstract worlds and many voices. The past and the future diminish the present, and reality is obscured by daydreams.
WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB
INDEPENDENT DIGITAL COLLECTION
8 JUNE | 7PM | WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB | FREE, BOOKING REQUIRED
Join us for an evening of short film screenings and digital productions by graduating students and alumni of Bath Spa University’s performing arts courses.
Students have reimagined texts and created entirely new works, exploring creative collaborations along the way. Meanwhile, our alumni are using digital media to tell their stories in innovative and fresh ways. Come and experience a showcase of genuine talent and creativity.
The Visit
Trans(cendence)
Based on a true story, Trans(cendence) is a one-man show in the form of a video diary or series of vlogs, presented with a multitude of themes and various different artistic touches. This experimental, autobiographical short film documents and dramatises the transition and life story of a transgender person across several years, from a personal perspective. Bill Michos invites the audience on a symbolic, atmospheric journey of mental and physical hardship, gender realisation, and self-discovery, where the location itself is the main metaphor.
If you were left alone on life's journey, where would you go? who would you turn to? For David it's his happy place, to find solace with the only people he has left. Will they be able to help fill the gap and help him move forward with his life?
The Yellow Wallpaper
“I would say a haunted house- but that would be asking too much of fate ! Still, I will proudly declare that there is something queer about it…”
Struggling with the loss of her child, a woman is moved by her husband out to a mellow country house…it is abandoned, isolated and quiet…very quiet infact, however the one thing that has remained standing in the house, is just one room of yellow wallpaper, a very putrid, vile yellow nothing anyone would want to look at. But as the woman starred at that wall day after day, she found it began starring back.
The Murder of Crows
A crow, alone and injured, faces the brutal threat of mankind in the form of two sinister farmers. To hunt and be hunted. Nature is on the run in this composed short horror film, written and directed by Bath Spa graduate Annabelle Bridgen.
The Party's Over
When we leave our childhood homes and slowly turn into young adults we all slowly start to realise the party of youth must some day end. For Makayla (Gemma Fitzwilliams) Jake (Thomas Baxter) and Noah (Hector Nelson-Smith) it's today, and they must face the future without each other?
Wickham and I
Dearest reader, the youngest member of the Darcys, Miss Georgiana, is preparing to make her societal debut. The Darcys have planned one final ball for her at Pemberely to which you are cordially invited…
Five years after seeing her brother marry for love, Georgiana is expected to make her London debut and find a husband for life. But when the Darcys hold a ball, an unexpected guest propels her into emotions she was convinced she had left behind. As Georgiana comes face to face with the truth, she is confronted with a decisionfollow her head or follow her heart?
A WEEKEND OF SHAKESPEARE
ROMEO AND JULIET
A DIRECTOR’S CUT
12 JUNE | 7PM
14 JUNE | 4PM
UNIVERSTIY THEATRE | £5 / £3
A pair of star-crossed lovers, two households at war, a series of tragic incidents.
This legendary tale of love and death told through the innocent eyes of passionate youth is given new life in this modern retelling. We follow two young lovers from feuding families whose forbidden romance leads to heartbreak and devastation.
Presented by second year Acting students at Bath Spa University, directed by Sita Calvert - Ennals with original sound design and composition by Duncan Speakman.
TWELFTH NIGHT
A DIRECTOR’S CUT
13 JUNE | 7PM
14 JUNE | 1PM
UNIVERSTIY THEATRE | £5 / £3
On Twelfth Night anything can happen…gender swaps, love, dancing… Orsina loves Olivia, Viola loves Orsina, Malvolio loves Olivia, Olivia loves Viola…what will become of them all? This is a play about how humans search for light and love in the darkness, and in this production we promise fun and pathos in equal measure…!
Presented by second-year Acting students at Bath Spa University, directed by Carol Fairlamb with original sound design and composition by Duncan Speakman.
