Bath Spa SparkFest - May to June 2018

12 MAY – 2 JUNE 2018

THE BEST OF BATH SPA THEATRE | MUSIC | DANCE

Welcome to

T

hrough the University’s partnership with Bath Festival we are delighted to provide an excellent addition to the main festival programme. SparkFest appeals directly to the ideas of words and music, original work and engaging with youth that are at the heart of Bath Festival, but also at the heart of everything we do as a university.

SparkFest offers you an exciting alternative programme of shorter pieces that will fit in and around your festival time. Many of the shows are original works, and all of them created by the next generation of music and performance makers. So somewhere between attending a talk with a great writer or an amazing concert with world class musicians, why not spend 30-60 minutes with something new.

As SparkFest grows, we know you will find an ever-growing number of performances and experiences, but in this our first year we have great pleasure in inviting you to join us. So go on: Be adventurous – explore the curious Mark Langley Head of Field, Music and Performance

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bright and brave programme of live performance from creative graduates of Bath Spa University. This two week long programme of theatre, music and dance will inhabit the four corners of our beautiful World Heritage City.

SparkFest asks you to be adventurous and explore the curious.

Wherever you discover us, be it in the stunning gardens at The American Museum or the underground Cavern at Burdall’s Yard, this programme will ignite your thoughts and ideas through imagination and innovation.

SparkFest is the realisation of an exciting and dynamic partnership between Bath Festival and Bath Spa University, promising a fresh look at how young talent engages with Bath audiences and the region’s artistic community.

Tickets available from www.bathspalive.com or visit Bath Box Office, 2 Terrace Walk, Bath BA1 1LN (01225 463362) www.bathboxoffice.org.uk (Bath Box Office – booking fees apply)

BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

12TH MAY 4PM & 19TH MAY 8PM

12TH MAY 6PM & 20TH MAY 8PM

A Cactus Named Lewie David is like any ordinary 24 year old who’s been to university, found the love of his life and got the T-Shirt to prove it, until one day a life changing event will see it all take a turn for the worst.

This original piece of tragicomedy created by Joshua Gray and Jacob Ruddle explores themes of depression, remembrance and hope. Prepare to laugh and cry as you witness a man at his most vulnerable and a Cactus Named Lewie. £6 / £4 / £3

The Spot Why confront your future when you can grab a few friends and go camping in the woods?

A small group of friends will find that putting life on hold isn’t as easy as it seems on TV Sat around the roaring flames of the camp fire we meet amongst others, a hopeful romantic, a possible hereditary disease and a guy that just wants to play music.

Join them on this “journey to self-awareness” camping story that doesn’t involve a murder as the embers of the fire die out. £6 / £4 / £3

@bathspalive @sparkfestbath

www.bathspalive.com

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BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

12TH MAY 8PM & 26TH MAY 6PM

13TH MAY 4PM & 19TH MAY 2PM

13TH MAY 6PM

Seeing What Sticks Seeing What Sticks is a comedy sketch show featuring three funny guys, just seeing what ideas stick…

Armed with only our wit and good looks – well, at least our wit – we hereby cordially invite you to join us in one of our favourite pastimes – laughing at ourselves. We’ve poured what may be the entirety of our comedic talents into a series of sketches and monologues.

Come along and laugh with or even at, us; as long as you’re laughing we go home happy. £6 / £4 / £3

Rise

Come with us on an immersive and empowering storytelling experience about universal women who have each taken courageous journeys. Their influences and endings are probably the most remarkable of all. We’ll fly across the skies with Amelia Earhart, sail the seven seas with the Pirate Queen and fight for education with Malala Yousafzai. They are all hidden in the dark, but can we give light to their extraordinary lives. Can we kick their truth out there? £6 / £4 / £3

May

‘Making the choice to fight, even when you know you might not win.’

Celebrating 100 years since (some) women got the vote, Wyldwood Arts presents ‘May’, a one-woman show based on the life of disabled, bisexual, suffragette May Billinghurst.

Written and performed by Phoebe Kemp, a bisexual disabled woman herself, it tells the story of a key player in the suffragette movement.

The play is hugely relevant today in a society where disabled and LGBTQI voices are still desperate to be heard. It asks the question, how far have we really come in 100 years? £6 / £4 / £3

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SPARKFEST 2018

Photo © Jack Larbalestier

THE MISSION THEATRE

THE MISSION THEATRE

BURDALL’S YARD

14TH MAY 4PM & 16TH MAY 8PM

14TH MAY 6PM & 15TH MAY 6PM

14TH MAY 7:30PM

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Plebs The story of two men sent on a quest to help their dear friend Hamlet, who meet a raunchy band of Tragedians and a mysterious Player…

But who are they, where are they, and why are there so many hats?

They’re just two absurdly comic, hat swapping, guilder flipping plebs! £6 / £4 / £3

Infamous?

Lennon, Versace, Kennedy, King.

All shot down by assassins.

America, the land of the free and home of the brave, where everyone pursues the American dream. But what if that means taking a life? What truly makes an assassin?

Five assassins. One room. A million motives. £6 / £4 / £3

Spoken Word: End of Year Showcase Students from this year’s Spoken Word and Performance Poetry class present a selection of their work. Two students from this class were part of the BSU slam team who were finalists in the 2018 uni slam.

Expect wise words and a strong delivery! The night will be hosted by Bristol-based spoken word poet Rebecca Tantony who has been this year’s class tutor. £5 / £3 / BSU STUDENT FREE

www.bathspalive.com

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ST MICHAEL’S WITHOUT

THE MISSION THEATRE

THE MISSION THEATRE

14TH MAY 7:30PM

14TH MAY 8PM & 16TH MAY 6PM

15TH MAY 4PM & 17TH MAY 8PM

In the deepest dark forest, a pack of wild women are driven into madness. The smell of wine is in the air. The stench of blood lingers everywhere.

The Bacchae is a classic Greek tragedy, and Rooted Veins Production Company will show you just how twisted and dirty this story can be.

Park Bench uses the creative exploration of a bench through time and how it can be used to help two people along their journey together. How they orchestrate their way through a modern day relationship, how they deal with learning to love and how it feels when things don’t go to plan.

£6 / £4 / £3

£6 / £4 / £3

East Meets West Bath Spa Gamelan and Bath Spa Georgian Band combine in a concert of music that includes both classical Western Music with Bach and Beethoven with traditional Javanese pieces. We also perform some Javanese pieces influenced by Western music and Classical pieces influenced by Eastern traditions. £7 / £5 / £4

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The Bacchae

Park Bench

SPARKFEST 2018

THE MISSION THEATRE

THE MISSION THEATRE

THE CURFEW

15TH MAY 8PM & 17TH MAY 4PM

16TH MAY 4PM & 17TH MAY 6PM

17TH MAY 7:30PM

What Makes a Man? What really makes a man? Is it his expensive suit? The size of his muscles? Does true masculinity even exist?

‘What Makes a Man?’ Is a physical theatre piece that explores the long lasting effect in men’s mental health who have been conditioned to behave in typically ‘masculine’ ways from a young age. £6 / £4 / £3

The Everywhen Tellings: Open Wide & Crow Song Acclaimed storyteller Eleanor Buchan bring two tales of fire and redemption that draw on history, medicine and mythology to explore what wholeness means in a fragmented age.

Open Wide investigates the rise of ‘hysterical mutism’ in women of the 19th Century, whilst Crow Song (a work-inprogress sharing) crawls into the underbelly of Celtic mythology to witness the clash between two mighty goddesses. Wickedly funny, tender and deeply honest, this double-bill leads the audience into the raw darkness in every human heart.

ScriptMIX ScriptMix is an evening presenting a mix of new writing from scriptwriters, poets, storytellers and spoken word artist.

A SparkFest special showcasing some brilliant new writing and creative ideas.

Based at the Curfew Pub, come along and be part of the new writing scene in Bath, join our creative community during this year’s SparkFest, as we explore new work together.

PAY WHAT YOU CAN

£6 / £4 / £3

www.bathspalive.com

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VARIOUS VENUES

VARIOUS VENUES

BURDALL’S YARD

18TH MAY FROM 6:30PM

18TH MAY, 6-8PM & 20TH MAY 11-1PM

19TH MAY 11AM & 20TH MAY 2PM

Party in the City Various venues around the city Bath International Music Festival brings the city to life with their fantastic annual evening of free music, parades and dancing.

Join the party at Burdall’s.

Bath Spa Big Band is an exciting ensemble featuring students from the University’s Music Department. Also appearing at Burdall’s Yard will the Bath Spa University Ladies Choir.

Bath Spa University Choir conducted by Francis Faux will be in Bath Abbey, and will sing excerpts from Christopher Tin’s Calling All Dawns, Oculi Omnium by Thomas Hewitt Jones and Set me as a Seal by Ian Carpenter.

Secret Project Brunel Square, Southgate Stage and Parade Gardens.

Bath Spa University dance students present a series of roaming performances that respond to their surroundings.

Expect the unexpected.

FREE NO BOOKING REQUIRED

Quirky Bird and Friends Follow Quirky Bird and Friends on this weird and wonderful journey, as they try to find who they truly are in this mad yet beautiful world. Based on a series of short stories written by Diane Maybe, meet characters such as Buddy the Pig and Wonkey the Donkey in this playful and enchanting production which is a delight for all the family.

After the show join the cast in an arts and crafts session where you’ll have the chance to create your own characters from the performance. £6 / £4 / £3

FREE NO BOOKING REQUIRED

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SPARKFEST 2018

BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

19TH MAY 4PM & 25TH MAY 6PM

19TH MAY 6PM & 27TH MAY 8PM

20TH MAY 6PM & 26TH MAY 8PM

One Wish One Woman. One Question.

A million answers.

Join this solo performer on her exploration into the minds of the people around her and the answers she received when she asked one simple question.

Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me

By Frank McGuinness

‘You have one wish, what do you wish for?’

An Englishman, an Irishman and an American are locked up together in a cell in the Middle East. As victims of political action, powerless to initiate change, what can they do? How do they live and survive?

£6 / £4 / £3

£6 / £4 / £3

Cocoon

A young woman moves back in with her parents after leaving home at 18.

Surrounded by toys, pictures and memories of her childhood, she finds safety and warmth hiding away in the bed she grew up in.

You’re invited under the duvet to experience this funny and optimistic journey as she finds her way in the world by remembering the past.

Can she find the courage to leave her cocoon? £6 / £4 / £3

www.bathspalive.com

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BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

23RD MAY 7:30PM

24TH MAY 4PM & 30TH MAY 8PM

24TH MAY 6PM & 29TH MAY 8PM

One mistake could change your life forever. Stripped of their rights, torn from their families and constantly reminded of their failures, these prisoners want to share their stories with any new inmate that enters… including you.

An exploration of our mind’s inner conflicts. What would we say if there were no restraints or consequences? What You Sayin? utilises language, poetry and musicality in attempt to find individual expression in an ever shrinking, globalised world.

Join us in this immersive experience exploring life inside a prison and why people are behind bars.

£6 / £4 / £3

Creative Music Technology Degree Show View an interactive exhibition of the highly original work of Bath Spa University’s final year BA (Hons) Creative Music Technology students.

Featuring audio, multimedia and composition, this work blurs the boundaries of the discipline.

Graduates from this course include internationally renowned DJs, producers and composers.

FREE

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Life Inside

What You Sayin?

£6 / £4 / £3

SPARKFEST 2018

BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

24TH MAY 8PM & 30TH MAY 6PM

25TH MAY 4PM

25TH MAY 8PM & 28TH MAY 8PM

Normal

By Anthony Neilson Normal is a claustrophobic, darkly comic account of the final days of the real-life German serial killer Peter Kurten – The Düsseldorf Ripper.

The year is 1931 and Kurten, convicted of the murders of 9 people, including children, is on trial. He meets Justus Wehner, an ambitious and naive young lawyer, who is hired to defend him in court. Wehner’s goal is to prove the murderer is insane and to save him from death penalty.

But Kurten refuses to allow such a get out.

Remember to Smile The 80s, time for big hair, colourful clothes and new experiences in movies, music and sex. Against the party lifestyle a deadly epidemic sweeps the world. To stop this crisis an oppressive government unites to promise a healthy, better and brighter future to those who follow. Creating utopia, revolving back to an easier way of life, when men were men and woman were women. A story inspired by George Orwell’s ‘1984’. £6 / £4 / £3

Journey

By Matthew Emeny Two lawyers argue the fate of a man over gin, and cream cheese sandwiches. A brother and sister lose their most valuable possession. A young girl chained to the wall of a damp basement, finally feels daylight on her skin.

Discover flickering nightclubs and monsters that hide under your bed. Four actors present this brand new devised, multi-role and heart pounding performance, exposing the hidden horrors that surround us. £6 / £4 / £3

£6 / £4 / £3

www.bathspalive.com

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THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

BURDALL’S YARD

26TH MAY 6PM & 8:30PM

28TH MAY 6PM & 30TH MAY 4PM

No Man’s Land: An American Story Taking its inspiration from The American Museum this immersive and powerful piece of theatre brings to life the stories of young american soldiers in WW1 and the families they leave behind.

Known to the allied forces as ‘doughboys’ this immersive performance gives a glimpse of how comradeship, continual bombardment and the long wait all take their toll on these young men. No Man’s Land beautifully portrays the impact it has on these soldiers and their loved ones thousands of miles across the Atlantic. £12 / £10 / £6

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I Disagree Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone agreed with each other? No! God no! Who on earth would want that. Come and watch this thoughtful piece of conversational theatre that follows two friends as they have their first REAL conversation, will their disagreements pull them closer together or tear them apart?

SPARKFEST 2018

Photo © Igor Stevanovic

BURDALL’S YARD

BURDALL’S YARD

MILSOM PLACE ARCADE

29TH MAY 6PM

29TH MAY 6:30PM

1ST – 2ND JUNE

‘It’s like he’s stuck on a step, trying and failing to reach the next. To you it seems so easy. You wanna pull him up but you know you can’t. Because no matter how hard he finds it, it is him who must learn how to walk.’

When friendships are made, some will last, some won’t.

Through life secrets are kept from even the closest relation, but told when the time is right.

Sometimes that time runs out.

A friendship facing a tragic situation, testing the trust for one another. Will the friendship be torn apart?

Speechless

Speechless is a short screenplay about a young man with highfunctioning autism trying to navigate his way into the world of work and the effect his struggle has on his family and himself.

FREE BOOKING REQUIRED

Torn

FREE BOOKING REQUIRED Short Film Screening

None of Us is Who We Are A multidisciplinary installation piece incorporating elements of movement, visual arts, creative writing, sound, and performance.

Created collaboratively between five artists, this work explores the concepts of what it means to be “from” a place versus “in” a place, with a focus on landscape and collective memory of places that have been.

FREE

Short Film Screening

www.bathspalive.com

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UNIVERSITY THEATRE 31ST MAY 7:30PM & 1ST JUNE 7:30PM, 2ND JUNE 2:30PM & 7:30PM

David Glass Ensemble – Boredom Bath Spa University/David Glass Ensemble present Boredom: Hell Pt 1 A DEvine Comedy A terrifying travesty.

Created and Directed by David Glass When the entire world has turned to shit and your life is a living hell its time to make porn. Not just porn but ‘boring’ porn.

Twelve drama graduates with no hope of employment brick themselves up in their rancid rotting one bedroom bijou flat, take unacceptable amounts of prescription medication to ease the pain, and descend into a horrifyingly hilarious joy ride into hell.

Inane Profane Insane in ‘Boredom’ David Glass produces his darkest most desperately hilarious comedic epic ever. Verbally outrageous, physically gigantic and visually extraordinary Ray Cooney directed by Anton Artaud on acid.

Rising Damp meets Natural Born Killers David Glass and the Ensemble have produced ground breaking theatre since 1990 and worked in over 70 countries. Bleak House in 2017 and Boredom are the first shows to grow out of an exciting partnership with Bath Spa University.

“David Glass remains one of the key figures in British Theatre – his unique physical style and surreal sense of storytelling has inspired a whole generation of companies and performers” John McGrath Artistic Director Manchester International Festival

£12 / £10 / £6 14

SPARKFEST 2018

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By bus U5 from Bath Bus Station takes you right on to campus

American Museum Claverton Manor, Claverton, Bath BA2 7BD By bus From Bath city centre, take the U1, U2, U17 or U18 (to Bath University) Alight at The Avenue, just inside the University entrance. (15min downhill walk to the museum.)

Milsom Place 41 Milsom St, Bath BA1 1DN St Michael’s Without Broad St, Bath BA1 5LJ The Curfew 11 Cleveland Pl, West, Bath BA1 5DG University Theatre Bath Spa University Newton St Loe, Bath BA2 9BN

www.bathspalive.com

Train Burdall’s Yard is about 20 minutes’ walk from Bath Spa Train Station.

Bus nos. 231 and 271 run from the bus station next to the train station.

7a Anglo Terrace, London Road, Bath BA1 5NH Bus Nos. 3, 271, 272 & X31 stop at Snow Hill (3 minutes’ walk from Burdall’s Yard) See firstgroup.com for more information.

Car The nearest free parking is available in the streets off Snow Hill. Free parking is also available after 8pm in the Cattle Market car park on Walcot Street (6 minutes’ walk from Burdall’s Yard). Passengers can also be dropped off in the loading bays opposite Burdall’s Yard.

T H E M I S S I O N T H E AT R E

32 Corn Street, Bath BA1 1UF

Bus and train Bath Spa Train Station and Bath Bus Station are a two minute walk away.

Avon Street Coach Park is one minute away.

Car Located in the heart of Bath, The Mission Theatre is directly opposite the entrance to Avon Street Car Park.

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Diary BOOK AT BATHSPALIVE.COM OR VISIT BATH BOX OFFICE, 2 TERRACE WALK, BATH BA1 1LN (01225 463362) WWW.BATHBOXOFFICE.ORG.UK (BATH BOX OFFICE – BOOKING FEES APPLY) BY – Burdall’s Yard | MT – Mission Theatre | MP – Milsom Place | SM – St Michael’s Without | CP – Curfew Pub | UT – University Theatre | AM – American Museum | VAR – Various Venues

STARTING IN MAY A Cactus Named Lewie

BY

Sat 12 May 4:00pm & Sat 19 May 8:00pm

The Spot

BY

Sat 12 May 6:00pm & Sun 20 May 8:00pm

Seeing What Sticks

BY

Sat 12 May 8:00pm & Sat 26 May 6:00pm

Rise

BY

Sun 13 May 4:00 & Sat 19 May 2:00pm

May

BY

Sun 13 May 6:00pm

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Plebs

MT

Mon 14 May 4:00pm & Wed 16 May 8:00pm

Infamous

MT

Mon 14 May 6:00pm & Tues 15 May 6:00pm

Spoken Word End of Year Showcase

BY

Mon 14 May 7:30pm

East Meets West

SM

Mon 14 May 7:30pm

The Bacchae

MT

Mon 14 May 8:00pm & Wed 16 May 6:00pm

Park Bench

MT

Tues 15 May 4:00pm & Thurs 17 May 8:00pm

What Makes a Man?

MT

Tues 15 May 8:00pm Thurs 17 May 4:00pm

The Everywhen Tellings: Open Wide & Crow Song

MT

Wed 16 May 4:00pm Thurs 17 May 6:00pm

ScriptMIX

CP

Thurs 17 May 7:30pm Fri 18 May 6:00-8:00pm & Sun 20 May 11:00am-1:00pm

Secret Project

VAR

Party in the City

VAR

Fri 18 May

Quirky Bird and Friends

BY

Sat 19 May 11:00am & Sun 20 May 2:00pm

One Wish

BY

Sat 19 May 4:00pm & Fri 25 May 6:00pm

Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me

BY

Sat 19 May 6:00pm & Sun 27th May 8:00pm

Cocoon

BY

Sun 20 May 6:00pm & Sat 26 May 8:00pm

CMT Degree Show

BY

Wed 23 May 7:30pm

Life Inside

BY

Thurs 24 May 4:00pm Wed 30 May 8:00pm

What You Sayin?

BY

Thurs 24 May 6:00pm & Tues 29 May 8:00pm

Normal

BY

Thurs 24 May 8:00pm & Wed 30 May 6:00pm

Journey

BY

Fri 25 & Mon 28 May 8:00pm

Remember to Smile

BY

Fri 25 May 4:00pm

No Man’s Land

AM

Sat 26th May 6pm & 8:30pm

I Disagree

BY

Mon 28 May 6.00pm & Wed 30 May 4:00pm

Speechless

BY

Tues 29 May 6:00pm

Torn

BY

Tues 29 May 6:30pm

Boredom

UT

Thurs 31 May 7:30pm, Fri 1 Jun 7:30pm, Sat 2 Jun 2:30pm, 7:30pm

MP

1 & 2 Jun

STARTING IN JUNE None Of Us is Who We Are 16

SPARKFEST 2018