Ustinov Studio
From October 14 to November 5, artistic director Deborah Warner and music director Richard Hetherington will introduce opera to the intimate Ustinov for the first time with a new production of Dido And Aeneas. A creative team coming to Bath directly from the Royal Opera House and a company of 14 – including a musical ensemble of five players led by the harpsichord – will present Henry Purcell’s beautiful opera, which contains arias of astonishing beauty.
Deborah Warner’s 2022 season is completed by !Showmanism!, a celebration of performance itself, devised and performed by Dickie Beau, whose mercurial Ariel recently thrilled audiences in Deborah Warner’s staging of The Tempest. Appearing at the Ustinov Studio from November 11 to December 10 and directed by Jan Willem Van Den Bosch, !Showmanism! sees Dickie Beau shapeshift across a haunted landscape of performance stretching back for thousands of years, tracing its roots and branching across unexpected realms.
This Christmas at the Ustinov Studio, Olivier Award winner Guy Masterson presents Charles Dickens’ mystical fable A Christmas Carol (December 20-31). A sell-out success here over Christmas 2019, Guy Masterson recreates some of the famous author’s most iconic characters in this acclaimed performance as he plays Scrooge, Marley, the Fezziwigs, Tiny Tim and the ghosts in an enchanting production that will linger long in the memory.
In the new year, a new production of Edward Albee’s multi-award winning Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? will star Downton Abbey’s Elizabeth Mcgovern, (Jan 13-Feb 11) and the world premiere production of Charlotte & Theodore by Ryan Craig will star Kris Marshall. This new play follows two idealistic academics picking their
way through the political and social minefield of modern life as they embark on a decade-long romance. (Feb 16-March 18).
The Egg
At The Egg, Five Children And It returns by popular demand appearing from December 9 to January 15. This sparkling new take on the classic story by E Nesbit (The Railway Children) is revived by award-winning theatre company Bucket Club after receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences alike when it premiered in Bath last year. Meanwhile in the Roper Room at The Egg, Midnight Mole promises a heart-warming, moondancing adventure full of puppetry and music from the creative team behind Snow Mouse. With a nod to Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, this brand-new show for ages six months to four years, appearing from December 9-31, sees Mole set out on an adventure of rediscovery, above and below ground. Winter entertainment continues at The Egg in January when Bath favourite Snow Mouse returns for an incredible eighth year appearing with an enchanting tale for the very young (Jan 7-Feb 5).
This autumn, the Egg Theatre’s renowned programme of children’s and family shows starts with Woodland Tales, Pickled Image’s enchanting story for over-threes
about a quest to save the wood (Sept 17 & 18), and Destiny, a play for older audiences which follows the story of a teenage girl growing up on a rural Wiltshire council estate. Bath’s Children’s Literature Festival brings four events to The Egg over the weekend of September 24 & 25 and on both days young people of all ages are invited to drop in at The Happiness Hub between 10am and 4pm to discover tips and tricks on how to keep your head healthy with free, fun, creative activities.
October at The Egg features Atom And Luna, a family show packed full of poetry, puppetry, fun and imagination, for ages seven and over (Oct 8 & 9); Is This A Dance? brings a performance for anyone aged four to 11 years with a love of dance and movement (Oct 15 & 16), and Hot In Here, presented by Pigfoot Theatre for ages 12 and over, celebrates action taking place around the world for climate
justice (Oct 17 & 18). Bird In The Window brings a new physical theatre show for ages five and over, about the fun times we share and how memories stay with us (Oct 22 & 23), and Babble, presented by Flibbertigibbet Theatre for ages three to five years, explores the world around us with sound collectors Mik and Kin (Oct 29 & 30).
On November 1, Unknown, a play about homelessness by Dougie Blaxland, tours to The Egg for ages 14 and over; very young children will enjoy tooob, an enchanting sensory show with an original soundtrack and captivating movement and games, for ages six months to two years (Nov 3-6); from November 9-12, Jina And The Stem Sisters celebrates some of history’s most inspiring superstem women in a multi-media, musical puppet show for ages seven and over, telling stories of women who fought against the odds to succeed in science; Innocentville brings an incident roomstyle workshop for ages 13 and over to The Egg on November 19, delivered by award-winning theatre maker James Baldwin. From November 24-26, the Theatre Royal Bath’s Theatre School returns to stage I Am England by David Lane. Recommended for ages 12 and over, this play was originally developed for TRB’S Theatre School ten years ago, inspired by Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and a rapidly shifting political landscape. Throughout the year, The Egg continues to present a host of workshops for young people both in person and online, details are available via theeggassembly.com and the Theatre Royal’s website.
■ Five Children And It is supported by King Edward’s School.
Tickets for all shows and events at the Theatre Royal Bath can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 and online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk