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Garden Theatre Festival

The Holburne Museum, Bath, Somerset, BA2 4DB
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Tel+44 (0)1225 388569

A poster advertising the Garden Theatre Festival 2026 at The Holburne Museum in Bath.
  • A poster advertising the Garden Theatre Festival 2026 at The Holburne Museum in Bath.
  • A group of people audience members smiling at the Garden Theatre Festival in Bath.
  • Two audience members smiling and taking a selfie at the Garden Theatre Festival in Bath.
  • Two audience members applauding at the Garden Theatre Festival in Bath.
  • Two audience members sharing a bottle of wine at the Garden Theatre Festival in Bath.

About

The Garden Theatre Festival is returning to Bath for its sixth year!

Immerse yourself in the worlds of Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, and more as the in-house repertory company presents three outstanding productions: The Importance of Being Earnest, Sense & Sensibility, and The Big Bad Wolf. 

Enjoy witty storytelling, laugh-out-loud comedy, and plenty of live music. Picture yourself sipping a refreshing drink under a warm sunset, all while enjoying the relaxed atmosphere at Bath's very own open-air theatre festival.

Starting on 2 July, this year's festival will once again take place in the stunning gardens of The Holburne Museum, located on Great Pulteney Street in Bath. The garden will be transformed into a charming outdoor theatre with covered seating, deck chairs, and a fantastic garden bar.

You can bring your own blankets, cushions, and camping chairs, or hire a deck chair for the full experience. Enjoy a drink from the bar, indulge with a pre-show meal at the Holburne Restaurant, and take in the best of UK outdoor theatre.

Picnics welcome. Dogs can come too.

Pop-up performance: King Arthur and the Holy Fail

When Camelot is rocked to its core by a tragic – and frankly improbable – incident involving a large table of an undisclosed shape, Arthur is thrust into the quest of a lifetime.

Will he bravely battle through blistering cold and scorching fire to save his beloved realm, or will he crumble as fate refuses to cooperate? Destiny awaits, chivalry calls, and the quest to end all quests begins. Saddle up – things are about to get legendary.

  • 5 June ONLY
  • Doors open 6pm, performance starts 7pm
  • Suitable for all ages
  • Book tickets

The Importance of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde

Meet Jack and Algernon, two dashing bachelors with a terrible habit of fabricating alter egos to escape boring social obligations and woo the ladies. Everything is delightfully deceitful until they both fall head-over-heels for women who have one non-negotiable requirement for a husband: his name must be Earnest!

Prepare as the Garden Theatre Festival Repertory company take on mistaken identities, sharp-witted banter, outrageous social critiques, and the formidable Lady Bracknell!

  • 2 - 12 July
  • Performances 1pm & 7pm (Multiple dates)
  • Doors open - 1 hour before
  • Book tickets

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Are you ready for a whirlwind of feathered bonnets, dramatic letter-writing, and deeply repressed feelings? Then Jane Austen’s classic tale, Sense and Sensibility, gets the theatrical treatment you didn’t know you needed — proving that heartbreak and bad weather were just as stylish in 1811 as they are now.

A celebration of all things Austentatious, and a fantastic laugh in the Georgian gardens of the Holburne Museum.

  • 14 July - 26 July
  • Doors open - 1 hour before
  • Performances 1pm & 7pm (Multiple dates)
  • Book tickets

The Big Bad Wolf

Come on a madcap, rock 'n' roll musical journey of plotting and scheming with folklore's most notorious villain - The Big Bad Wolf. Exiled to the Deep Dark Wood, he parties hard and rocks out every night with his cronies, far away from the goody-goody townspeople of Fairytaleville. But whatever happened to Little Red Riding Hood? Did the Three Little Pigs go on to have a successful career in techno music? Does his Fairy Godmother have what it takes to change the ways of a hardened carnivore? 

  • 19 July ONLY
  • Doors open - 1 hour before
  • Performances - 10am & 2pm
  • Suitable for ages 5 +
  • Book tickets

 

Ticket Prices 

Adult: £25

Student / Equity Concession: £20

Child (under 16s): £15

Family (2 adults + 2 children): £70

Seating is prioritised for deck chair bookings. Deck chair hire is charged at £4.50 each. 

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Map & Directions

Road Directions

Find out about the latest on the roads and get travel directions from TravelWest.info
  Bath is operating a charging Clean Air Zone. Owners of all higher emission vehicles – except private cars and motorbikes – will need to pay to drive in the city centre. To check if you need to pay or to apply for an exemption or discount, go to bathnes.gov.uk/BathCAZ
 

Public Transport Directions

For comprehensive information on how to get here using public transport, visit TravelWest.info
  Bath is operating a charging Clean Air Zone. Owners of all higher emission vehicles – except private cars and motorbikes – will need to pay to drive in the city centre. To check if you need to pay or to apply for an exemption or discount, go to bathnes.gov.uk/BathCAZ
 

Opening Times

Dates (2 July 2026 - 26 July 2026)

TripAdvisor

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The Holburne MuseumThe Holburne Museum, Central BathExperience critically acclaimed exhibitions of historical and contemporary art and events against a backdrop of renowned eighteenth century portraits, Renaissance bronzes, ceramics, silver and embroidery. The Garden Café serves fresh seasonal lunches and delicious cakes.

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