About us

Bath’s Garden Theatre Festival is the city’s only purpose-built open-air theatre event. Held annually at The Holburne Museum Gardens, it began in 2020 as a one-off event during lockdown and grew into the full-fledged festival we know today, officially launching in 2021. Since then, the festival has expanded significantly, becoming a popular and established part of Bath’s cultural calendar. With all performances produced in-house, the festival is now considered Bath's official summer theatre experience.

Held in the beautiful gardens of the Holburne Museum, the festival promises three weeks of top-notch performances from our repertory company (previous works include last year's Sherlock & Watson: A Murder in the Garden 2024), all set against the enchanting open-air stage. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, including Romeo & Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, and The Secret Garden.

At the Garden Theatre Festival, you can bring your own blankets, cushions, and camping chairs, or hire a deck chair for the full experience. Enjoy a refreshing drink from the bar, tasty snacks including crisps, and our delicious sandwiches and baguettes—all while taking in the best of UK outdoor theatre!


  • Samuel Freeman

    Actor / Musical Director

  • Leela Bunce

    Actor

  • Stan Elliot

    Actor

  • Flossie Ure

    Actor

  • Ed Viney

    Director

Samuel trained at Bath Spa School of Music and Performing Arts in 2014 before his career as an actor and theatre creative. He is now an associate artist of The Production Garden, having been a performer and musical director at the festival for Sherlock & Watson: A Murder in the Garden, The Jabberwocky & Other Nonsense and The Wind in the Willows.

Other Theatre includes;

The Wave (Calf 2 Cow), Of Mice and Men (Torch) Awake My Soul (The Production Garden), Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest (Three Inch Fools), The Wizard of Oz, Aladdin (Prime), Aliens Love Underpants, Monstersaurus! (Big Wooden Horse), The Epic Adventures of Robin Hood (Splendid), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Omnibus), Our Baby (Lettuce Dream), After We Danced (No Logo).

TV & Film;

The Young Cannibals (Bad Taste), Breaking the Band (ITV), The Establishment Division 9 (Day Dreams), Assisted (Alema), The White Dwarf (WD Productions), Something To Believe In (R&A).

Freeman has also worked in the research and development of new work as an actor, musician and composer with Calf 2 Cow, Complicité, Hijinx, Dorchester Arts, Extant, Raindance, National Youth Theatre, Pleb, and Lazarus.

Monet Goode

Leela Bunce is an actor-musician, clown and theatre-maker based in Somerset. Her big passion is making humourous, quirky, affecting theatre that shines a light on untold stories. She is currently touring her self-penned show Kith and Kin to heritage venues and history festivals around the UK.

Her previous devised shows include solo clown show Waiting for Stanley (UK tour) and Secrets of the Bluestockings (UK tour).

With other companies, recent credits include early years dance-theatre show Early Weaves (Polka Theatre, UK tour), Shed-ache (aKa dance theatre R&D), Sherlock and Watson: A Murder in the Garden (Calf2Cow UK Tour), The Wave (Calf2Cow UK tour), Apples & Angels (Wassail Theatre, site-specific), The Library of Lost Memories (Shoebox Theatre, SW tour).

She is delighted to be part of the brilliant rep company bringing Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice to the Garden Theatre Festival this year! www.leelabunce.com

Stan is an actor-musician based in Bristol.

Stan's credits include 'The Mumford & Son's Story' with The Production Garden (2025-), various productions with Apricity Theatre, including 'Between The Armies' - an adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV (2018) and as a member of The Natural Theatre Company from 2021.

Stan is also a founding member of Mouse Mountain Ensemble, a Bristol-based theatre company, and graduated from the University of the West of England in 2023. He also writes and produces music under his name, Stan Elliott - with his debut E.P to be released later in 2025. 


Flossie is an Actor/Theatre maker based in Bristol.

Her credits include: Terror in Turtlenecks (The Alma), As You Like It (Tour) HUSSY, Georgia and the Iceberg (Tour), Off Peak (Bristol Old Vic), Never Any Fruit (The Rondo), The French Detective and the Blue Dog (The Egg), Enron (Theatre Royal Bath), Merry Wives of Windsor (Theatre Royal Bath). Film/TV includes: Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box, Mistresses Series 1-3.


Ed is a writer/director based in the South West of England.

He has worked with a number of theatres making contemporary plays, new drama, and adapting and directing Shakespeare.  He’s a former assistant director at the RSC and has collaborated with The Garden Festival on previous productions Sherlock & Watson: A Murder in the Garden, Jabberwocky & The Wind in the Willows. 

 


Matthew Emeny, our Artistic Director, is thrilled to welcome everyone back for the festival’s 5th year:

“We’re so excited to return in 2025 with a fantastic lineup of theatre that we know our audiences will love. We’re bringing back the rep theatre model to Bath, and can’t wait to share our wonderful in-house productions.

Each year we grow, and now with fully covered seating, every spot at the festival is protected from the elements! I’m looking forward to welcoming everyone again for another unforgettable summer of incredible theatre!”

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