Bath Fringe Festival is back and running from Friday 22 May to Sunday 7 June.
The festival will once again light up the city with an exhilarating blend of live music, cutting-edge theatre, laugh-out-loud comedy and everything in between. This year’s Fringe promises to be one of the most exciting yet.
With over 100 events, the festival will unfold across the city in venues including Komedia, The Bell Inn, The Rondo Theatre, The Mission Theatre, Burdall’s Yard, The Grapes, and many more.
Festival Director Steve Henwood comments:
“The Fringe is the local festival. The best festivals come from the people who live there, at least we believe so. Bath Fringe is programmed by local people, and by local venues making themselves available to artists [from around the country as well as locally] who see Fringe as an opportunity to show what they do to an audience keen on discovering something new.”
The festival features a host of big names, such as Ed Byrne, who returns to celebrate 30 years of the Fez Comedy Club. A regular on comedy panel shows such as Mock the Week, Have I Got News For You, and Would I Lie To You, Ed first performed at the Fez back in 1999. Ed will take to the stage at the Roper Theatre at Hayefield School’s West Wing on Friday, 22 May.
Sticking with the comedy theme, Bath Comedy Festival presents Debra Stephenson at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on Sunday, 24 May. Take a trip with the star of Dead Ringers, Spitting Image, The Imitation Game, and Bad Girls, as she hurtles through time in a multiverse of musical icons from Billie Holiday to Billie Eilish, Shirley Bassey to Kate Bush, with live musical accompaniment. With Debra’s trademark comedic impressions of well-known politicians and celebrities, there’s plenty of fun and laughter along the way.
For the music lovers, we are pleased to present Adrian Utley performing at the gorgeous, intimate setting of the Old Barn, Kelston Roundhill, alongside legendary Avant-Garde musician Evan Parker, who features on well over 200 recordings. Mr Utley – the man who put the film noir and the texture into the world-conquering Portishead, just in case you’d forgotten – has recently been exploring connections with legendary out-there & free players from the jazz and experimental worlds. This is going to be surprising and deeply special! Catch them on Saturday, 6 June.
On Thursday, 28 May, Fair Endeavours returns with Fionn Regan, who plays Komedia. The release of Fionn Regan’s remarkable debut, ‘The End of History,’ left music critics and the songwriting world stunned at the extraordinary depth and prowess of his songwriting abilities. He has since toured the world, received numerous awards for his contribution to the arts and Irish literature, been nominated for a Mercury Prize award, and released a further 6 albums.
Fair Endeavours is also promoting British/Iranian composer Kavus Torabi, who performs at the Rondo Theatre alongside Bath-based Reuben’s Daughters on Saturday 6 June. Multi-instrumentalist, performer, author, artist, broadcaster and DJ. His largely autobiographical solo work marries the human with the celestial. Since 2016, he has fronted legendary psychedelic band Gong, with whom he is the principal songwriter.
For theatre lovers, there is also a packed programme which includes Bath’s own Natural Theatre Company with The Murder and Mystery of Kit Marlowe, with a walk-about performance around the streets of Bath on Monday, 25 May. In the heart of Deptford, 1593, a 29-year-old Christopher Marlowe has just been released on bail for heresy… Plague, poverty and plots are rife on the streets of London, and Kit Marlowe is embroiled in it all.
The Mission Theatre plays host to Dramatic Moose on Thursday 28 & Friday 29 May with their production of The Universe PLC. Guy, an ordinary person whose everyday life is upended when he meets someone claiming to be God in a coffee shop. This surprising meeting forces Guy to question everything he thinks he knows about how the universe works and what truly matters. A light-hearted yet thought-provoking play that asks the vital question: ‘What really is important to you?’
We’re also pleased to welcome to this year’s Fringe a new grassroots group – dubbed Fresh Fringe Family Festival – who are presenting a very varied and determinedly good-value selection of entertainment for families, kids, even teens, mostly during the half-term week.
The stunning artwork for this year’s poster has been designed by third-year Bath Spa University graphic design student Emily Williams.“My final design was inspired by the atmosphere that the festival radiates: creativity and diversity. I made my design bold and vibrant, representing the many forms of creative talent that flow through the city of Bath. Winning the competition feels like a great accomplishment, and this was a fantastic opportunity for me. It’s given me an insight into the design world, and as a university student, seeing my work up and around Bath feels very surreal. I’m very proud to play a small part in such an amazing event.”
Join In The Fun
Bath Fringe 2026 runs from Friday 22 May to Sunday 7 June.
Printed programmes are now appearing around the city, and the full schedule is live at www.bathfringe.co.uk.
Follow Bath Fringe Festival on social media for the latest updates:
- Facebook: Bath Fringe Festival
- Instagram: @bathfringe2025
- BlueSky: @bathfringe.co.uk
- Threads: @bath_fringe
- TikTok: @bath.fringe
