A few years ago, when I was a Mayor’s Guide, one of my favourite spots to lead my group of tourists to was Beaufort Square.
If you can’t quite place it, it’s just past the Sawclose on your way up to Queen Square.
A little backwater with a lot of history.
A square of two-storey cottages laid out in 1730 to John Strahan’s design. For me, it is the south side that really interested me. It’s formed by the original frontage to the historic Theatre Royal. An area where carriages and sedan chairs would have drawn up to release their theatregoing charges.
However, at the moment, there isn’t much to see of that historic facade, as the lawn area in front of it forms part of the construction site created to support work on constructing an additional stage within the building.
Here’s the theatre’s official press release on the subject:
Thanks to the incredible support of over 4200 donors, the Theatre Royal Bath is proud to announce the new dedicated community space The Billings, is the fourth and final venue to be built at the heart of Theatre Royal Bath’s historic site.
The project has been fully approved, and works are underway this summer, aiming to open the space in spring 2027.
The fundraising campaign for the build has seen amazing support from audience donations, along with generous grants from The Miss Beryl Billings Charitable Trust, The Garfield Weston Foundation and the Wolfson Foundation as well as local philanthropy from Andrew Fletcher, OBE, The Medlock Charitable Trust, Christopher Garek and many more. The Theatre Royal Bath’sBoard also committed £300,000 from its reserves for the project, enabling construction to begin.
Nestled on St John’s Place, The Billings will be a space where artists at any stage of their careers can play with new ideas and try out new work. A venue for grassroots and amateur performances, open mic nights, rehearsed readings, scratch nights, Bath’s thriving festival scene, and much more.
A home for the Theatre Royal’s adult participation programme, Engage – with a range of workshops, courses, outreach groups and plays, open to all – The Billings will transform the last unused space at Theatre Royal Bath into a fringe-style studio theatre and dedicated foyer, with step-free access, where the opportunity to perform and create is accessible to the local community.
The Billings has been designed by Stirling Prize-winning, world-famous theatre architects, Howarth Tompkins, also responsible for projects including London’s Royal Court Theatre, Old Vic Theatre and the National Theatre, as well as our very own children’s theatre, The Egg.
The Billings offers an easy-to-use, affordable, professionally supported studio theatre designed for community creativity. The venue will facilitate creative learning, community partnerships and new work, support emerging talent and aim to triple the Engage programme to collaborate with over 1,500 participants and 3,000 audience members annually within the first 4 years.
With inclusive design at its core, it will expand opportunities for community creativity year after year and create a lily-pad between grassroots performing and the Theatre’s professional stages.
The Billings community studio will connect Theatre Royal Bath, The Egg and the Ustinov Studio in one theatre district. The 40-seat venue will provide an easy-to-use and affordable new entry point into the city’s creative scene. A foyer with accessibility in mind, audience facilities and dressing rooms create an arts centre in miniature, and an open invitation for local people to get performing.
Find out more about THE BILLINGS and how to get involved on our website HERE. Contact the Theatre Royal Bath for more information on 01225 823409 or email engage@theatreroyal.org.uk
