The Egg Theatre

The Egg Theatre is the children's and young people's auditorium and producing arm of the Theatre Royal Bath, one of Britain's oldest and most historic theatres. The Theatre Royal Bath comprises three auditoria — the Main House, the Ustinov Studio and the egg theatre for children and young people — and offers a varied programme of entertainment all year round. The Egg positions itself as "a place of innovation, imagination and learning, where theatre for and with young people is invented and reinvented every day," in the words of its Director, Kate Cross MBE. The Egg presents national and international award-winning performances for young people and their families. According to its 2024/25 Impact report, it presents over 400 performances each year, runs dynamic participation programmes, and champions accessibility through initiatives such as the Wonderfund. In 2024/25 the venue reached a total audience of 28,500 tickets, including 680 early years tickets, 4,766 under-16 tickets and 4,768 Wonderfund tickets (equivalent to £64,448). It programmed and developed 31 shows, spanning UK Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) programming, international work, dedicated SEN (special educational needs) performances, Egg Productions, Bath Theatre Academy and Theatre School productions, Engage work and TEDx Bath events, across 502 total instances. Beyond performances, The Egg operates a substantial education and talent-development ecosystem. Its Theatre School had 361 participants across acting and backstage strands, and Bath Theatre Academy enrolled 73 students in a full-time Level 3 qualification in Performing & Production Arts. The Egg Productions arm produced new shows including Wendy, Robin Hood and The Little Prince, and toured I Wish I was A Mountain, Squirrel, Snow Mouse and Midnight Mole to China, Ireland, Canada and Scotland. Shows in development have included Snow Mice!, Katy, Play for William, Sinbad and The Secret Garden. Bath Theatre Academy reported a 100% pass rate for practical elements, with all graduating second years achieving a Merit or Distinction, and active partnerships with Bath Spa University, Bath College, Oxford School of Drama, Fourth Monkey, Bristol School of Acting and Bristol Old Vic School of Acting. The Egg also runs community-facing access programmes. The Wonderfund aims to make Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) a region where all children have an equal opportunity to make live theatre part of their everyday experiences, and the venue offers accessible and relaxed performances. Its programming includes work such as Adventure in Hidden History, a joyfully interactive show celebrating the lives, stories and imaginations of Global Majority trailblazers across time, blending oral history, live music and storytelling with Afrofuturism, aimed at ages 8+ and offered with a relaxed performance. The Egg is guided by its 2022–27 Development Plan, If not now, then when, and reports progress across artistic excellence, community engagement, talent development, and inclusivity and sustainability. It operates as part of the Theatre Royal Bath group and is not a separately listed company.

The Egg Theatre is the children's and young people's auditorium and producing programme of the Theatre Royal Bath, one of the oldest and most beautiful theatres in Britain. The Theatre Royal Bath comprises three auditoria — the Main House, the Ustinov Studio and the egg theatre for children and young people — and offers a varied programme of top-quality entertainment all year round. The Egg was established as the venue's dedicated space for young audiences and has since grown into a producing, touring, education and access hub. Under the direction of Kate Cross MBE, The Egg has articulated a mission to be "a place of innovation, imagination and learning, where theatre for and with young people is invented and reinvented every day." Its work is guided by a 2022–27 Development Plan titled If not now, then when, which frames progress around artistic excellence, community engagement, talent development, and inclusivity and sustainability. By the 2024/25 season, The Egg reported presenting over 400 performances each year. Its 2024/25 Impact report recorded a total audience of 28,500 tickets, including 680 early years tickets, 4,766 under-16 tickets and 4,768 Wonderfund tickets (equivalent to £64,448). It programmed and developed 31 shows across UK TYA programming (19), international work (5), a dedicated SEN performance (1), Egg Productions, Bath Theatre Academy and Theatre School productions (12), Engage (2) and TEDx Bath (2), totalling 502 instances. Education and talent development form a central pillar. The Theatre School enrolled 361 participants across acting and backstage strands, while Bath Theatre Academy had 73 students taking a full-time Level 3 qualification in Performing & Production Arts. The academy reported a 100% pass rate for practical elements, with all graduating second years achieving a Merit or Distinction. Active partnerships include Bath Spa University, Bath College, Oxford School of Drama, Fourth Monkey, Bristol School of Acting and Bristol Old Vic School of Acting, and graduates have moved into roles such as sound assistant and workshop/FOH assistants. As a producer, The Egg Productions created new shows including Wendy, Robin Hood and The Little Prince, and toured I Wish I was A Mountain, Squirrel, Snow Mouse and Midnight Mole to China, Ireland, Canada and Scotland. Shows in development have included Snow Mice!, Katy, Play for William, Sinbad and The Secret Garden. The Egg also runs community outreach and access work, notably the Wonderfund, which aims to make Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) a region where all children have an equal opportunity to make live theatre part of their everyday experiences. Its programme includes productions such as Adventure in Hidden History, an interactive show for ages 8+ celebrating Global Majority trailblazers and blending oral history, live music and storytelling with Afrofuturism, offered with a relaxed performance. The Egg also provides accessible performances, backstage tours, work experience through its Junior Apprentice Week, and the Open Start talent development initiative supporting underrepresented theatre-makers in the South West.

• The Egg operates as the children's and young people's auditorium of the Theatre Royal Bath, alongside the Main House and Ustinov Studio.

• Kate Cross MBE serves as Director of The Egg, articulating its mission of innovation, imagination and learning.

• The Egg is guided by its 2022–27 Development Plan, If not now, then when.

• In 2024/25, The Egg reported over 400 performances a year and a total audience of 28,500 tickets.

• In 2024/25, The Egg programmed and developed 31 shows across 502 total instances.

• The Egg Productions created new shows including Wendy, Robin Hood and The Little Prince.

• The Egg toured I Wish I was A Mountain, Squirrel, Snow Mouse and Midnight Mole to China, Ireland, Canada and Scotland.

• Bath Theatre Academy reported a 100% pass rate for practical elements, with all graduating second years achieving a Merit or Distinction.

• The Egg presented Adventure in Hidden History, an interactive show for ages 8+ with a relaxed performance.

A pioneering venue and producing programme dedicated to theatre for and with children and young people, combining artistic excellence, participation, talent development and accessibility.

• Wendy

• Robin Hood

• The Little Prince

• I Wish I was A Mountain

• Squirrel

• Snow Mouse

• Midnight Mole

• Snow Mice!

• Katy

• Play for William

• Sinbad

• The Secret Garden

• Adventure in Hidden History

1. 1The Egg — Theatre Royal Baththeatreroyal.org.uk
2. 2Egg Impact Story — Theatre Royal Baththeatreroyal.org.uk
3. 3Adventure in Hidden History — Theatre Royal Baththeatreroyal.org.uk
4. 4About — Theatre Royal Baththeatreroyal.org.uk
5. 5Egg Theatre — Wikidatawikidata.org