The Bloody Ballad of Bette Davis brings a camp horror musical to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, reimagining the later years of the Hollywood icon through theatrical fantasy.
Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the show follows a version of Bette Davis as she navigates a declining career, financial struggles and fraught personal relationships. Inspired by the making of the 1975 film Burnt Offerings, the production blends real-life tensions with a heightened, fictionalised narrative.
Written and directed by John P. McEneny, with music by Rob Parker, the show combines elements of disco, rock and classic musical theatre. As conflicts intensify between Davis, her daughter and those around her, the story imagines a dramatic and supernatural reckoning.
Drawing on Davis’s larger-than-life public persona, the production explores themes of legacy, power and survival within the film industry. With its mix of horror, humour and musical storytelling, it offers a bold interpretation of one of Hollywood’s most unforgettable figures.
The Bloody Ballad of Bette Davis runs at Assembly Roxy from 06 – 30 August at 15:00. Tickets are on sale here
