Theatre Royal Bath Productions has announced that Jennifer Saunders will star as Mrs Rafi in a new revival of Edward Bond’s The Sea, running at Theatre Royal Bath from 22 October to 7 November 2026.
Set in 1907, the play unfolds in a small East Anglian seaside village shaken by a violent storm. As confusion spreads, local draper Mr Hatch becomes convinced that an alien invasion may be imminent, while the imperious Mrs Rafi marshals her ladies for an amateur performance of Orpheus and Eurydice.
Bond’s play blends farce, high comedy, social satire and poetic tragedy, and is widely considered one of his most distinctive works.
Jennifer Saunders returns to Bath following her acclaimed turn as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit. She is celebrated for French and Saunders, which earned a BAFTA Fellowship for her and Dawn French, and for the hit comedy series and film Absolutely Fabulous.
Jonathan Munby will direct the production. His career spans major classical and contemporary work across the UK and internationally, including at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar Warehouse, Young Vic and Shakespeare’s Globe.
Originally premiering at the Royal Court Theatre in 1973, The Sea has been revived at the National Theatre in 1991 and at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2008 starring Eileen Atkins and David Haig.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
