11 Best Performing Arts in Bath and the Cotswolds, England

Held over 17 days in May, the Bath Festival is a multi-arts celebration of literature and music in and around the city. Events include classical, jazz, and world-music concerts, dance performances, literary talks, and exhibitions, many in the Assembly Rooms and Bath Abbey.

The 10-day Literature Festival in October brings world-renowned authors, actors, and critics to Cheltenham for hundreds of readings, lectures, and other events.

One of the best theaters in the region, the Barn Theatre's state-of-the-art auditorium can accommodate 200 spectators. The program is a combination of professional productions and film showings, and the Téatro Bar & Restaurant is handy for pre- and post- theater dinners.

Running for 10 days in March or April, the Bath Comedy Festival features comedy events at venues throughout the city. The festival is organized by the Bath Comedy Club, which also hosts additional events throughout the year.

Held over a week in late April and early May, the Cheltenham Jazz Festival presents noted musicians from around the world.

The late-Victorian Everyman Theatre is an intimate venue for opera, dance, concerts, and plays. The interior is the work of Frank Matcham, a famed architect of English theaters and music halls. There's a varied program of events throughout the year in the Main House while the Irving Studio Theatre, a smaller, more intimate venue, often stages more unusual productions. If you are visiting Cheltenham around Christmas and the New Year, try and get tickets for the annual pantomime, a family-friendly tradition that will have you rolling with laughter at familiar fairytale characters. You can often catch pre– or post–West End productions here as well, at a fraction of big-city prices.

For information on the town's ambitious lineup of festivals, contact the Festivals Box Office via phone from Tuesday to Friday.

Celebrating the great writer with films, plays, walks, and talks over nine days in mid-September, the Jane Austen Festival is a feast for Janeites.

Cheltenham's famous Music Festival, held over 10 days in early July, highlights new compositions, often conducted by the composers themselves, plus a wide variety of choral and instrumental classical pieces.

For five days in early June, the Science Festival attracts leading scientists and writers to Cheltenham.

A gemlike Regency playhouse from 1805, the Theatre Royal has a year-round program that often includes pre- or post-London tours. You must reserve the best seats well in advance, but you can line up for same-day standby seats or standing room. Take care with your seat location—sight lines can be poor.