Disability-Led THE SECRET GARDEN Will Come to The Egg at Theatre Royal Bath

In a celebration of nature, play and friendship, this new disability-led adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved classic captures the magic of the original book through a modern-day lens. With The Egg itself becoming a living, breathing Secret Garden filled with immersive sights and sounds, this production explores the delicate balance of the natural world, questioning whether humans should tame gardens or leave nature to flourish on its own. With original music and animal puppetry, the show follows Mary as she arrives at Mistlethwaite Manor to find a world sealed shut: the house is silent, the people distant, the gardens locked and forgotten. However, Mary is no ordinary girl. Forthright and fiercely curious, she's determined to uncover the secrets hidden behind every door. Behind one is a disabled boy, Colin, whose ‘protection' has rendered him bedridden. Mary marshals the help of two young servant siblings, Martha and Dickon, and between all four of them, they secretly revitalise a forgotten garden and design it to be accessible for Colin.  

Adapted by Tom Wentworth, the production is designed specifically for a new generation. Wentworth's vision was to create a show where disabled or neurodivergent children can see themselves fully represented on stage. Through the character of Colin who is going to be ambulatory using both a wheelchair and walking –    played by Jack Hunter – the productions sparks conversations with young audiences about the importance of being kind and supportive of one another.   

The Secret Garden lies at the heart of The Egg's Secret Gardens season, a major year-long arts programme marking the venue's 20th anniversary, bringing immersive, sensory-led experiences to children and young people across the Southwest. The programme includes I Take My Imagination Everywhere, a tactile and imaginative hospital-based experience for children; Secret Gardens in Primary Schools and Secret Gardens in Secondary Schools, touring performance projects exploring themes of nature, curiosity and connection through interactive play and challenges; and The Imagination Garden, a calming multi-sensory installation for pre-walking babies and their carers. Together, the projects engage audiences from early years to teenagers through creativity, storytelling and sensory exploration in hospitals, schools, libraries and community spaces. 

Writer Tom Wentworth said, “I always dreamed of adapting one of my favourite children's books The Secret Garden for the stage – and now it's happening! This brand new production directed by Stephanie Kempson, is a story of friendship, acceptance and secrets, all told through the prism of a garden – and the magic that occurs when we accept others and ourselves. It is as relevant today as when Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote the original novel, and I hope this adaptation delights children and adults alike, especially those who are bedbound or hospitalised like I was as a child. Stories played a vital role in my recovery and the person I've become today, and if my adaptation ignites one child's imagination so they can create stories for themselves, I will have done a good job!” 

Tom Wentworth writes for stage, TV, film and radio. Recent credits include episodes of Waterloo Road, the Royal Television Society Award-winning Ralph and Katie and his original radio drama When I Fall (all BBC). Theatre includes: his adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing (Watermill), Little Bits of Ruined Beauty (Pentabus/Unlimited), Glass Town (The Egg, Bath) and his ever-popular comedy Burke and Hare (Watermill Theatre, Newbury/Jermyn St/UK Tour). He is currently under commission to the BFI, Erebus Pictures and Silverprint Pictures. He sits on many Boards and Committees, including as co-chair of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Equality and Diversity Committee and a Board Member; Equality Champion for The Watermill Theatre, Newbury and a Full Voting Member of BAFTA.  

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