In an innovative collaboration between Komedia in Bath and City Screen Picturehouse Cinemas, The Little Theatre Cinema is to install a new cinema within the award-winning live entertainment venue.
The iconic Westgate Street building – formerly the Beau Nash Cinema, the first purpose-built cinema in the West of England – will combine Komedia’s award-winning programme of comedy, cabaret, live music, and children’s events, with The Little Theatre’s legendary cinematic experience.
Cinema installation will begin in June with a view to welcoming customers to The Little @ Komedia in July 2012. The cinema will use the original 180-seat balcony, with the option to provide cabaret-style seating in the mezzanine for selected events.
The programme will include a mix of new releases, classics, seasons, and events covering the best in art-house, quality mainstream, and foreign language cinema. As well as a varied film line-up, customers at The Little @ Komedia will be able to enjoy Picturehouse Cinemas' ground-breaking programme of Screen Arts content – the best theatre, opera, music, and dance on the big screen.
Among events already confirmed are encores of The Metropolitan Opera, for which customers will be offered VIP tickets that include a three course meal from Komedia’s Soil Association accredited menu, which replicates Komedia’s award winning Comedy VIP ticket. The popular Big Scream Club, films for parents with babies under one, will move across from The Little to Little @ Komedia where the extra space will be welcomed by parents with buggies to park. Parents with older children can look forward to family-friendly films screening daily throughout the school holidays, benefiting from the child friendly Komedia Canteen being on site.
Building on Komedia's expertise in staging live entertainment, there will be a number of combined film/live events on Friday nights, followed by a live music event, taking advantage of the venue’s flexibility. Along with The Little Theatre Cinema, Komedia will also be one of the main host venues for the Bath Film Festival each November.
“We’ve been looking for an opportunity to expand our cinema for years, and with Komedia just 200 yards away, we think we have found the perfect third screen,” said Martin Jennings Wright, General Manager of the The Little Theatre Cinema.
Lyn Goleby, Managing Director of City Screen said "following our recent announcement of Dukes @ Komedia, The Duke of York's Picturehouse expansion into Komedia Brighton, we look forward to extending this partnership to Bath, adding a much needed third cinema screen with Little @ Komedia. Bringing together these two beautiful, historic buildings with their varied but complimentary programmes, promises to create an exciting new venue for the people of Bath."
Komedia’s Director Richard Daws says, “This is an exciting development for Komedia. The partnership allows us to make best use of what is essentially a Bath civic building. Along with running one of the very best comedy and music venues in the country people can now rediscover the cinematic magic of the building – something that hits a chord with every Bathonian.”
