Bats is the renowned drama group at Queens' that has traditionally put on Shakespearean plays in Cloister Court each summer, as well as a variety of other productions.
| President 2023-2024 | Emma Dawes |
| President 2022-2023 | Jessica Udeh // ju240@cam.ac.uk |
| President 2021-2022 | Josh Bailey |
| President 2020-2021 | Ben Philipps |
The Bats were established in 1942, and have performed many productions during their rich history (more on the history of the Bats here). 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of the society.
The Bats are supported by The Scanlan-Michell Fund, generously endowed by Stephen Farrant (1956) through The Friends of Aliki Vatikioti for Music and Arts. The Fund is named after Queens' alumni and former Bats members Joanna Scanlan (1980) and Roger Michell (1974), both of whom have won BAFTAs for acting and directing respectively. The income from the Fund is used to provide grants, promote and encourage the writing and performing of plays, invite and host visiting experts, and to encourage wider participation in theatrical activities among undergraduate and graduate students. The Fund is administrated by Dr Andrew Zurcher, Fellow and Director of Studies for English, and Dr Peter McMurray, Fellow and Director of Studies for Music.
Upcoming events
For more details on upcoming Bats performances, sign up for the mailing list or follow Bats on Facebook.
Committee
Any questions or enquries please email soc-bats-committee@lists.cam.ac.uk.
Famous former Bats members include
- Joanna Scanlan - BAFTA Leading Actress winner 2022
- Stephen Fry
- Emma Hall
- Roger Michell - director of Notting Hill
- Olivia Emden
- Simon Bird - The Inbetweeners
- Hannah Murray - Game of Thrones
- Zoe Svendsen
- Mark Watson - comedian
- Adam Barnard
- Rachel Sternberg
- Khalid Abdalla - United 93, The Kite Runner
- Lloyd Thomas
- Cressida Trew
- Ed Coleman
- Rahul Signal
- Lydia Wilson
- Olly Riley-Smith
- Zara Tempest-Walters
- Lowrie Amies
- Stephanie Bain
- Bea Walker
- James Walker
- Will Attenborough
- Charlie Parham
- Jessie Haughton-Shaw
- Maria Pawlikowska
Joanna Scanlan (1980) pictured with the Bats committee and the cast and crew of 'Black is the Colour of My Soul' on the 19th November 2022